The Wachowski Brothers ramping up Speed Racer

Recently Joel Silver commented on the live-action Speed Racer movie that beings shooting in Berlin on June 5. The film will be a "family film."

Silver said in an interview at WonderCon in San Francisco over the weekend. "This is a family picture. But it's going to look like something you've never seen before in your life."

"I mean, they really want to make a movie for everybody, and they felt that now is the time that they could really do that," Silver said. "They can concentrate on making a film, you know? They have nieces and nephews that couldn't have seen [any] of their movies, and so they wanted to make one they could see. And they've always loved Speed Racer, and there's a chance to do something really incredible."

Based on the classic 1960s TV series created by anime pioneer Tatsuo Yoshida, which was retooled for North American audiences, the big-screen Speed will follow the adventures of the young race-car driver Speed in his gadget-laden vehicle, the Mach 5. The movie will feature other characters from the show, including Speed's family and his mysterious archrival, Racer X. Vince Vaughn is reportedly among the cast members.

Silver said the Wachowskis will take their cues from the animated show. "Oh, yeah, absolutely. Absolutely," he said, but added that the movie will create "a whole new world." "And it's going to be an incredible-looking movie, an incredible feel to it," he said. Speed Racer is eyeing a May 2008 release date

Cathie Horlick
3/7/2007
Source: Sci Fi Wire