Real Steel was released by Touchstone Pictures in Australia on October 6, 2011, and in the United States and Canada on October 7, 2011, grossing nearly $300 million at the box office. It received mixed reviews, with criticism for the formulaic nature of the plot and the fact that elements remained unresolved or were predictable, but also praise for the visual effects, action sequences and acting performances. The film was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 84th Academy Awards, but lost to Hugo. After the fight, Charlie learns that his ex-girlfriend died and he must now attend a hearing deciding the future of their son, Max, a robot-boxing fan with whom Charlie has virtually no contact since Max was born. Max’s maternal aunt, Debra, and her wealthy husband, Marvin, want full custody, which Charlie bargains for $100,000, half in advance, and Marvin negotiates that Charlie retains Max for three months while Marvin and Debra go on vacation. Settling into a gym owned by Bailey Tallet, the daughter of Charlie’s former boxing coach, Charlie acquires the once-famous Noisy Boy, but it is destroyed in an underground match against another robot boxer, Midas. As Charlie and Max attempt to scavenge parts from a junkyard to make a new robot, Max discovers Atom, an obsolete but intact sparring robot designed to withstand severe damage, and can mirror opponent and handler movements and store them in its memory due to its rare “shadow function”.

At Max’s behest, Charlie pits Atom against Metro, whom Atom overcomes. Max programs Noisy Boy’s vocal-respond controls in Atom, and convinces Charlie to help him with Atom’s fighting-move memory. This results in a series of victories, culminating in Charlie being offered a fight in World Robot Boxing, pitting Atom against national champion Twin Cities. The fight starts with Atom on the attack, but Twin Cities easily takes the offensive. Charlie notices a hitch whenever Twin Cities throws a right punch, and using this, Charlie controls Atom to a win by knockout. Elated by their success, Max challenges undefeated global champion Zeus, with the audience squarely on their side. After the fight, Ricky and his two henchmen attack Charlie for bailing earlier and rob him and Max of their winnings, prompting a defeated and dejected Charlie to return Max to Debra.

This upsets Max, and when Charlie tries to convince him that living without him is better for Max, Max says he always wanted Charlie to fight for him and be there as a father. After Max leaves, Charlie returns to Tallet’s Gym. While talking with Bailey about the events, the two kiss, revealing their attraction to each other. Persuaded by Bailey, Charlie arranges the Zeus challenge Max wanted and convinces Debra to allow Max to witness the fight.