Neill Blomkamp Won't Direct THE HOBBIT, but his New Sci-Fi Film is Called ELYSIUM
Neill Blomkamp's reps recently put the word out that Blomkamp will not be directing The Hobbit after it was rumored that he would. Apparently he was never even contacted about it. I was kind of hoping he would do it, but I guess we'll have to wait and see who the next rumored director will be. We can now leave that rumor behind us and move on.
Vulture goes on to report that Blomkamp's new sci-fi film that he's been talking about over the last year will be called Elysium. This film is based on an original idea of his that he wrote the script for. The film is set up at Media Rights Captial, who is financing the film, and giving Blomkamp full creative freedom to make the film however he wants, which means it's going to be awesome! Blomkamp has expressed that he's more interested in making low budget movies with no name actors so he can make it the way he wants. He has no desire to work with a major studio with a $150 million dollar budget with executives and actors controlling every aspect of his film. The last we heard Elysium will have a budget of around $30 to $40 million bucks. That's exactly what he had to make District 9.
Here are a few things that he's said in various interviews about this new sci-fi film he is working on.
I’ve got one science fiction idea that I’m absolutely in love with, which I’m pretty sure is going to be my next film. 99% sure…It’s totally original, it’s my own story…It’s set on another planet, but it’s cool. It’s violent, very violent, and very unique hopefully. We’ll see.
It is science fiction and it has many sociopolitical ideas that interest me. Those ideas are wrapped up inside something that is like a Hollywood action film…The setting for the next film takes place 150 years from now. There are two cities that I’m choosing between. They would play as themselves. They are not in South Africa.
Hopefully, this will be a bit unique, very much a reflection of me. It is absolutely another science fiction film, quite different from `District 9,’ but some of the blending of genres and the tone might be within the same realm.
He may not be directing The Hobbit, but he is directing a new original Sci-fi film that is sure to be awesome!