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.

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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.