Brazilian Director José Padilha Eyes 'Robocop' Reboot

Remember when it was announced that MGM was moving ahead with a bunch of remakes/reboots and then the studio themselves turned around and denied it? Looks like somebody was fibbing a little bit as the long-gestating reboot of “Robocop” — which once had Darren Aronofsky attached to direct — is still a go.

Deadline reports that Brazilian director Jose Padilha is in talks to take the director’s chair on the film. While he is not name to Joe Public, in festival circuits and among smart Hollywood types, he’s been one they’ve been keeping an eye on. He’s best known for his films “Elite Squad” and the recent sequel “Elite Squad 2,” gripping drug trade thrillers that have done boffo box office in his native land with the former winning the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival in 2008.Padilha’s name cropped up on the director’s shortlist for “Tales From The Gangster Squad” last fall and it looks like it’s not being forgotten.

But don’t expect this one anytime soon; once Padilha is on board a writer for the project will be sought to pen a fresh screenplay under the director’s watchful eye. But clearly, MGM is keeping their foot in the tentpole game as the project joins “The Hobbit” and the forthcoming James Bond film on their slate. But is that remake of “Mr. Mom” still happening? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.