Neill Blomkamp (Elysium, District 9) continues to be a “director to watch” and, today, we’re happy to hear his next movie is moving forward.
It’s called Chappie and Sony Pictures has announced Blomkamp will begin directing this fall. Blomkamp will work from a screenplay he has written with Terri Tatchell. He will also produce the film with Simon Kinberg.
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. The film will star Sharlto Copley as the voice of Chappie, with Ninja and Yolandi Visser, voices of the South African Zef counter-culture movement and members of rap-rave duo Die Antwoord, as the two gangsters.
Elysium opened at #1 in the U.S. this weekend, and was also #1 in Russia, Sweden, Taiwan and Ukraine. Sony Pictures also released Blomkamp’s first feature film, District 9, which took in over $200 million worldwide and earned four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Hannah Minghella and Rachel O’Connor will oversee Chappie for Sony Pictures; Brye Adler will oversee for Media Rights Capital.
