This is one of the most unfocused, yet fairly on track, threads I've ever read. There's about five different threads worth of material here, but too little on the Short Circuit remake.
I believe they picked up SC because of Wall-E. Wall-E looks like Johnny Five and so far is proving that people like cute robots. To cash in on that craze isn't a bad idea.
By the way, that is how Hollywood works: Cashing in on crazes. Speed Racer, GI Joe all following Transformers' mega success.
This industry isn't about ideas, it's about money. Brands get people to go. Hulk? I'll go. Short Circuit Reboot? I'll go. Easy money. There's no morality about whether we "should" do it or not. It's about is there an audience?
Speed Racer? No. It was too small a niche.
Sex & The City? X-Files? We'll see. While I can't wait for X-Files 2, I do fear it might walk away with a significant drop of profit than the first movie made.