Atom, an actual remote-controlled robot built for "Real Steel," in a scene with Evangeline Lilly, Dakota Goyo and Hugh Jackman. (DreamWorks)
In an era when most movie effects are computer-generated, creating real, remote-controlled robots was “the most central decision” for “Real Steel,” director Shawn Levy told the audience at Monday’s early IMAX screening of the film.
“In this moment, you can do everything digitally, so most movies just do everything digitally,” Levy said at the screening, hosted by Hero Complex’s Geoff Boucher. “It’s quicker. It’s often cheaper. So this notion of building real, full-scale, remote-controlled robots is kind of heresy now because it’s unnecessary. But it’s not unnecessary if you consider that you are going to get a visual reality and a reality to the performances that is incomparable.”
Evangeline Lilly, who starred opposite Hugh Jackman in the robot-boxing film, which opens this weekend, praised Levy and the filmmaking team, saying the experience of acting with a real robot was considerably different than green-screen work on her other projects.
“I’ve worked with a very, very invisible smoke monster for a very long time,” she joked about her role on “Lost.”
Levy said the biggest benefit of having real, moving, life-sized robots on set became evident in young Dakota Goyo’s performance.
“Certainly, it helped Evangeline and Hugh, but I think where we really see it in ‘Real Steel’ is with that boy,” Levy said. “The reason that those scenes between Atom and Dakota are magic is because that boy wasn’t pretending to love a robot. He wasn’t acting with a tennis ball on a stick. He loved that robot.”
Hear more about the robots in “Real Steel” in the video above, and be sure to check out the first two clips of the Q&A here and here.
– Noelene Clark
RECENT AND RELATED
Review: Under the influence: ‘Reel Steal’ is more like it
Hugh Jackman sees ‘Real Steel’ as father-son story
Evangeline Lilly: ‘Real Steel’ gave me goosebumps
Shawn Levy: Hugh Jackman has aura of warmth
Has Shawn Levy made a robot film with heart?
LaBeouf on Megan Fox leaving ‘Transformers’
Hugh Jackman talks ‘Real Steel’ at Comic-Con
Comments
Print
Read Later
Our legion of super contributors is led by Hero Complex editor Gina McIntyre and 
Made in Detroit
Dakota Goyo performance was very very good fell in love with his performance hope to see more of him in other movies
totally enjoyed this movie loved Dakota's performance
here r the robots i remember ZUEZ ATOM MIGHTIS NOISY BOY METRO AMBUSH
HOW DO YOU MAKE A ROBOT LIKE THAT?!!!
i like your idea.
Dakota GOyo was the strongest connection in this movie. A brilliant child actor who will go very far in Hollywood. Tennis ball or not, he was strong throughout. I hope they are taking notice. I really hope to see him again. Good job little man.
real steel was a perfect movie they really need to make a real steel 2 atom is back this was a movie worth buying right away and watching over and over again
Dakota Goyo is so HOT i would love to meet him! <3
DAkota Goyo is a great actor
es una excelente pelicula desde Venezuela saquen la 2 parte donde atom gane a zeuz pero con atom actualizado
JUST SAW THE MOVIE TONITE…ONE WORD….WOW!!!!!!!! WAS I THE ONLY ONE IN THE MOVIE MAKING SOUND AFFECTS AND CHANTING ATOM ATOM….DAKOTA WAS AWESOME HE REALLY BROUGHT ALOT OF TRUE EMOTIONS TO HIS ROLE!! THE ENTIRE CAST WAS AWESOME…WE NEED A REAL STEEL II….GREAT MOVIE!
we need a real steal 2.
FANTASTIC,FANTASTIC,FANTASTIC…NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD ADMIRE A ROBOT AS MUCH AS ATOM,BRILLIANT PERFORMANCE FROM ALL THE CAST BUT,FOR M,E IT WAS MAX AND ATOM THAT REALLY FINISHED THE FILM FOR ME, MAX ACTUALLY MADE HIS DAD!! WHOM HE HAD NEVER SEEN,BELIEVE IN HIMSELF AGAIN(WHN IT CAME TO BOXING)…..5STAR FOR ME THIS WAS..
Real steel was a great movie I wish I had a robot like them.
I love the movie and I have been on google how do you build a robot like atom from real steel because i want a robot like atom.
i want twin cities
I would love to be in your next movie!!!!!!!! if you make a real steal 2 movie.please
how can i buy 1 of your robots i will pay you 400 $