Hugh Jackman Has 'Real Steel'
Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Sports, Casting, Scripts, Family Films, DIY/Filmmaking, Newsstand, Dreamworks, Steven Spielberg
I would love to see Hugh Jackman in a boxing movie. It seems like he's long past due for one given his physical prowess, and he'd be a good fit for a Cinderella Man sort of tale. Unfortunately, he's decided to pursue the sport through robots and Shawn Levy, as Variety reports that he's in line for Real Steel. Based on a story by Richard Matheson, Real Steel is probably best described as Rocky meets Wall-E and The Iron Giant. Jackman plays a professional boxer who has to hang up the gloves, and rearranges his life when human boxers are replaced by 2000 pound robots. Our obsolete fighter tries to go with the flow, and becomes a Robot Boxing promoter, but success constantly eludes him because all he can afford are crappy robot parts. Then one day, he discovers a discarded robot who has a distinct gift for winning. Wouldn't you know it, the ex-fighter also discovers he's the father of a 13 year old son, and they bond as their scrappy robot fights his way to the championship.
There's not going to be a lot of surprises with Real Steel (they'll be misfits who find each other, and build a family), and Levy's track record isn't particularly promising. Nor is Hollywood particularly good at adapting Matheson's work to the big screen. But with Steven Spielberg as executive producer (a job which reunites him distantly with Matheson), there might be some hope. Not much, but some. I really wish Jackman would take some time and pick another film like The Prestige or The Fountain, and steer clear of the goofy popcorn concepts.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
10-01-2009 @ 12:41PM
Julie said...
Good grief. He needs help picking scripts or should just stick to live theater. Sigh....
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10-01-2009 @ 11:27AM
Graham said...
Quote:
I really wish Jackson would take some time and pick another film like The Prestige or The Fountain, and steer clear of the goofy popcorn concepts.
Don't you mean JackMAN and not JackSON?
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10-01-2009 @ 12:22PM
Stan Winsome said...
That sounds laughable. At least make "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots" Hugh.
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10-01-2009 @ 1:13PM
Linda said...
My sentiments exactly! I love Hugh Jackman and he is extremely multitalented. Would love to see what he can do with a really serious part. Let's see if he has best actor chops!
Reply
10-01-2009 @ 1:25PM
Midnight13 said...
Actually this was already adapted before, as a "The Twilight Zone" episode called "Steel". Only in the episode human fighters were obsolete, and only robot fighters were allowed. In the episode a man disguises himself as a robot so he could win some fast cash.
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10-01-2009 @ 5:02PM
Wes said...
My thoughts exactly. My guess is that Jackman will be in the ring at the end.
It was a great episode, btw.
10-01-2009 @ 5:35PM
Terry said...
I love Hugh but he really should make another potentially award-worthy movie. He is a great actor but he is overlooked with good offers or turns them down. My hopes go for Unbound Captives he should start shooting on January. And maybe he even won ´t be in this Steel movie. I wouldn´t mind too much, actually, but Shawn Levy is an incredibly average director. I would prefer Spielberg directing.
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10-01-2009 @ 4:13PM
Tony le Stephanois said...
This sounds kind of like Robot Jox, only not really. Either way, HAHAHAHHAHAH! Hugh, what are you doing with your life?
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10-02-2009 @ 9:53AM
kevin said...
Boo...
HJ - Do you even know what a good movie is ????
comeone Jackman.... ten years ago you were one of the best upcoming actors... then followed X1 and X2 with....
Someone like you
Swordfish
Kate and Leopold
Van Helsing
X3
Prestige (Gem)
Fountain
Flushed Away (GEM)
Happy Feet
Deception
Australia
Wolverine.... OMG
So talented... but makes such bad films... Agree'd he has had a couple of 'Gems' in my opinion - noted above. And yes some flops were almost gems for those of you that are going to jump on me because I didn't notate "The Fountain"... but productions issues killed that film.... But he clearly just wants.... $$$$$$$$$$
A robot fighing movie about a human promoter becoming a robot manager... OMG.... Crap...
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10-04-2009 @ 7:08AM
Ezri said...
When Kate and Leopold was so bad why did he get a Golden Globe nomination for that? The only really bad movie and made (probably) pure for money was Van Helsing. The others, except for Wolverine, were mostly low-budget, where he didn´t get much but did it because he thought it´s interesting and for the love of acting (The Fountain, The Prestige). He did few average movies after X1, but most of them was a try not get typecast.
I personally loved Australia and liked Wolverine.
I am not too excited from the idea of this movie. He should do some character-driven drama. I hope the Broadway play he is doing right now will get a movie version. And that Unbound Captives will finally show people how great actor he is.
10-02-2009 @ 5:50PM
Vinnie Bartilucci said...
In case y'all don't know, this is an adaptation of a story that appeared on The Twilight Zone. The episode, "Steel" can be read about here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steel_(The_Twilight_Zone)
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