'Max Steel' Makes a Surprise Debut with New International Trailer



The line between fantasy and reality blurs in the first trailer for the long-awaited Max Steel live-action movie — as do the lines between man and machine and "fan-edit" and "professionally produced movie trailer," from what appears onscreen.

Based on the Mattel toy property, the movie features Ben Winchell as teenage gamer Max McGrath, who finds himself forced to bond with an cybernetic alien called Steel in order to discover the truth about the death of Max's father and the origins of Max's superpowers. Alongside Winchell, the movie features Andy Garcia and Maria Bello, both of whom have blink-and-you'll-miss-them appearances in the trailer.

The movie — a co-production between Dolphin Films and Mattel's own Playground Productions, was written by Thor: The Dark World's Christopher Yost and directed by Stewart Hendler. It was actually shot back in 2014, with Open Road closing a deal to distribute the movie in May of that year, originally intended to be released at some point in 2015.

Both the delay in release and the fact that the first glimpse comes in the form of an awkwardly edited international trailer (rather than something intended to promote the movie to domestic audiences) might suggest that hopes for the movie's success are dim at this point. The film is set for an Oct. 21 debut in the U.S.

Watch the trailer above and wonder if Max is one step away from critical reappraisal as a forgotten classic — or merely a direct-to-DVD movie that somehow escaped into theaters, no matter how late.

New 'Max Steel' Trailer Is Better Than International First Look (Though That's a Low Bar)



Second time's the charm?

We're not saying it's a home run, but the new trailer for Max Steele is a masterpiece compared to the international trailer that electrified Twitter (and not in a good way) earlier this month.

The live-action film based on the Mattel toy line centers on teen gamer Max McGrath (Ben Winchell) who bonds with a cybernetic alien called Steel in order to discover the truth about the death of Max's father and the origins of Max's superpowers. He's got to handle his new friend while also navigating high school (girls make him nervous) and an alien threat that puts the world in peril (that seems more important than talking to girls).

The movie has had a bit of a winding road. It was shot in 2014, with Open Road closing a deal that year to distribute the movie for a 2015 release. It was pushed back and is now set for Oct. 14.

'Max Steel' Movie Loses Appeal for Kid-Friendly PG Rating

Open Road Films and the filmmakers behind Max Steel have lost their bid for a kid friendly PG rating. Instead, the movie will be go out with a PG-13 rating when it opens in theaters Oct. 14.

The Classification and Ratings Administration upheld the PG-13 rating after a hearing Wednesday in Los Angeles for "some sci-fi action violence."

Tom Ortenberg, CEO of Open Road, represented Dolphin Films at the appeals hearing, while CARA chairman Joan Graves represented the movie ratings board. Dolphin Films produced Max Steel with Mattel.

An origins story, Max Steel chronicles the adventures of teenage Max McGrath and his alien companion, Steel, who combine their new powers to evolve into the turbo-charged Max Steel. The unlikely friends struggle to accept their oddly connected fates as they battle evil forces threatening mankind.

Max Steel was directed by Stewart Hendler and Christopher Yost, and stars Ben Winchell, Ana Villafane, Andy Garica, Maria Bello and Billy Slaughter.