The Hugh Jackman-fueled robot boxing film Real Steel is burning up the box office, packing in moviegoers to see mechanized mayhem. However, an article (or possible work of madness) at Best Week Ever posits the idea that it's another case of Hollywood's lack of originality mining the past for shreds of ideas …
Upon further research (of remembering dumb stuff), I believe we’ve uncovered the actual genesis for Real Steel: The concept was completely stolen from an episode of the late-80s cartoon C.O.P.S. The Animated Series. Anyone remember C.O.P.S.? “Fighting Crime In A Future Time”? All of you do? Awesome.
One of the C.O.P.S. episodes was called “The Case Of The Big Bad Boxoids,” and featured the cops and criminals squaring off in an ultimate showdown inside giant futuristic boxing robots. Sound familiar?
Bulletproof Vess? Sundown Calhoun? Ms. Demeanor and Dr. Badvibes? Oh, the memories … anyway, it might sound super crazy … until you see the video they showed …
Hmm …
[Source: Best Week Ever]