news The New Robocop Will Be "More Human"

[Rappy Veteran]

MGM is negotiating with Brazilian director Jose Padilha to direct Robocop, the remake of the futuristic 1987 film originally helmed by Paul Verhoeven. The original was about a cop who was near death and was drafted to become a powerful cyborg cop, until suppressed memories of his past life come back to haunt him. Peter Weller played the character in the original him in the original and the 1990 sequel.

Reconstituted under Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum, MGM has targeted Robocop as its first major franchise play, and they worked hard to find a filmmaker who could play on a global field. They were impressed by Padilha's track record with taut crime dramas Elite Squad and a sequel that came out in 2010. Those films were Portuguese language and didn't play huge in the U.S. But Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within grossed over $60 million in Brazil alone last year, surpassing Avatar, Shrek Forever and Alice in Wonderland in Padilha's home country. The original won a Golden Bear at the 2007 Berlinale. Once Padilha is aboard, they will set a writer who'll work under the director's supervision.

The Robocop remake once had Black Swan helmer Darren Aronofsky developing it to direct before MGM halted progress on all of its pictures while trying to fix its finances. Aronofsky moved over to direct Fox's Wolverine sequel with Hugh Jackman. MGM emerged from Chapter 11 and converted its crushing debt of $4.25 billion into equity. The studio is moving forward with James Bond--Deadline broke the story that it's headed for distribution by Sony, with Javier Bardem in talks to play the Bond villain opposite Daniel Craig for director Sam Mendes.

Padilha also directed the documentary Bus 174, about what happened on June 12, 2000 when a bus was taken hostage by armed young men. It played out all day on the Brazilian TV networks and ended horribly. Padilha is repped by CAA.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/mgm-eyes-jose-padilha-for-robocop-reboot/

[TheLegendOfMart]

Id be up for this just as long as they dont make robocop CGI it has to be a guy in a suit.

[+jamesyfx Subscriber²]

That actually made me lean back in my chair and say '... What.'

I liked Robocop because it was so 80's even though it was meant to be futuristic.

[Nick H. Supervisor]

Wow, and there I thought MGM had gone under. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see they're still around, I'm just amazed that I missed that bit of news.

As for Robocop...meh, the original really didn't work for me. Maybe the reboot will be better.

[Roger H. Veteran]

I loved me some Robocop, the first ones anyways. Just don't make it cheesy and we'll be good. The perfect robot back in 80s when robots were the next best thing that every kid was dreaming about (and a cop too!). It was just too great, definitely needs to have "heart" tho.

[t_r_nelson]

That actually made me lean back in my chair and say '... What.'

I liked Robocop because it was so 80's even though it was meant to be futuristic.

Same here. But it was even beyond 80's. It was so over the top and campy. And it was meant to be that way.

"I'd buy that for a dollar."

But a remake, I would not.

[etempest]

Wow, and there I thought MGM had gone under. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad to see they're still around, I'm just amazed that I missed that bit of news.

As for Robocop...meh, the original really didn't work for me. Maybe the reboot will be better.

They went bankrupt, they talked to the people that they owe money and they allowed them to forgive there debt in exchange for stock, and this put them on there feet for the next james bond film.

If the next James Bond film tanks... they really will be bankrupt / out of business even before Robocop can happen.

[Rappy Veteran]

They went bankrupt, they talked to the people that they owe money and they allowed them to forgive there debt in exchange for stock, and this put them on there feet for the next james bond film.

If the next James Bond film tanks... they really will be bankrupt / out of business even before Robocop can happen.

the chances of that happening are slim

[+jamesyfx Subscriber²]

Yeah, James Bond movies are just cash generators. Product placement and other endorsements probably practically pay for the movie. :p

[TheLegendOfMart]

I feel sorry for MGM, they restructure so they can keep the big franchises like Bond and Stargate and Stargate goes and tanks and they are left without a show or a film.

[MatiasRaudzus]

So they're getting a director who has no experience with American movies or the American market, sounds like this should be a DVD release and not put in theatres.

[NienorGT]

I'm all in if they make it "decent".

I like Robocop, the character, but I don't find the first movie "really good".

As for the second and third movie... Let's not even think about them...

Just imagine Robocop, but with Iron Man graphics!

[+jamesyfx Subscriber²]

Iron Man is a cool character though. RoboCop is a police officer who can't fly, he just fires a gun whilst standing still with do-good attitude. :p I don't see how they can make this appeal to modern audiences...

[TheLegendOfMart]

So they're getting a director who has no experience with American movies or the American market, sounds like this should be a DVD release and not put in theatres.

Why does it have to be an American director, there are LOADS of iconic non American directors.

[MatiasRaudzus]

Why does it have to be an American director, there are LOADS of iconic non American directors.

Did I say it had to be an American director, no, I never did, in the future please refrain from putting words in my mouth.

RoboCop is a police officer who can't fly...

Actually, have you seen 3?

[TheLegendOfMart]

Did I say it had to be an American director, no, I never did, in the future please refrain from putting words in my mouth.

Of course you did, you insinuated that the film would be crap without an American Director without experience of the American market and that it should go straight to DVD.

News flash American isnt the centre of the universe, there is just a few other countries that films are also shown.

