October 2011 sees the release of "Real Steel" starring Hugh Jackman (Wolverine), Evangeline Lilly (LOST) and Kevin Durand (Robin Hood). Set only a few years in the future, the sport of boxing has been taken over by 8 foot tall steel robots that fight to the death. Charlie Kenton (Hugh Jackman) a onetime boxing title contender previously number two in the world, is now a down and out small time boxing promoter. Stuck fighting old robots on back street circuits, Charlie has really hit rock bottom. When is estranged son Max turns up, Charlie decides to take him on the road to try and win some fights and make some money. When Max finds a robot half buried in mud in a scrap yard full of robot parts, things start to change. Convinced by his son to let Atom, the old robot, fight, events begin to turn in their favour.
"Real Steel" is directed by Shawn Levy who is most well known for his Night at the Museum franchise as well as recent movie "Date Night". Real Steel shows Levy really taking a new more serious genre under his belt. With the help of executive producer Stephen Spielberg, Levy seems to have produced, by the look of the trailer, a high quality engaging movie.
Along with the talents of Hugh Jackman who is a strong male actor, DreamWorks also engaged the legendary Sugar Ray Leonard as a boxing consultant. Sugar Ray gave in put on boxing style and technique as well as training Jackman to ensure he not only looked the part, but was able to box authentically.
Concerned about producing a "robot boxing" movie, DreamWorks commissioned edits to the screenplay by Les Bohem and John Gatins. Attempting to make the film more palatable to a wider audience, the writers brought the human relationships to the forefront of the story, especially focusing on the Father-Son relationship between Charlie and Max. The setting of the film was also changed to the traditional "Americana" using state and country fairs. Both edit warmed the atmosphere of the movie, DreamWorks now felt confident in saying that Real Steel was "not a robot boxing movie".
"Real Steel" is an action packed, white knuckle ride where steel fights steel and a man and boy become Father and Son.
"Real Steel" in released in UK cinemas on 7th October 2011.