Patel may join Sharlto Copley for the futuristic tale.
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ star Dev Patel has entered into talks to for the lead in Neill Blomkamp’s character-driven sci-fi feature ‘Chappie.’
While official plot details are being kept firmly under wraps, the film is based on Blomkamp’s 2004 short ‘Tetra Vaal.’ The short, a faux ad for a robotic police force patrolling the slums of South Africa, can be viewed below.
Heat Vision hears that Patel would be playing the film’s human lead, with Blomkamp’s regular collaborator Sharlto Copley (‘Elysium,’ ‘District 9’) on board to play a police robot working the shantytowns.
Blomkamp co-wrote the script with ‘District 9’ scribe Terri Tatchell. ‘Chappie’ will be financed and produced by Media Rights Capital (‘Elysium,’ ‘TED,’ ‘The Adjustment Bureau’).