Director Neill Blomkamp is working on another film, which, like his last two, will also be a science fiction project. It will also have Sony co-financing again. The studio said today that it will work with Media Rights Capital on Chappie.
Chappie is an original story from Blomkamp and co-writer Terri Tatchell. It is based on his 2004 short Tetra Vaal, a fake commercial for robots that patrol South African slums. According to Deadline, the plot of the film has two gangsters abducting a robot with artificial intelligence that they plan to use for their own purposes.
Sharlto Copley, who worked with Blomkamp on both Elysium and District 9 will star, along with Ninja and Yolandi Visser of music duo Die Antwoord will play the gangsters.
“We’re huge fans of Neill Blomkamp – it’s a real thrill to be continuing our relationship with such a visionary and important filmmaker," Columbia Pictures president Doug Belgrad said in a statement to TheWrap. “Neill has proven that he is a true original voice and we expect that Chappie will strike a chord with worldwide audiences in the same way that District 9 and Elysium have.”
Elysium hit theaters on Friday and grossed $30.5 million over the weekend. It stars Matt Damon and Jodie Foster.
image: Sony