Short Circuit

[The Dark Vampire]

First "Dancing With the Stars" brought Steve Guttenberg back to life and now Dimension Films is hoping to do the same with one of The Gutt's most enduring films.

According to Variety, Dimension has acquired the remake rights for the 1986 robotics comedy "Short Circuit."

The original film, directed by John Badham, starred Ally Sheedy, Guttenberg, Fisher Stevens and Tim Blaney as the voice of Number 5, a military-designed robot that gains unexpected consciousness after being hit by lightning. Number 5 decides he isn't interested in practicing war anymore and he goes AWOL.

S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock, scribes on the first film and its sequel, have been brought in to work on the remake which, Variety emphasizes "will be similar in theme to the original, but it will factor in advances in technology."

David Foster, Ryan E. Heppe and John Hyde will produce.
Credit>http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/zap-dimensionremakingshortcircuit,0,7716660.story

Surprised it hasn't been mentioned yet as the story is from April

The first 2 movies are really good wonder how they will go with the remake?

[Just Jeans]

Hey, with Wilson and Maddock on the case, it could be pretty good.

When Universal eventually decide to remake Tremors (or when Dimension buys the remake rights off 'em) I hope they have the good sense to bring Wilson and Maddock back.

[Scarecrow]

Oh Hell No. These films are cheese of the highest order!


- Scarecrow

[The Dark Vampire]

Oh Hell No. These films are cheese of the highest order!


- Scarecrow
I always liked them to be honest I have both on DVD when I was younger I always hoped for a part 3 I understand there was going to be one but the producers didn't like any of the scripts.

[Skye]

No.

I am boycotting this film, unless Tim Blaney comes back as the voice of Number 5.

[The Dark Vampire]

No.

I am boycotting this film, unless Tim Blaney comes back as the voice of Number 5.

Johnny 5

No I correct myself

Mr Johnny 5

[DavidDunn]

I second that. Blaney for Johnny 5, or no dice. With all of the advances in modern technology, this could be a very interesting concept, if done with the same emotion and humor of the original. I trust that the original writers won't let us down. But I have been let down before.

I'm looking at you, Ang Lee. You're going to hell for what you did to the Hulk. May Louis Leterrier have mercy on your soul.:D

[FallOutGirl]

Could be interesting. Just hope it doesn't turn out like Wall-E :P.

[Theprofessor]

Los locos kick your ass, los locos kick your face, los locos kick your balls into outer space!

:D

Jebus, I know remakes have been around a lot longer than sequels but damn, this is getting ridiculous.

This has potential for fun though.

[i am SAW]

http://screenrant.com/images/wall-e-short-circuit2.jpg

[Theprofessor]

It's funny because when my friend first watched the Wall-E trailer he shouted in the theater "Fucking Johnny 5 knock off!"

[Violent VictiM]

This is gonna be sooooooo good. No Tim Blaney or original robot, no dice. the only way I'll see this movie in those things stay in tact, unchanged and un-CGI'pwnd.

[The New Blood]

I bet they're gonna have some rapper doing Johnny 5's voice. Just wait, you'll see.

[Violent VictiM]

"yo kid, i been struck by some electric and now im fresh as fuck motha fucka"

:shifty:

[Just Jeans]

I can't imagine S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock willingly destroying their own creation.

[kramerfan]

Need Steve Guttenberg

[Lammert]

I liked the sequel, nice kids film.

[4BarrelHemi]

I dunno how well this would do in this day and age. I'm sure they would somehow mess it up with their updating the film.

[CanadianFonzie]

bring Ally Sheedy in and I'll watch it:shy: lol, otherwise a remake is gonna be a piece of cheese

[Cody]

'Short Circuit' gets 'Robot' touch (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004494.html?categoryid=13&cs=1)

Dimension Films has tapped Dan Milano to script "Short Circuit," the remake of the 1986 pic.

The original was about an armed robot that acquired a personality after a lightning strike, and sought the help of humans to prevent its destruction by its makers in the military.

