A remake of Short Circuit is a really good idea, as you can see from this quote by one of the producers:
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,” Producer David Foster said. [Variety]
And in case you still had any doubts about a remake, don’t. They hired the director of Paul Blart: Mall Cop to direct it. He’s Sassy Ostrich’s favorite.
Dimension Films has signed Steve Carr to direct “Short Circuit,” the remake of the 1986 sci-fi pic. Carr is coming off the Kevin James hit “Paul Blart: Mall Cop.” Scripted by Dan Milano (”Robot Chicken”), the remake is a robot reboot that 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. [Variety]
Look, I have as fond of memories of Johnny 5 as the next guy, especially the time those Puerto Ricans taught him how to steal car stereos. But calling Johnny 5 “iconic” is like saying The Noid is an American institution.
Ever since the first Wall-E stills hit the web, me and many other movie bloggers have noted his similarity to Johnny 5 from Short Circuit. Someone in Hollywood noticed, and in typical Hollywood fashion, confused a reference to something with a good idea, and now they’re planning a remake of Short Circuit.
The original introduced Number 5, a robot built by the military to be a highly sophisticated weapon. It developed a conscience and a personality after being hit by lightning, and then needed the help of humans after it was targeted for destruction by its makers, once it became a peacenik. [Variety]
Yes, and he also joined the Los Locos street gang, we remember. The writers of the original (and of the Tremors movies), Brent Maddock and S.S. Wilson (who’s apparently a ship), have been hired to write the remake. Anyway, I realize I’m partly to blame for this and I apologize. Everything else is still either Brett Ratner or those Meet the Spartans dipshits’ fault.