[MatiasRaudzus]

Again, you're putting words in my mouth, which I asked you nicely not to do, now you're just making an ass of yourself. What I said was that they are getting a director who has no experience with American movies, and they could've gotten a director from anywhere who has experience, nowhere did I say it had to be an American!

NEWS FLASH: I am Canadian, and we are the centre of the universe!

[+jamesyfx Subscriber²]

Actually, have you seen 3?

No. Has anyone else? :p

[vincent]

No. Has anyone else? :p

Yes and RoboCop flies

[MatiasRaudzus]

I've never seen the RoboCop cartoon, seen parts of the TV series, and still have yet to watch Prime Directives.

[Ayepecks]

They went bankrupt, they talked to the people that they owe money and they allowed them to forgive there debt in exchange for stock, and this put them on there feet for the next james bond film.

If the next James Bond film tanks... they really will be bankrupt / out of business even before Robocop can happen.

No, it won't, even if that improbable outcome does occur. MGM was financially unsuccessful not because of its movie branch, but because of all the money losing branches of the company not associated with its movie studio (think of its casino business, for instance). MGM is now being run by the guys that founded Spyglass, and what they're doing is partnering with other film studios on what they consider to be surefire hits in order to make money.

It works like this: partner with Sony to co-finance (and this is just an example) a Spider-Man or Men in Black movie. These movies have a built-in audience and represent an extremely low risk, given the monetary response from the box office. So, MGM will pay a small percentage (in comparison to what Sony will pay) of the financing, and make a percentage back off the movie's box office receipts. It will help MGM quickly turn around and gain financing. They've also been partnering on movie studios for their biggest franchises (Bond, The Hobbit) in order to get some financing burden taken off their own shoulders.

[Rappy Veteran]

According to Deadline, MGM has found a writer for the reboot of Robocop in the form of Josh Zetumer, this coming on the heels of the studio bringing aboad Brazilian director Jose Padilha.

Although not generally known outside the industry yet, Zetumer has had A LOT going on behind the scenes. He's written the spy thriller Infiltrator, which is to star Leonardo DiCaprio for Warner Bros. Additionally he wrote several drafts of what was supposed to be Peter Berg's version of Dune, he was the writer behind the now aborted fourth Bourne Identity film and has handed in the screenplay for Vale, described as a supernatural action thriller (also at Warners).

http://www.deadline.com/2011/03/mgm-hires-josh-zetumer-to-script-robocop-reboot/

[DocM]

Michael Fassbender (Magneto) as Murphy/Robocop?

Source.....

Director Jos? Padilha appeared on Brazillian TV channel Globo 1 to discuss Elite Squad 2: The Enemy Within and talk turned to his upcoming remake of RoboCop. Thanks to Bleeding Cool, here is a translation of what he said about his plans as well as his mention of Michael Fassbender ( X-Men: First Class, Inglourious Basterds) for the role:

I'll film Robocop. I'm indeed writing the script, the writer is here with me in Rio, we've spent over the last 15 days working together, refining the script.

I'll be traveling this friday back to LA, bringing this new version to discuss with the studio, and maybe begin with the casting, selecting actors... and the idea is to begin filming in February ? February or March. That's the idea, y'know, we never know in the American movie industry. We're just delivering the project, but also we depend on the schedule of the actors... it's tough.

I can't talk yet, it's too early to speak, but there are some actors I like. I really like the Fassbender, I'd like to talk to him - I'll talk to him. There's a possibility... and there's a lot of other great actors that would play RoboCop. But that's the idea, to film around January, February, March.

Padilha also confirmed that the film would be set in Detroit, as in Paul Verhoeven's original.

The interview is available on Globo 1's site here.

Fassbender can be seen in the upcoming A Dangerous Method and Shame and he's playing one of the lead roles in Ridley Scott's Prometheus, opening next June.

[DocM]

Deadline....

EXCLUSIVE: I?m told that MGM is making an offer to Joel Kinnaman to play the title role in its Robocop remake. The film?s being directed by Jose Padilha, helmer of two action packed installments of Elite Squad. Strike Entertainment partners Eric Newman and Marc Abraham are producing. Josh Zetumer wrote the script.

Kinnaman, who?d take the role originated by Peter Weller in the 1987 Paul Verhoeven original, most recently turned in a memorable performance in Safe House opposite Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds. He burst on the scene in the AMC series The Killing. Before that he starred in Snabba Cash...?

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[Rappy Veteran]

Fans of Paul Verhoeven's original have been wondering exactly how director Jos? Padilha would go about rebooting the movie, and the character. I think many assumed the new Robocop wouldn't look too different from the big chrome headed lug we all remember, but according to actor Joel Kinnaman, who will take over the role from Peter Weller, we may be in for a suprise (shock?) there..

"'RoboCop' is going to be a lot more human. The first movie is one of my favorite movies. I love it. Of course, Verhoeven has that very special tone, and it?s not going to have that tone. It?s a re-imagination of it. There?s a lot of stuff from the original. There are some details and throwbacks, but this version is a much better acting piece... it's not going to be jaw action. They?re still working on the suit and how it?s going to look, but the visor is going to be see-through. You?re going to see his eyes."

Strike Entertainment partners Eric Newman and Marc Abraham are producing, Josh Zetumer penned the script and Sony will distribute the MGM film.

http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/rorschachsrants/news/?a=56993