It’s been a rough couple of weeks for the Robocop remake. First, HitFlix’s Drew McWeeny got his hands on a copy of the script for the film and trashed it. Then it was revealed through an interview with friend and fellow director Fernando Mereilles, that the remake’s director Jose Padiha was becoming “bitter” with the process of making the film.
Just when you thought things couldn’t get any worse, Hugh Laurie drops out of the role of Ray Sellars, the villainous head of the corporation that makes Robocop.
After that string of bad news, any good news would seem to be a miracle. Well, here’s your miracle. Deadline is announcing that Michael Keaton has signed on to replace Laurie in the role of Sellars.
I consider Keaton to be one of the most underrated and underused actors of his generation. He excels at comedy, as witnessed in Night Shift, Mr. Mom, and Johnny Dangerously, but could also do drama, such as Clean and Sober and Pacific Heights.
Keaton’s profile has been lower over the last decade, with a majority of his acting coming in leads in low budget pictures, supporting roles in mid-level films, voiceover work in several Pixar movies and the occasional television work. This will be his highest profile work in years, and long overdue.
Robocop is scheduled to start shooting next month for an August 2013 release.
