Remember the old Speed Racer cartoons from when we were kids? Well, now they're making a live action movie and the cast is starting to come together. Get the details here
Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures have announced that Christina Ricci (Addams Family, Sleepy Hollow, Cursed, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) will play the part of Trixi, loyal girlfriend to Speed in the upcoming live action adaptation of Speed Racer The Movie.
Set to release in 2008, Speed Racer will be directed by none other than Larry and Andy Wachowski (Matrix) and features a star-studded cast. John Goodman will play "Pops", Susan Sarandon plays Speed's mom and as for the part of Speed himself? None other than Emile Hirsch.
Following the original anime cartoon created by Tatsuo Yoshida, Speed Racer is the story of a young race car driver (Speed) and his legendary Mach 5. Speed has a need for... well... speed and he must face down his arch nemesis, Racer X.
The anime is based on the 1966 manga by Tatsuo Yoshida - Mach Go Go Go. It was picked up by Tatsunoko Productions and aired as an anime cartoon in Japan in April of 1967, running for 52 episodes until its end in 1968. American syndicator, Trans-Lux picked up the show and changed the main character's name from Go Mifune to Speed Racer. Producer Peter Fernandez handled the editing and English dubbing, including the voice-overs for Speed Racer. It was a huge hit.
The series was renewed in the 1990's when Cartoon Network picked it up and ran reruns in some of its late night specialty blocks.
The focal point of the show - the Mach 5 - was a technological miracle with all sorts of amazing features and gadgets. Using buttons on the steering wheel, Speed could jump other cars, deploy special terrain tires, drive underwater and make long jumps using small wings.
In 1992, Warner Bros. announced it had acquired the rights to create the live-action Speed Racer movie and casting was underway. By 1995, Johnny Depp had been cast in the lead role of Speed Racer but just before filming was to begin, Depp asked for time off and director Julien Temple left the project.
The film got another boost when Warner Bros. hired director Hype Williams in 2001. Screenwriters were hired but no production began and the movie fell flat again. In 2004, actor Vince Vaughn picked up the project and was cast in the role of Racer X and also as executive producer. But once again, production was delayed and Vaughn eventually left the project as well.
The role of Racer X still hasn't been announced.
For more on the Speed Racer live action movie, check out Ricci's video interview at http://speedracerthemovie.com.
