The problem with making a popular expensive movie about a robot toy, a la Transformers, is that someone eventually gets the idea to make a lousy cheap movie about a robot toy. A year ago, we told you about plans by Marvel’s Ari Arad to make a movie based on the Robosapien toy. Those plans have now come to fruition.

Robosapien: Rebooted has begun shooting in New Orleans, according to HR. The cast is headed by Bobby Coleman, who might be vaguely familiar as the boy from John Cusack’s Martian Child. I say vaguely, since I don’t think a lot of people saw that movie. Other cast members include a lot of somewhat familiar names like Penelope Ann Miller, David Eigenberg, Holliston Coleman, Joaquim de Almeida and Kim Coates. Actually, I only recognize one of those names, but Holliston Coleman is the older sister of Bobby Coleman.

The plot is about a set of robots that are created for humanitarian purposes but may get co-opted by an evil corporation for military goals. One robot is smuggled out and falls into the hands of a fatherless 11-year old boy. They, of course, become friendly and in some way foil the evil doers and save something or someone. It sounds a little like Firehouse Dog with robots instead of dogs. It also sounds really crappy. It is being directed by Disney Channel television stalwart Sean McNamara. He also directed Bratz, which is another toy to movie adaptation that also sounded crappy. It turned out to be crappy in actuality, so it does not bode well for Robosapien: Rebooted.