Hugh Jackman's Robot Role

Hugh Jackman is to take the lead in robot movie 'Real Steel'.

The 'X-Men' actor has been lined up to play an unlucky Robot Boxing promoter in the first film Steven Spielberg and movie boss Stacey Snider will release through the recently-changed DreamWorks.

The plotline is based on a short story by Richard Matheson, and will see the 41-year-old hunk's luck change when he finds a discarded robot who has a secret talent as a boxer.

Director Shawn Levy said: "It is a rousing sports movie about a former boxer who can no longer do the only job he's good at, and one particular robot that may be his return to grace."

Hugh Jackman's robot role

The script - which was originally penned by Dan Gilroy - is one of the 17 projects Spielberg and Snider took with them during the separation of the two companies.

Insiders claim bosses have a budget of just $80 million to fund the film, all of which will be put up by DreamWorks. However, Paramount can opt to put in half the amount if they wish.

Mark Sourian - co-president of production at DreamWorks - admits staff are very excited about the project.

He explained to Variety.com: "When we took it with us, we really highlighted it as something we would put the pedal to metal on. It's a project that Steven always wanted to do. It just came together rapidly after we left Paramount."

Production is due to begin in June.