Hugh Jackman’s Real Steel released over a decade ago, features Anthony Mackie as Finn. However, like many other movies when the 2011 film hit the theatres it didn’t exactly set the box office on fire. But eventually experienced a surge in viewership on Netflix, during the pandemic.
Thus, when the cast reunited for the 10th anniversary of the movie, Anthony Mackie discussed his ideas for a Real Steel sequel, with Entertainment Weekly. Further, many fans of the movie gathered on social media to side with Mackie and demand a second installment of the 2011 action flick.
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Anthony Mackie Had Been Bugging Director For A Sequel
Appearing in Shawn Levy’s 2011 action flick starring Hugh Jackman, Anthony Mackie has been a fan of his Real Steel project. Although the movie failed to attract an audience following its release in theatres, Real Steel gained a massive viewership on Netflix, and even turned into the streamer’s top ten tending movies.
Witnessing such appreciation for the film, the cast reunited for a discussion on Entertainment Weekly‘s oral history of Real Steel for the movie’s 10th anniversary. That’s when Anthony Mackie confessed to bugging the director Shawn Levy for a sequel, over a phone call.
“He offered me the part with the idea of the part growing throughout the scope of the movie and hopefully the series—because I was like, ‘Man, we could do part 2. We could do part 10,’. I wanted it to be like the Fast and the Furious series.”
Discussing his desire for a sequel, just like most fans, Captain America star Anthony Mackie even admitted pitching his own idea. Claiming how the movie has enough potential and endless possibilities for a second installment, Mackie mentioned how he “always advocated for a sequel” despite facing failure.
Anthony Mackie Has Endless Possibilities For Real Steel Sequel
During the interview with Entertainment Weekly, the MCU star stated how he wanted to see the Real Steel cinematic universe flourish like Vin Diesel’s Fast and Furious franchise. Despite the unfortunate fate of the 2011 action flick, which is yet to develop a sequel, Mackie claimed, “I think the possibilities are endless”.
“I always thought about the idea of going to the underground world and seeing what the reality is. The underground boxing circuit is so different than that last fight [the finale League match in the movie] with all the glitz and the glam and the polish. I feel like you can do a Mad Max meets Real Steel, and I could be Tina Turner.”
Witnessing the actor’s desire for a sequel, filmmaker Shawn Levy explained why the Real Steel sequel never happened. “We had some ideas right as we were finishing the movie, but none of them felt fully formed and special enough” Levy explained. He further added how the 2011 movie “did well, but not well enough” to encourage him for a sequel.
“It wasn’t like we had $500 million and a sequel was a no-brainer. So, the economics were on the bubble, we didn’t have the perfect script idea. It’s still something we flirt with because whatever enduring love fans have for Real Steel, Hugh Jackman and I share it.”
Thus, eventually, none of the ideas were good enough, and Real Steel failed to perform well, so Shawn Levy gave up on the hope of making a sequel. But both Mackie and Jackman were on board for a second installment.
Watch Real Steel on Hulu.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
