abnervaught: 'Real Steel' Sequel Will Focus On Story's 'Humanity'

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

'Real Steel' Sequel Will Focus On Story's 'Humanity'

'I think that this movie works because of its humanity,' director Shawn Levy says.
By Kara Warner

Hugh Jackman in "Real Steel"
Photo: DreamWorks Pictures

With its impressive TKO into first place at the box office this weekend, it's no surprise that there is a "Real Steel" sequel already in the works. The cat was out of the bag back in April, when news leaked that the studio had already commissioned the film's screenwriter/actor John Gatins to begin work on a second installment. So when MTV News caught up with director Shawn Levy at the movie's premiere recently, we tried to get a few more details from him about the potential franchise.

"Well, it has certainly been leaked that the studio would like us to make another one, and that's based on the way we've seen the audience react to the movie — they react really emotionally. So we'll see, if we're lucky in the next month, for sure we'll make another one," Levy said.

But what direction will the sequel go in? Will there be more robots? New characters? "I think that this movie works because of its humanity, so if we made a sequel, the humanity would remain the priority," he said, only slightly dodging the question.

When we tried the same line of questioning with the movie's star, Hugh Jackman, he didn't slightly dodge the question, he discarded it almost entirely.

"Imagine asking a football player the night before the Super Bowl if he thinks they'll make the Super Bowl next year," he said with a smile, meaning that the first film will have to rake in plenty of cash before the studio signals for the go-ahead. "It's a bit like that."

Levy was a bit more loose-lipped when he spoke about the subject with IndieWire, admitting that the story will continue with all of its major players.

"I will produce and direct again, yeah. Hugh [Jackman]'s definitely in and, certainly, I can't give away too much, but Dakota [Goyo], Evangeline [Lilly] and Hugh are all a big part of the sequel. It is the same characters, the next chapter. It delves into the fallout of the new fame and money that the Kentons are going to have as a result of the Zeus-Atom fight. It also delves into something I thought was a cool aspect of the movie that I didn't have time to get into, which is the class warfare between the underground unsanctioned world of robot boxing and the monetized corporately funded league. The truth is, it's not unlike the way boxing saw its popularity contested with the rise of a more violent, less rule-bound MMA."

Check out everything we've got on "Real Steel."

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