Sony Snags 'District 9' Director Neill Blomkamp's 'Elysium'

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Neill Blomkamp

Neill Blomkamp is back in business with Sony.

Sony which released Blomkamps’ breakout hit District 9, has preemptively picked up Elysium, his big-budget follow-up.

Matt Damon, Jodie Foster and Sharlto Copley are co-starring.

MRC set up meetings with all the major studios today, with Blomkamp unveiling art designs for his future world. But once Sony made strong overtures, MRC canceled the rest of the day’s appointments.

Sources are saying Sony is paying the eyebrow-raising (and surely heart-stopping) $120 million for Elysium, although studio insiders denied the figure.

Despite reports, Universal is not in talks to co-finance the movie.

Blomkamp’s District 9, made under the radar by the filmmaker as a response to seeing a screen version of Halo go down the tubes, was a surprise hit, grossing $210.8 million worldwide on a budget of $35 million. It earned four Oscar noms, including one for best picture.

Elysium, which is now under the microscope of a town eager to see a new Blomkamp movie, will have a much larger budget and will be released in late 2012.