Sony Pictures Entertainment announce start of Production on Chappie

Sony Pictures Entertainment and MRC have begun production in Johannesburg, South Africa on Chappie, the next film from writer-director Neill Blomkamp.

It was announced by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures and Hannah Minghella, president of Production for the studio, and MRC. Chappie is co-produced and co-financed by Sony Pictures and MRC; the film will be marketed and distributed worldwide by Sony Pictures.

Blomkamp will direct Chappie from a screenplay he has written with Terri Tatchell. He will also produce the film with Simon Kinberg. Blomkamps latest film with MRC and Sony Pictures, Elysium, starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, which Blomkamp wrote and directed and also produced with Bill Block and Simon Kinberg, has grossed an estimated $283M worldwide to date.

After being kidnapped by two criminals during birth, Chappie becomes the adopted son in a strange and dysfunctional family. Chappie is preternaturally gifted, one of a kind, a prodigy. He also happens to be a robot. The film will star Sharlto Copley as the voice of Chappie, Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel, Sigourney Weaver, Ninja, Yolandi Visser, Jose Pablo Cantillo and Brandon Auret.

Hannah Minghella and Rachel OConnor will oversee Chappie for Sony; Brye Adler will oversee for Media Rights Capital.

About MRC:

Media Rights Capital (MRC) is a leading independent film and television studio, specializing in the creation of premium entertainment content in partnership with the industrys foremost creative talent and distributors. In film, MRC has financed and produced 16 films distributed by Universal, Sony and Warner Bros., as well as leading international distributors. Ted is currently the #1 highest grossing R-rated original comedy of all time worldwide. In television, MRCs projects have been licensed to a number of broadcast and cable networks including ABC, HBO, Netflix, Lifetime, Comedy Central and CBS. MRCs latest series, House of Cards, won 3 Emmy awards, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, Outstanding Casting for a Drama Series and Outstanding Cinematography for a Single-Camera Series. For additional information, visit www.mrcstudios.com

About Sony Pictures:

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPEs global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.

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