ROTTEN TOMATOES: When Robots Attack: "Neuromancer" and "Robosapien" to Hit Screens

When Robots Attack: "Neuromancer" and "Robosapien" to Hit Screens

by Scott Weinberg | May 20, 2007

I guess the arrival of the "Transformers" has everyone scrambling for their own robotic properties. Today we learn of two new good news/bad news sci-fi projects.

Fans of William Gibson's "Neuromancer" book may be thrilled to learn that producer Peter Hoffman is planning a movie version. Then again, they may be disappointed to learn that the flick will be helmed by the man who gave us ... "Torque." The producer says "the project is not just a good sci-fi adventure but a story full of hot topics --issues like artificial intelligence, bio-engineering and alternate theories of immortality will be dealt with dramatically." That's all fine and good, but ... "Torque," man.

In distressingly related news, producer Avi Arad will tackle his second toy line (after this summer's "Bratz: The Movie") when he introduces "Robosapiens" to the big screen. Sort of a futuristic "Pinocchio," the movie will be about "working on artificial intelligence who creates robots for humanitarian purposes, only to discover that the corporation he works for intends them for military use. He steals one of his creations, a robot boy named Toby, who, by a series of accidents, gets lost and broken, and then found and fixed by the lonely 11-year-old son" and blah blah blah. Forgive me if I'm a little skeptical of movies based on TOYS. Plus Mr. Arad is handing the "Robo" reins to Sean McNamara, the guy behind "Raise Your Voice" and, yes, "Bratz: The Movie."

Arad is pretty clear about what he's after: "I go after intellectual properties, whether they are comics, videogames or toys, and it's about finding the right things with cinematic value, to make movies that have some kind of brand awareness." Notice how the phrase "good movies" never escapes his lips.

Source: Variety AND Variety

Related Items

Movie:	Torque
	Raise Your Voice
	Bratz: The Movie
Celeb:	Peter Hoffman
	William Gibson
	Sean McNamara
	Avi Arad

(1-18 of 18 posts) | Reply

jacog writes:
on May 21 2007 03:11 AM

[b]Oh dear[/b]
Neuromancer is an awesome book. I'm very nervous about this film... I am convinced they will screw it up. Oh well... the book will always be there.

(Reply to this)

jacog writes:
on May 21 2007 03:14 AM

[b]Robosapiens[/b]
Allright... this movie sounds veeery similar to the 80s flick "Short Circuit" ... only, #5 starts off as a military bot first.

(Reply to this)

Eldrang writes:
on May 21 2007 05:59 AM

[b]uh-oh[/b]
well, i agree with jacog and am saying that I loved the book buuut the movie could be screwed up by a good director, little alone the director of "torque"...I still want a snow crash movie

(Reply to this)

PrecentorEpsilonXVI writes:
on May 21 2007 06:21 AM

In reply to this comment (#866129)
Or that "Toy Soldiers" flick a while back... bleh.

Yay! A new Johnny Mnemonic! Weee!!! (I don't feel so well...)

(Reply to this)

SS109 writes:
on May 21 2007 06:25 AM

[b]After watching the Johnny Nuemonic film...[/b]
I am very worried about "Neuromancer". On the plus side, Bladerunner was better than the book.

(Reply to this)

jacog writes:
on May 21 2007 06:34 AM

But Blade Runner was directed by Ridley Scott, therein lies the difference.

(Reply to this)

Iamcool2007 writes:
on May 21 2007 08:07 AM

[b]oh well[/b]
Right of the bat i will say none of these movies will match Transformers in anticipation, hype and buzz and boxoffice.

Neuromancer has some chances of being good but robosapien will look utter crap. Go see Bratz the movie trailer and you will know what i mean.

(Reply to this)

Mattmovies writes:
on May 21 2007 09:03 AM

I was never a fanboy of any novel or comic book.... but I am of Neuromancer. This director of Torque and Britney Spears videos had better have just had bad luck finding good projects, or he should resign. Neuromancer can not suck!

If it is as bad as it sounds, I will buy every print ever made of this film, feed it to chimps and have sex with the director's wife in front of him.

I will be convinced of the quality of this film when I see an image of Molly. If done wrong, this movie is screwed.

(Reply to this)

karle writes:
on May 21 2007 09:08 AM

In reply to this comment (#866129)
Actually the robosapien description initially reminded me more of D.A.R.Y.L.

(Reply to this)

dracus writes:
on May 21 2007 10:49 AM

It was bound to happen; Hollywood robots making actual robot movies.

(Reply to this)

blank blank writes:
on May 21 2007 11:01 AM

i doubt anybody invloved in this project has the intelligence to pull any of this off.

(Reply to this)

MovieSamurai writes:
on May 21 2007 11:25 AM

the second movie about robosapiens sounds similar to "Small Soldiers" if it barely, if not all, did not work the first time, why?

(Reply to this)

Iamcool2007 writes:
on May 21 2007 02:29 PM

[b]hey Mattmovies!![/b]
IS the directors wife hot??

What if she turn out to be ugly incredibly huge fatass lady.

(Reply to this)

Mattmovies writes:
on May 21 2007 08:14 PM

Then that is where I will store all the prints so no one ever finds them...

(Reply to this)

Mattmovies writes:
on May 21 2007 08:14 PM

And the chimps that are eating them...

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pinkincide writes:
on May 21 2007 11:13 PM

Neuromancer was all about Gibson's groundbreaking writing. If you boil it down to just it's plot and characters you'll be leaving out all that made it great. They might make a good SciFi movie, but it won't ever convey the real substance of Gibson's book.

(Reply to this)

pwnsauce3k writes:
on May 22 2007 05:43 PM

[b]NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO[/b]
Jesus tapdancing Christ! Neuromancer get the director of TORQUE? Someone please wake me up from this nightmare. First they rape HG2tG. I'm not upset about the inevitable changes required by adaptation. Blade Runner stands apart from Dick's novel. The choice of director indicates the nature the changes will take. This is a borderline surreal novel in its vision of the future. And the movie requires someone like Darren Aronofsky, Terry Gilliam, Michael Gondry.

Just you wait: This is going to filled with car chases, gun battles, kung fu fights, and a horrible love story, all revolving around some metro pretty boy as Case and Hillary Duff as Molly.

Hell no to this.

(Reply to this)

Mattmovies writes:
on May 22 2007 07:02 PM

Amen brother pwnsauce3k

(Reply to this)