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Sony Picks Up Neill Blomkamp's 'Elysium' + Plenty More New Info
by Alex Billington
January 19, 2011
Source: Deadline
The newest sci-fi project from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp titled Elysium has been in the news quite a bit recently, from casting and more casting. Well, Deadline has posted a big update with lots of new info on the project, including that Sony Pictures won the rights for distribution (expected because they were also behind D9) and that it's set 100 years in the future, but that's almost all we know. But one of the coolest little bits of news to come out of this is that Syd Mead, a designer who worked on various sci-fi classics like Blade Runner, will design the sets for Elysium. Neill has been pitching to studios this past week. Read on!
Blomkamp's Elysium, another original socio-political sci-fi written by the South Africa-born filmmaker, is set 100 years in the future. We don't know too much else about the plotline, but Deadline says Neill will start shooting it in July this year in Vancouver and then move to Mexico City. I have a feeling their setting mostly takes place around Mexico City (at least visually), with some of the effects and studio shots done in Vancouver, where Blomkamp is currently based. Syd Mead is a big name for Blomkamp to get for his second film, but he apparently joined because he liked District 9. Sony is aiming for a holiday 2012 release and it sounds like it'll have a moderate-to-tentpole sized budget, which is a step up from the $30M budget on D9.
Here's where the interesting details come in. Matt Damon, Jodie Foster and Sharlto Copley are all set to star. Sony won the rights, but Universal may be co-financing as well, and Media Rights Capitol (who also helped finance and develop D9) is working with Blomkamp on this again. Deadline also mentions that MRC has given Blomkamp a greenlight on his third feature project, currently titled Chappie (umm wait what?), that doesn't seem to have a connection with Elysium at all. But it will go into production "immediately after Blomkamp" finishes, despite not having a distributor or being a part of any of these aforementioned deals.
This is all very exciting news, to be honest, I'm anxious to write about this. I've been a big fan and supporter of Blomkamp before District 9 even hit theaters and I can't wait to see how he pushes the boundaries of the sci-fi genre again in his next feature. It sounds like he's really going all out, with plenty of extra cash and big names to help develop (but no Peter Jackson this time). We'll continue to keep you updated! Sound good?
11 Comments
2
Its news like this that makes me wish I could some how travel forward in time to the release date or simply freeze myself until said release date to avoid the intense anticipation that the news has brought me. UGH!!!
Wokkiee on Jan 20, 2011
3
D9 was overrated. More excited for Green Lantern and Platinum Dunes' reboot of Ninja Turtles.
WetFart on Jan 20, 2011
4
Bahahahahahahaa!!!
Chjapa on Jan 20, 2011
5
"Plenty More New Info"??? I feel as if the title of this article was misleading.
Knawx on Jan 20, 2011
6
7
Amazing news about talented director,Neill Blomkamp! i cant wait to see his new film,his ideas are always fresh and amazing.
Smartpandora on Jan 20, 2011
8
ooo yeah cant wait
A5J4DX on Jan 29, 2011
9
Going from the brilliant ideas and alien concepts that Blomkamp introduced in District 9, if Elysium is going to be set on an alien planet with Jodie Foster as head of the state on that planet, I am so, so going to be watching the first screening of this when it comes out!
Dave W on May 11, 2011
10
Though he wasnt going to use well known actors.....
SD85 on Jul 24, 2011
11
i'm there! District 9 is my destiny movie--and now so is this one!!
Robotprophet on Aug 17, 2011
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