Is Real Steel 2 Still Happening With Hugh Jackman Back In The Robot Boxing Arena?
If "Rocky" is for Boomers and Gen-Xers and "Creed" is for Millennials, then what is the boxing film of choice for Generation Z? One could argue it's "Real Steel." Yes, really.
Released in 2011, the Hugh Jackman-led sci-fi film is loosely based on "Steel," a short story written by Richard Matheson in the 1950s and one that was previously adapted into an episode of "The Twilight Zone" in 1963. Yet, the film itself was very much meant for families — including then kiddie-aged Gen-Zers — when it opened in theaters. It would proceed to top the charts on Netflix almost a decade later when the world was on lockdown in 2020, at which point it became apparent just how much of a lasting imprint Jackman's surprisingly heartfelt boxing robots flick had left on the public's consciousness.
Directed by Shawn Levy, "Real Steel" takes place in an alternate future where, instead of people having to deal with a deadly virus, 2020 saw human pugilists replaced with brawling machines that could withstand far more damage (and dish out a whole lot more in return) in the boxing ring than mere flesh-and-blood mortals ever could. But for all its "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots"-style action and "Rocky IV"-inspired dastardly non-American villains (minus the Reagan-era Cold War politics, that is) "Real Steel" has to offer, it's really more of an earnest father-son story at its core. However, with a box office gross of $264 million against a $110 million budget, it wasn't lucrative enough to automatically get the green light for a sequel.
Nevertheless, Gen-Zers who grew up loving "Real Steel" have apparently retained their fondness for it, which is part of why a continuation is now being developed. Should it happen, though, the question is whether it would be a series or film.
Why hasn't Real Steel 2 happened yet?
It's evident that Levy and Jackman enjoyed working together on "Real Steel," seeing as they immediately tried to find a new project to collaborate on after wrapping production. In fact, they had already made plans to team up on a mysterious action-adventure movie written by Carlton Cuse, prior to the release of their boxing robots flick, in addition to a "Fantastic Voyage" remake that Levy was set to direct at the time. That's all on top of a "Real Steel" sequel, which Levy had started talking about in public before the original film had even opened in theaters.
When "Real Steel" only proved to be a moderate success, it took the wind out of Jackman and Levy's sails, and the pair went their separate ways. Of course, the two have only continued to lead hugely successful careers since then, with Jackman reprising his "X-Men" role as Wolverine in acclaimed blockbusters like "X-Men: Days of Future Past" and "Logan," flexing his other acting muscles in well-received dramas like "Prisoners," and starring in the mega-popular musical "The Greatest Showman." No slouch himself, Levy has spent the intervening years producing and helming a good chunk of the Netflix sensation "Stranger Things" in addition to producing critical darlings like "Arrival" and directing the well-to-do Ryan Reynolds sci-fi adventures "Free Guy" and "The Adam Project."
While their jam-packed schedules mostly kept them apart and preoccupied in the decade after "Real Steel" came out, Jackman still found time to cameo in Levy's "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb" and even briefly lent his voice to "Free Guy." They pair have since reunited properly for "Deadpool 3," which might just pave the way to "Real Steel 2" happening for real.
What Shawn Levy has said about Real Steel 2
Three years after "Real Steel" came out, Levy confirmed a sequel was slowly but surely being assembled, only for the project to seemingly fall between the cracks as he and Jackman moved on to different ventures. That changed when Netflix users streamed the film in massive numbers during the 2020 lockdowns, after which Levy found himself inundated with new requests for a follow-up. He talked about this in August 2021, stating:
"It is amazing how streaming gives people an opportunity to rediscover [things]. Obviously, it happened with 'Cobra Kai' and what happened to them when they moved from YouTube to Netflix. When 'Real Steel' was on Netflix in 2020, and it was in the top trending titles, it really showed us, 'Oh wait a second, that audience is still there, and maybe we can even grow it'. Hugh and I have definitely, we have seen each other recently, and I'm not gonna lie and say it didn't come up."
Tellingly, a few months after making those comments, Levy signed on to produce a "Real Steel" series for Disney+, suggesting that would take the place of a film sequel. Or maybe not?
Between the show being "paused" during the 2023 writers' strike (as Levy told Collider in September 2023) and Disney actively tightening its pursestrings when it comes to its streaming investments, it's conceivable the House of Mouse will ultimately elect to scrap its "Real Steel" show in favor of a theatrical sequel (again, assuming it decides to continue the franchise at all). In the meantime, we'll just have to wait and see what the final outcome is. As anyone who's ever been in a boxing match could tell you (one involving robots or otherwise), it ain't over till it's over.
Who will the stars of Real Steel 2 be?
Should "Real Steel 2" come to pass, we can reasonably assume Jackman will reprise his role from the first film as Charlie Kenton. In the original movie, Jackson's washed-up former boxer reconnects with his estranged son Max (Dakota Goyo) after recovering a sparring robot, Atom, in a junkyard and training it to become a contender in the arena, along the way rekindling ties with Bailey (Evangeline Lilly), the daughter of Charlie's old boxing coach. Anthony Mackie also costarred in "Real Steel" as Finn — a friend of Charlie's and owner of an underground boxing center — and has even pitched his own wild idea for a sequel centered more on his character:
"I always thought about the idea of going to the underground world and seeing what the reality is. The underground boxing circuit is so different than that last fight [the finale League match in the movie] with all the glitz and the glam and the polish. I feel like you can do a 'Mad Max' meets 'Real Steel,' and I could be Tina Turner."
As intriguing as that approach sounds, it's more likely "Real Steel 2" would pick up with Charlie and Max's story than veer off on a tangent like that at this stage. Speaking of Max, Goyo hasn't acted professionally since 2014, which puts his involvement into question, more so than other members of the "Real Steel" cast. The relationship between Charlie and Max was absolutely the heart of the first film, so ideally, the follow-up would bring Goyo back into the fold — assuming, naturally, he's as deeply invested in this fighting robots sequel happening as the rest of us. Think positive, folks!