While talking to Screen Daily, Hugh Jackman confirmed he has been cast in Neill Blomkamp's follow-up to ELYSIUM, CHAPPIE. The sci-fi film was officially announced in August and Jackman says shooting will start at the beginning of 2014.
“I am doing a role in Neill’s new film, called Chappie, which we shoot in Johannesburg. I’m there for a couple of weeks at the beginning of next year.”
But if Hugh Jackman is only filming for a couple of weeks, how big will his part be and who is he playing? Bleeding Cool thinks they know the answer to that question:
From what little extra info I have, it would seem that Jackman is playing a CEO who ends up on the wrong side of the gangsters. He’s apparently quite a resourceful character, though…
Synopsis for CHAPPIE:
Chappie tells the story of a robot imbued with artificial intelligence who is stolen by two local gangsters who want to use him for their own nefarious purposes.
CHAPPIE will be an expanded version of Neill Blomkamp's short film TETRA VAAL (you can check it out here) and also stars Ninja and Yolandi Visser from Die Antwoord. I know some were disappointed with ELYSIUM and others believe CHAPPIE will feel too much like that film and DISTRICT 9, but I'm looking forward to CHAPPIE, especially with Hugh Jackman, regardless of how big or small his part may be.
CHAPPIE should be in theaters sometime in 2014.