Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) and MRC are reuniting with director Neill Blomkamp on Chappie hot on the heels of the South African’s number one North American launch of Elysium.

SPE and MRC will co-produce and co-finance and Sony Pictures will handle worldwide marketing and distribution. MRC financed Elysium [pictured] and Sony handles worldwide marketing and distribution.

Chappie tells of a robot who gets stolen by two gangsters who plan to use him for their criminal purposes.

Production is expected to commence this autumn and the cast is led by Blomkamp regular Sharlto Copley as the voice of Chappie.

Experimental South African rappers Ninja and Yolandi Visser will portray the hoodlums.

Blomkamp will direct from a screenplay he co-wrote with Terri Tatchell and will produce with Simon Kinberg, who served as one of the Elysium producers.

Hannah Minghella and Rachel O’Connor will oversee Chappie for Sony Pictures and Brye Adler will do the same for MRC.

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