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- Real Steel Is Rocky With Robots
- Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy Bring Out the Best in Each Other
- Why Real Steel Deserves a Sequel
As a cinephile who has followed the careers of some of Hollywood’s most prominent stars for decades, I must say that the friendship and collaboration between Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds, and Shawn Levy is nothing short of fascinating. Their journey from working together on “Real Steel” to creating box-office hits like “Deadpool & Wolverine” is a testament to their camaraderie and shared vision.
In 2011, the science fiction action movie “Real Steel” was the first time director Shawn Levy and actor Hugh Jackman worked together on a film. During the production of “Real Steel”, Jackman portrayed a former boxer who competes with robots instead of humans. After this collaboration, Jackman and Levy’s friendship grew to include Ryan Reynolds, who had previously acted alongside Jackman in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and later collaborated with Levy in the films “The Adam Project” and “Free Guy”. As their bond strengthened, they eventually teamed up for “Deadpool & Wolverine”, which has proven to be the most successful film of their respective careers.
In the last ten years, Real Steel had slipped into obscurity. However, the announcement and release of Deadpool & Wolverine reignited interest in the film. Now, on Netflix, Real Steel consistently ranks among the most-watched movies for the past year.
The surge in interest for the movie “Real Steel” has sparked discussions about whether Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly might collaborate again for a “Real Steel” sequel. However, if the phenomenal earnings of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” which has amassed approximately $1.3 billion at global box offices, are any indication, it seems highly unlikely that Jackman and Lilly would dedicate their time to any project other than another “Deadpool & Wolverine” film in the near future.
Real Steel Is Rocky With Robots
In the movie “Real Steel,” Hugh Jackman takes on the role of Charlie Kenton, once a professional boxer but now finding it tough to adjust when human fighters are replaced by robot combatants. The story kicks off with Charlie’s fighting robot, Ambush, getting defeated in a match against a bull. To make matters worse, Charlie learns that his ex-girlfriend, Max’s mother, has passed away, and he must face a court hearing over custody of Max, whom he hasn’t seen since the child was born.
At first, Charlie intends to hand over guardianship of Max to Max’s aunt and her spouse for a substantial amount of cash, but he decides instead to continue caring for Max for three additional months. Using the money, Charlie purchases a robot named Noisy Boy and, together with his father, they visit an underground fighting arena. Unfortunately, Noisy Boy is damaged in a battle against another robot.
Regardless of the expected narrative structure of Real Steel, with its focus on Charlie and Max’s bond and their transformation of a scrapyard robot named Atom into a fighting champion, the film manages to rise above the ordinary underdog tale by emphasizing a heartwarming father-son relationship and adrenaline-pumping action scenes. The central struggle in Real Steel is not about a final battle but rather Charlie’s struggle to avoid neglecting his son.
In the action-packed robot fights from Real Steel, the drama lies in the heartfelt bond shared by Atom and its human handlers, Charlie and Max. This unique connection echoes the developing affection and admiration between a father and his son, as both parties deeply care for their cherished mechanical ally.
Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy Bring Out the Best in Each Other
The pairing of Hugh Jackman and Shawn Levy in “Deadpool & Wolverine” was their first joint project since “Real Steel”, apart from Jackman’s brief appearances in “Free Guy” and “Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb”. The success of this film has significantly rejuvenated Jackman’s career, as he hadn’t experienced a box-office hit since 2017’s musical drama “The Greatest Showman”. This boost came after a series of box-office flops including “The Front Runner”, “Pan”, “Reminiscence”, and “The Son”.
2011 marked the release of Real Steel, a movie that earned around $300 million globally, nearly double its production cost of $110 million. This release came during Hugh Jackman’s peak popularity, mainly due to his role in the X-Men series. However, it’s important to note that Shawn Levy had achieved his greatest commercial success as a director earlier, with the first two movies in the Night at the Museum film series.
Following my collaboration with Levy on the set of Real Steel, I (Hugh Jackman) brought him into contact with Ryan Reynolds, whose professional journey also hit a significant milestone in 2011, marked by the underperformance at the box office of his superhero film Green Lantern, which was released just three months prior to Real Steel. The strong bond within this threesome is palpable in Deadpool & Wolverine, where Levy showcases an exceptional grasp of the idiosyncrasies and talents that define Jackman and Reynolds, surpassing any other director they’ve worked with.
Why Real Steel Deserves a Sequel
In the year 2016, Shawn Levy unveiled plans for a follow-up to the movie “Real Steel,” titled “Real Steel 2.” Levy intended to delve into the creation and background of the robot character Atom in this sequel. However, the progress of the sequel was hampered due to Levy’s determination that any subsequent “Real Steel” film had to outshine the original. After assigning various drafts for the sequel screenplay, Levy, along with Hugh Jackman and executive producer Steven Spielberg of “Real Steel,” found none of the scripts strong enough to warrant a sequel.
2021 saw Levy expressing his desire to bring Jackman and Reynolds together again for a “Real Steel” sequel, an idea eventually overtaken by the release of “Deadpool & Wolverine”. However, in 2022, it was disclosed that a “Real Steel” TV series is being crafted for Disney+, with Levy involved as one of the producers.
Initially, the momentum on this anticipated series came to a halt, but in April 2024, excitement surged when it was disclosed that a writing team had been enlisted for the potential series. The renewed interest is undeniably fueled by the skyrocketing popularity of Real Steel on Netflix. Although a Disney-produced series appears more imminent than a sequel to Real Steel, it remains uncertain if Levy intends to reteam with Jackman and Reynolds within the Real Steel universe.
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2024-09-03 03:31