Milano, who aside from writing and providing voices for the Adult Swim cartoon "Robot Chicken" and co-creating and playing the title character in "Greg the Bunny," figures to bring a subversive edge to the original film scripted by S.S. Wilson and Brent Maddock.

David Foster, who produced the original and is back to produce the remake with Ryan E. Heppe and John Hyde, said that Milano first watched the original while he was in high school, and sparked to updating the concept.

"We're bringing Number 5 into the 21st Century and taking advantage of the improvements in robotics that are so massive that robots are now performing heart surgeries in hospitals," Foster said.

The producer said the robot's visual look won't change, even though Foster said Pixar's "Wall-E" is a dead ringer for the original "Short Circuit" protagonist.

"We think of 'Wall-E' as an extended trailer for our film, because it's the same face," Foster said.

[andrew8798]

Steve Carr to Direct Short Circuit Remake

Dimension Films has signed Steve Carr (Paul Blart: Mall Cop) to direct Short Circuit, the remake of the 1986 sci-fi film, reports Variety.

Written by Dan Milano ("Robot Chicken"), the redo brings the iconic Johnny 5 into the 21st century. Built by the military to be a highly sophisticated weapon, Johnny 5 develops a conscience and personality after being hit by lightning. He befriends a lonely boy and his fractured family.

David Foster and Ryan E. Heppe of David Foster Productions will produce with John Hyde of Rehab Entertainment. Jason Taragan, who partners with Carr in Rumpus Entertainment, will be executive producer.


http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=60362

[Jus-X]

I'm fucking tired or remakes. I wish Hollywood would just get it's own ideas.

Fred: "You were out all day ripping off car stereos?!?!?"
J5: "Not ripping, unscrewing."
Fred: "Stealing okay? You were stealing!"

[Just Jeans]

I wish Hollywood would just get it's own ideas.

Would you rage against this if it were Short Circuit 3 rather than a remake?

[Jus-X]

A sequel would be aight.

[Lankenfurter]

Would you rage against this if it were Short Circuit 3 rather than a remake?
a sequel would kinda be fun. could have the same kid draw if they made it fun and modern story with the old school robot and cast but also have nostalgia for older folk call it like short circuit - upgrade or something not part 3 though. i kinda like the sequel to old stuff trend over the remake trend cause if you do it right like rocky rambo indy you dont need to see the orignal and the same time if you did its that much more fun

[Jus-X]

I remember the tv version of Los Locos. "Los Locos kick your teeth. Los Locos kick your face. Los Locos kick your butt into outer space!"

[Melanie Jarvis]

I would much prefer a sequel than a remake.

[Ron]

Holy shit Mel, where the hell have you been??

[Melanie Jarvis]

Like Jason, I died and came back to life.

[Ron]

Welcome back!! Just don't go to space on us now though;)

[NW77]

Like Jason, I died and came back to life.

Got a machete to your face, huh? Hope it wasn't as painful as what Jason gone through one time. :p

[Jus-X]

Like Jason, I died and came back to life.

So what happened?
You drowned?
Arm nearly cut off?
Hit in the scalp with an axe?
Cut in the head and brutally attacked by a bald 12 year old?
Chained to a bottom of a lake?
Attacked by a zombie dad?
Toxic waste?
Hell?
Attacked by a half naked android?
Shot through the atmosphere of an oxygen rich planet while being held down by a bodacious unarmed militiant astronaught with biceps the size of the moon caused by over-juicing on the roids?

[WesReviews]

Dimension Hires Guy With No IMDb Page To Write SHORT CIRCUIT Remake! (http://www.aintitcool.com/node/53249)

New York, NY, February 2, 2012 - Dimension Films announced today that they have hired Matt Lieberman to pen their family film SHORT CIRCUIT. Lieberman will work closely with already attached director Tim Hill (HOP, ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS) in the reimagining of the 80s classic. Lieberman is a recent alumni of the Disney writers program. Details of the new take are currently being kept under wraps.

