Everybody wants to be Neill Blomkamp‘s friend these days. Sony just dropped $120 million on the director’s next project “Elysium,” a mysterious sci-fi flick set 100 years in the future with a cast led by Matt Damon, Jodie Foster and Sharlto Copley, and with “Blade Runner” visual futurist Syd Mead on board for set design. Nice. But that’s not all the director is cooking up.
Deadline reports that Media Rights Capital, who are financing “Elysium,” have struck a deal with the director and have already given a greenlight to his next film, which is currently going by the title of “Chappie.” What is it about? We have no idea, but it’s based on an original idea, not part of a distribution deal recently struck with Sony, and will shoot immediately after “Elysium.”
Anyway, one thing at a time. Pre-production on “Elysium” is slated to begin in April with shooting to begin in July in Vancouver before moving to Mexico in the fall. The film is currently eyeing a holiday season 2012 release. But it’s pretty damn exciting that an original filmmaker is getting the financing he needs to bring is big ideas to the big screen. Our multiplexes could definitely use a lot more smart, original popcorn fare rather than an endless stream of comic movies and sequels, and we are definitely excited to see what Blomkamp has up his sleeve.
