“Real Steel” stakes out 2011 release date

According to Slash Film, the futuristic sports drama “Real Steel” starring Hugh Jackman will be released Nov. 18, 2011–the first film released under Disney’s new distribution deal with DreamWorks, the studio announced today.

Directed by Sean Levy (“Night at the Museum”), “Real Steel” uses the sport of robot boxing as the backdrop for a story about a former boxer (Jackman) who gets one last shot at the title when he teams up with his long-lost son to train a unique robot for the upcoming Real Steel World Championship.

Set to start production in June, the film is a co-production with Touchstone Pictures and DreamWorks, with Steven Spielberg, Robert Zemeckis, Jack Rapke, Steve Starkey, Josh McLaglen and Mary McLaglen executive producing.

The DreamWorks-Paramount co-production “Dinner for Schmucks,” a comedy directed by Jay Roach and starring Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and Zach Galifianakis is also in the pipeline.