Hugh Jackman's Underrated Robot Fighting Movie Is Streaming For Free

Hollywood is no stranger to raiding toy shelves and turning whatever they find into movies. On paper, they sound like they absolutely shouldn't work, yet they've broken blockbuster records and become fan favorites worldwide. Studios signed off on the likes of "The Lego Movie," "Transformers," and "Barbie" and made millions, or in some cases billions, proving that some ideas, when handled well, can really hit the spot. However, on the odd occasion, some miss the mark with the masses, and in 2011, Hugh Jackman stepped into the ring with one, alongside a director he'd go a few rounds with in later years.

Director Shawn Levy's "Real Steel" was essentially 'Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em Robots: The Movie,' but was, in fact, loosely adapted from "Steel," a short story by "I Am Legend" writer Richard Matheson, which had originally been adapted for "The Twilight Zone" as an episode in 1963. The story follows Jackman as retired boxer Charlie Kenton, forced out of the ring by robot fighting, now a mainstream sport. Set in the futuristic year of (checks notes), 2020, Kenton finds himself making a comeback after discovering a 'bot set for the scrap heap and training it to become a champion.

Boasting the supporting talents of Evangeline Lilly, Anthony Mackie, and Kevin Durand, "Real Steel" had all the components to become a family hit. Clearly, local theaters got their wires crossed, because while the movie grossed massive numbers around the world, "Real Steel" ended up being a box-office bomb on its home turf.

With a budget of $110 million, "Real Steel" drew in a commendable $300 million at the worldwide box office, with only $85.5 million of that being from North American theaters. Critics were fairly warm to Jackman and Levy's robot-beating movie too, with the film earning 60% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it was most praised for a great CGI-heavy bit of entertainment for fathers and sons. Stephen Holden of The New York Times wrote, "All things considered, it is a well-wrought piece of entertainment, confidently paced, although its necessary subplots are little more than dutiful filler sandwiched between fight sequences." Empire's James White also compared it to classic boxing films, saying that "It's not quite in Balboa's weight class, but 'Real Steel' at least has some heft."

It would be 11 years before Jackman and Levy reunited (excluding a cameo in "Free Guy"), joining Ryan Reynolds for "Deadpool & Wolverine," which became the pair's most successful project to date. Earning over $1 billion at the box office, it's now the most successful R-rated movie of all time. With that kind of accolade under both of their belts, it feels like anything the two put their heads together over would get an obvious green light, so why haven't we heard the bell ring for a second round of "Real Steel" that fans are so desperate to see?

In an interview with Joblo, Levy confessed that the one thing he gets asked about the most by fans is another chapter of "Real Steel." "We're coming up on ten years on Real Steel, and still not a week goes by where I get asked at least once – and usually more than once – in real life, or an interview, or on social media, 'Sequel? Sequel?'" Levy said in 2021. Unfortunately, a few things have gone wrong in getting things going, including an initial effort to create a television series for Disney+ in 2022 (via Variety) that never really materialized.

In a 2024 report from Screen Rant, Levy revealed that the love for his bumped-and-bruised robot movie hasn't faded, nor has the prospect of a sequel. "We always talk about 'Real Steel 2.' Because the world won't let us forget, and I'm glad for that." Unfortunately, as it stands, we might have to wait a little longer, given Levy's incredibly busy schedule. Besides the impending release of "Star Wars: Starfighter" and his newly announced "Ghost Rider," both of which star Ryan Gosling, plans are already in place for a sequel to "Deadpool & Wolverine." Perhaps when the blasters have cooled and the hellfire management has died down, Levy might finally get real and give the fans what they're begging for.