It looks like The Wachowski Brothers will be writing and directing a live-action adaptation of Speed Racer. According to The Hollywood Reporter, shooting begins in May.

-Zavier

I'm glad they're finally getting back in the game.

Hopefully their next directorial effort will be better their last two.

I've been following the gossip on this movie for a while now and it sounds like a good idea. Great opportunity for some of that famous crazy Wachowski Brosthers action.

In my opinion, they still haven't beaten 1996's crime masterpiece "Bound". Maybe they'll be able to with this one.



Cheers, Chismeister.

Ain't It Cool News has an interesting rumor regarding the Wachowski Brothers' search for a director of photography. Check it out here. It seems that the Wachowskis might be looking to replace long time collaborator Bill Pope.

Maybe Bill Pope is just busy.

Or maybe he's sick of shooting movies with a ton of green screen effects. That's why he chose to shoot Team America, because everything was done "real". After two Spider-Man movies and The Matrix Trilogy, who could blame him?

Who could blame either of them, really? Anyway, whoever the Wachowski Bros. choose to shoot Speed Racer, I'm sure it'll be a fine movie.



Cheers, Chismeister.

Yeah ... Speed Racer was a fun anime to watch ...

His car was the Mach 5.  I want the Mach 5.  Remember that Green Day song?  

According to Variety, Emile Hirsch is Speed Racer.

Click here for more and the above link for info on the actor. (If you're like me, you don’t really know who the hell he is)

doodes, it just clicked in my head that this is being made by the same guys who made Matrix!  This is going to be amazing!

Emile Hirsch is the main character in The Girl Next Door and Alpha Dog.

I saw a couple of photos of Hirsch and he looked grungy in all of them, not the clean-cut young Elvis Presley-type that Speed should look like.  I hope he cleans up well.


Phil

He is officially Speed Racer. Click the link below to see an interview with him about the film, the Wachowski Bros. and the audition process:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KacOkTDTi-g&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ecomingsoon%2Enet%2Fnews%2Fmovienews%2Ephp%3Fid%3D19532


Cheers, Chismeister.

The cast! She grows:

Quoted Text Susan Sarandon and John Goodman are in talks to play the parents of Emile Hirsch in Speed Racer, the live-action version of the anime cartoon being directed by Larry and Andy Wachowski ("The Matrix" trilogy), says The Hollywood Reporter. Based on the classic 1960s series that was created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida and retooled for North American audiences, the film follows the adventures of young race car driver, Speed (Hirsch), and his quest for glory in his thundering, gadget-laden vehicle Mach 5. The show revolved around Speed's family, and the Wachowskis are being selective about who they pick for those roles. Goodman is playing Pops, a race car owner and builder. Sarandon's character is the backbone of the family as well as the Mach 5 Go Racing Team. Casting is under way for the characters of Speed's girlfriend, Trixie, and his mysterious archrival, Racer X. The plan is for the Wachowskis, who are writing and directing, to shoot in Germany in the summer for a summer 2008 release. Joel Silver is producing the film, which will be a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation in association with Village Roadshow Pictures of a Silver Pictures production.

This is from http://www.comingsoon.net, as usual.


Cheers, Chismeister.

John Goodman would play a good Pops Racer.  Dennis Franz, OTOH, looks like the character more.


Phil

Quoted from dogglebe John Goodman would play a good Pops Racer.  Dennis Franz, OTOH, looks like the character more.

I can't look at Dennis Franz without seeing Sipowicz. He's not Dennis Franz to me. He's detective Sipowicz.


Cheers, Chismeister.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Christina Ricci is joining Larry and Andy Wachowski's live-action adaptation of the 1960s cartoon Speed Racer.

Ricci talks about her upcoming role here.

Quoted Text "They're using a real monkey"

Click here to check out an interesting article on the upcoming adaptation. Also, here is a first look at the Mach 5.

Sweet car.  Where do the circular saws come out?

A few years back, an actual car (modelled after the Mach 5) was auctioned on e-bay.  It was owned by the head writer, or producer of the show.


Phil

Moviefone has the first trailer, here.

hmmm...the style of it seems like a modern day Tron.

-Chris

Looks pretty crappy. Joel Silver talked about action sequences "beyond belief". the driving scenes from the trailer looked straight outta "Cars" to me.

I predict this is gonna blow.

They kept the colors but not any kind of comic style. It looks like Dick Tracy the movie, only with less atmosphere.

Yeah that did look pretty average. I'm not a fan of the original show, so I can't comment on how faithful an adaptation it is, but nothing in that trailer particularly blew my skirt up. But the Wachowski's are good directors, so I'm gonna reserve judgment until I see the actual movie.


Matt.

I think this will blow about as hard as Garfield and the Scooby-Doo Movies. Some things are just not meant for live action. Sure, the cartoon is a classic. But as a live action film, it's just corny. Especially when they do like this and imitate the way the cartoon looked...which was utter crap. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it was made a million years ago when you were all kids. But it still looks like crap.

I'm not looking forward to this. I think it will be just as visually lame as the Spy Kids movies...both trying to be stylized and visually stunning...but it's mainly just boring and corny.

-Chris

I think it looks very good. It looks to be fateful to the cartoon. I guess when ever a movie tries something new, there will be haters... but I think this movie may surprise people.

~Zack~

Hey,

I don't know if I'm willing to say this looks good but I do think it looks fun. I'm probably not going to pay to see it but if a viewing opportunity happened to come my way I'd gladly take it.

Also, I think this looks way better then Garfield or Scooby doo. Also, I don't think the chances of it bombing are nearly as high. Racer X is a bad ass.

sheepwalker  

I was really excited for the movie but after seeing the trailer I've completely lost interest. Doesn't appeal at all to me.

A couple of international trailers have hit the web. For my money, these make the movie look a lot better than the earlier trailers.

You'll find the first one here and the second here.

Enjoy.


Matt.

I'll probably break down and see it - after the Matrix series, it's good they turned to something that's eye candy instead of brain mush. I'm STILL trying to erase the stench of the last 2 Matrix films from my person...

One thing, the clip of Matthew Fox as Racer X - he NAILED that rapid fire delivery of the cartoons. Laughed out loud at that.

I personally think it looks pretty good -- remember. This is a kids film/family film. The brothers have stated this in an interview (don't have the link, but I've heard this on many places before). So please, don't mistake this for there usual stuff.