Hey everybody, it is my esteemed pleasure to present you with your WTF movie news of the day, as it's being reported by Deadline that AMERICAN HISTORY X director Tony Kaye is looking to cast a robot as the lead of his next film, 2ND BORN.
Dear Tony, I love a good robot as much as the next moviegoer, but has anyone taken the time to explain to you the dangers of a Skynet scenario in the real world? This is how it starts, man. Oh, don't get me wrong, I'm all for experimentation in film, just be aware that you're playing with fire, my friend. In fact, some people might not be hip to the idea of you casting artificial intelligence rather than a real flesh-and-blood actor for your film. Have you seen the internet these days? Prepare to be eaten alive, dude.
All jokes aside, Kaye is hoping to employ a real robot, who will be programmed/trained in replicating different acting methods and techniques. The whole thing started when Kaye and producer Sam Khoze decided that a physical A.I. automaton would better serve the film than a modern day special effect. The duo is also hoping that the robot will be recognized by SAG, which if you ask me is some straight up SHORT CIRCUIT style sh*t.
Naturally, 2ND BORN will be crafted as a sequel to 1ST BORN, an indie comedy directed by Ali Atshani and starring Val Kilmer, Tom Berenger, Greg Grunberg, Jay Abdo, Taylor Cole, Reza Sixo Safai, William Baldwin, Denise Richards and Robert Knepper.
In what we know about 2ND BORN so far, is that it will be released via Lotus Entertainment, and will focus on a young married couple, Iranian born Ben (Safai) and American Kate, whose complicated first pregnancy forces their extended family, from differing backgrounds, to find common ground for the sake of the baby.
No casting confirmations have been announced, though several players from the original film are expected to make a return. Additionally, the film is expected to be released this year.
What do you think about the move to cast a robot as the lead in a film? Does the idea intrigue you, or is Kaye welcoming the beginning of the end by giving a humanoid actor top billing? Should SAG recognize the robot and welcome it into the fold? We're sure you have thoughts about this, so go ahead and sound off in the comments section below.