Chappie
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Screenwriters: Neill Blomkamp, Terri Tatchell
Cast: Sharlto Copley, Dev Patel, Watkin Tudor Jones, Yolandi Visser, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Sigourney Weaver, Hugh Jackman
Columbia Pictures
Rated R | 120 Minutes
Release Date: March 6, 2015

In the near future, Johannesburg is patrolled by a mechanized police force. The creator, Deon Wilson (Dev Patel), wants to take robotics to the next level by creating a sentient droid that can think and feel for itself.

Enter Scout Unit 22 (Sharlto Copley), a banged-up police droid scheduled for disposal. Against orders from his boss, Michelle Bradley (Sigourney Weaver), Deon creates a firmware update that gives the damaged unit consciousness, turning the hardened police droid into a newborn child.

Before Deon can nurture and enlighten his creation, a gang of criminals (Watkin Tudor Jones, Yolandi Visser, Jose Pablo Cantillo) steals the robot. In the hands of these wannabe gangsters, the droid – nicknamed Chappie – is molded and manipulated into becoming an “Indestructible Robot Gangster #1.”

Elysium, the highly anticipated next movie from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp, isn’t even out yet (set for release on August 9th), but casting is already underway for his next project, which is titled Chappie.

According to sources, Slumdog Millionaire and The Newsroom star Dev Patel is in early negotiations to star in the movie, which is written by Blomkamp and his wife, Terri Tatchell, who also co-wrote District 9.

Continue reading for more and to see a video of the short that inspired Chappie.