14 Years Ago Today, A Criminally Underrated Sci-Fi Was Released (& We Still Want The Sequel)

The critics don’t always get it right, especially when it comes to sci-fi. Sometimes, they don’t quite get the premise or the expectations are simply too high. It can lead to a disconnect between critical reception and how fans feel about a film, the result being a film that performs well at the box office but doesn’t land on any “best of” lists when maybe it really should have. It’s films like that that never really leave the public consciousness and result in both enduring appreciation from fans as well as calls for a sequel and 14 years ago today, one such film was released.

Released on October 7, 2011, Real Steel opened in theaters. Based on the Richard Matheson short story “Steel”, Real Steel had been in development for years with Shawn Levy — who would go on to direct Free Guy, The Adam Project, Deadpool & Wolverine, and the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter — and Hugh Jackman signed on to direct and star respectively. While critics didn’t love the film, they did praise Levy’s ability to bring real-life elements, such as actors and people, together with computer-generated elements to create a cohesive story. Fans, on the other hand, were much happier with the film, earning it an A CinemaScore and even helping it top the box office during its opening weekend. The movie so resonated with fans that calls for a sequel have endured.

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Real Steel is an Underrated Gem

Real Steel follows down on his luck former boxer Charlie Kenton (Jackman) living in a near future world where robots have replaced human boxers. After the robot he owned is destroyed in a fight, Charlie ends up reconnecting with his estranged 11-year-old son Max (Dakota Goyo). The pair then find an obsolete sparring robot that they rebuild and train, giving Charlie one more shot as a fighter while his time with his son gives him one more shot at being a father as well. The movie also stars future Marvel stars Evangeline Lilly and Anthony Mackie along with Olga Fonda, Karl Yune, Kevin Durand, Hope Davis, and James Rebhorn.

What makes Real Steel an underrated gem despite its initial critical reception is that the film transcends its somewhat silly premise. Rather than being a Transformers-esque story of man and robots, Real Steel is a very human story, one with gripping action and solid character development. Charlie is a man who truly has just one last shot to find success in his sport as well as one last chance to step up and be a real father to his son and Jackman’s performance is very grounded in the humanity and complexity of facing one’s failures rather than merely succumbing to them.

The film has also taken on a new significance in recent years in that it also feels very timely. With the growing prevalence of AI and concerns about the controversial technology replacing human workers in numerous industries, Charlie’s struggle as a fighter who has been replaced by technology feels particularly resonant. It takes the already poignant father-son underdog story at the heart of Real Steel and gives it additional depth.

Real Steel is also a film that is just very well made. Levy does an excellent job of combining the people in the film with the computer-generated elements and delivering to viewers something that feels real and tangible. Even with robots fighting, Levy delivers something that is authentic. It also just looks really cool and it still holds up 14 years later, which isn’t something that can be said for every sci-fi film.

Fans Still Want a Real Steel Sequel

While it has been more than a decade since Real Steel was first released, fans still want a sequel to the film. There were initial discussions about a sequel when Real Steel was first released, but it wasn’t until 2016 that things picked up a bit, with Levy saying at the time that there was an idea in development, but that he wanted a sequel that was more than just a “re-hash of the first movie.” However, nothing ever really panned out, but Levy is well aware that fans still want more Real Steel. Just last year, he said that they “always talk” about a sequel “because the world won’t let us forget and I’m glad for that.”

Additionally, a Real Steel series was announced by Disney+ in 2022. There hasn’t been much progress on that front, either, though in April 2024 it was reported that a writing team had been hired. It remains to be seen if that series will come to fruition, though given that Real Steel continues to be a topic of conversation as well as does well on streaming, it’s clear fans still want more.

Real Steel is currently streaming on Hulu. What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!