Hugh Jackman confirmed for Real Steel

Just over two weeks ago we heard details on sci-fi drama Real Steel from director Shawn Levy, and now Variety have confirmed that Hugh Jackman will indeed by playing the lead. They also have details on the budget and when filming will begin.

The DreamWorks principals have greenlit the “Rocky”-esque robot tale “Real Steel,” to star Hugh Jackman, as their first pic since raising $650 million from both J.P. Morgan Securities and Reliance Big Pictures and an additional $175 million from Disney, which will distrib DreamWorks titles.

Based on a short story by Richard Matheson, “Real Steel” was one of 17 projects that Spielberg and Snider took as part of DreamWorks’ split from Paramount last year.

Insiders say DreamWorks will make the pic on a budget of about $80 million — a far cry from the average price tag for sci-fi event films like “Transformers” or “Avatar.” DreamWorks plans to be the sole financier on the project, though Paramount can opt in for half. No decision will likely be made on Paramount’s end for several months.

Production starts in June.

The story centers on a fighter who has to reinvent himself when human boxers are replaced by robots. Jackman will play a struggling Robot Boxing promoter who finds a discarded robot that always seems to win. He also discovers he has a 11-year-old son, and they bond as the robot brawls its way toward the top.

It will be interesting to see how Shawn Levy, known for directing comedies such as Night at the Museum and Cheaper by the Dozen, will handle a sci-fi drama with a rather moderate budget.