Larry and Andy Wachowski start production in May 2007 on their live-action SPEED RACER, based on the famous Japanese anime series from 1960, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The Warner Bros. Pictures release will be helmed in Germany's Studio Babelsberg, where their V FOR VENDETTA was shot.
SPEED RACER marks their first directorial turn since THE MATRIX trilogy, and they will be reunited with producer Joel Silver, exec producer Grant Hill and Oscar-winning vfx supervisor John Gaeta. No official word yet on which vfx studio has been contracted, but Digital Domain has been rumored, given the presence of Kim Libreri (vp of Advanced Strategy), the architect behind ESC Ent., which handled MATRIX vfx work.
Meanwhile, Box Office Mojo reports that SPEED RACER will go up against INDIANA JONES 4 during the 2008 Memorial Day Weekend. The highly anticipated INDY sequel bows May 22 with SPEED RACER right behind its tail on May 23.
Bill Desowitz, former editor of VFXWorld, is currently the Crafts Editor of IndieWire.