“Dimension has had great success with the SPY KIDS family series which grossed over $500 million worldwide,” said Bob Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company (TWC). “We are looking for SHORT CIRCUIT to be our next family franchise and are excited to be working with Matt Lieberman and Tim Hill, who has had great International success with HOP and ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS.”

David Foster, who produced the original, is producing with Ryan E. Heppe, John Hyde and Brian Manis.

Shooting is scheduled for the end of the year with a release in Summer 2013.

The deal was negotiated for Dimension Films by Adrian Lopez, VP of Business and Legal and Matthew Signer, SVP of Production and Creative Affairs; for the filmmakers by Brad Rosenfeld at Preferred Artists and Melissa Rogal at Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler & Feldman, Inc.. Lieberman is represented by Rosenfeld, Rogal and Adam Kolbrenner at Madhouse.

[WesReviews]

Missed this update a while back. Kind of a head-scratcher...

‘Short Circuit’ director: War makes this remake relevant (http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/movies/2012/04/short-circuit-tim-hill-remake-director-american-reunion.html)

From “American Reunion” to “Fright Night,” remakes of 1980s and 1990s films have taken their lumps on the big screen lately. But the director behind the new iteration of “Short Circuit” is taking a rigorous approach that he hopes will help his movie avoid the reboot trap.

Tim Hill, the “Hop” helmer who has been hired to direct the film, says that his take on Johnny No. 5 -- of course, the weapon-turned-cuddly-companion from the 1986 hit -- will resonate in this era of drone warfare.

“The thing that makes it so relevant is that we live in this age of robots, particularly when it comes to war,” Hill, also a longtime writer on the television series "SpongeBob SquarePants,” told 24 Frames. “We have drones that do our fighting for us, do all these jobs men and women don’t want to do. And that’s what makes this so interesting -- things like this moment in the story when Johnny realizes he’s going to be disassembled and contemplates death, and whether it’s right to terminate someone else.”

He paused, “These are heavy themes for a family movie," he said, anticipating a reasonable reader's reaction. "But I think they can have their place.”

John Badham’s comedy classic told of Johnny, a Cold War weapon who attains a form of consciousness after being caught in a lightning storm. Starring Steve Guttenberg and Fisher Stevens as the scientists who create Johnny, the film ironically takes a human turn when animal-lover Ally Sheedy befriends the rolling robot.

The new version will recast the Sheedy role as a teenager or preteen, Hill said, in part because it gives the movie a family-friendly angle but also because it adds a wish-fulfillment dimension not present in the original.

Hill said the robot protagonist will, however, retain the wide-eyed tone of his forebear -- “like an infant struck by lightning, and you see human foibles reflected in him.” (The new version is being developed at Dimension Films, the Bob Weinstein-led unit that acquired the rights a number of years ago. Hill and various writers are working on the script.)

To prepare for the movie, Hill, a polymath who is one of the more eclectic director voices out in Hollywood, has been reading up on modern robotics, ticking off in the interview a few academic texts he has been studying.

But he added that one doesn’t need an advanced degree from MIT to appreciate the issues he hopes to raise.

“If you look at kids and how they adopt machinery, it’s just getting tight and tighter,” Hill said. “We're just becoming more connected to our machines. That’s why I think this can say more about our relationship with technology than the original ever did.”

And how will the new Johnny look in an era when technology has become ever more compact (and, it should be noted, Pixar’s “Wall-E” has offered its own cinematic take on a humanoid robot)?

“I’m tempted to go back and grab the original,” Hill said. “But I think it has to be closer to what modern design actually is. There are computer models and labs developing real machines like this. We want to do something like that.”

And despite the wide-eyed qualities to Johnny, a little menace wouldn’t hurt, either.

“You’ve got to find the balance between something fierce and something endearing,” Hill. said. “The original was cute. But no one was threatened by it.”

Uh, do we really need a 'dark' and 'edgy' Short Circuit? :facepalm: