BREAKING: Michael Keaton has been set to play the role of Raymond Sellars in the MGM/Columbia Pictures’ RoboCop remake. Sellars is the CEO of the corporation that builds RoboCop, a role that Hugh Laurie was expected to play until he dropped out before consummating a deal. The film, a re-imagining of the 1987 Paul Verhoeven cult classic, is scheduled to begin shooting next month. RoboCop will be released on August 9, 2013.

Keaton joins previously announced Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson and Abbie Cornish in the Jose Padilha-directed film.

“Michael is the final addition to the amazing cast we have assembled for this film and it is so great to have the last puzzle piece in place. It is thrilling that everything has come together to bring this innovative new vision of RoboCop to life. We’ve got a great script, a great cast, some killer ED-209’s and I can’t wait to get Alex Murphy back on the streets,” said Padilha.

It’s good to see Keaton back in a mainstream film. He’s repped by ICM Partners.