With only one four-year-old feature film behind him, you’d think filmmaker Neil Blomkamp would be a small blip on pop culture’s radar instead of the secret-shrouded spotlight nabber he’s continued to be for the past few years. And just as his second film is prepping for release, he’s off and running on his next project, though this is probably the only thing we’ll hear about it for a while.
The Province (via The Playlist) confirms Blomkamp is currently at work on his third feature, currently titled Chappie, a film which already got the greenlight as soon as Elysium did. The film, labeled as a sci-fi comedy, is based on an original idea and co-written by Blomkamp and his wife Tatchell, who also co-wrote District 9. To be expected, that’s about all that can be said about the film’s creative side. On the production side, the film will take Blomkamp back to Johannesburg, South Africa - the setting and filming location for his hit directorial debut - while all the post-production will take him back to his current home in Vancouver.
For all its serious implications, District 9 had its own nice streak of humor running throughout, and even though the few screenshots from Elysium look all too serious, I wouldn’t be surprised if Blomkamp wisely lightened the mood in that film as well.
And what of Elysium’s progress as it trudges forward towards its August 9 release date? “Elysium is basically done at the end of February,” Blomkamp says. “I have some straggling VFX shots that go into April but it’s almost done. The stuff looks absolutely amazing.” I can’t wait to see if I agree with him.
