Speed Racer

Speed Racer is a 2008 American action film based on the Japanese anime and manga series Speed Racer by Tatsunoko Productions. The film was written and directed by The Wachowskis, and stars Emile Hirsch, Christina Ricci, John Goodman, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox, Benno Fürmann, Hiroyuki Sanada, Rain and Richard Roundtree. The plot revolves around Speed Racer, a 18-year-old automobile racer, who follows his apparently deceased brother's career. He is very loyal to his family, particularly to his father, Pops, who is a man of solid convictions. However, these convictions lead the enmity of Mr. Royalton, a business man, after Speed refuses a contract offered by him.

The film had been in development since 1992, changing actors, writers and directors until in 2006 producer Joel Silver and the Wachowskis collaborated to begin production on Speed Racer as a family film. Speed Racer was shot between early June and late August 2007 in and around Potsdam and Berlin, at an estimated budget of $120 million. The film score was composed by Michael Giacchino, and the film's soundtrack, which contains the sound effects and theme song from the original series, was released on May 6, 2008.

Speed Racer premiered on May 3, 2008 at the Tribeca Film Festival, and was released in the United States on May 9, 2008. The film received negative reviews. Speed Racer was criticized for its storyline, characters, dialogues, and for being very childish, while the film was praised for its capacity to entertain the target audience and its cast performance. Speed Racer was noted to use overmuch special effects by some critics that criticized it, while others praised its visual. It received nominations of awards that both qualified the film as one of the best in a certain category and as a Golden Raspberry Award.