Statham to Star in “Death Race” Remake

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jason Statham (”Crank”) it set to star in the high-powered, action-filled remake of the Roger Corman cult classic “Death Race 2000.” Statham’s performance in “Crank” was flawlessly perfect.

Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner will produce, Universal Pictures will act as the film’s distributor with Corman, now 80, consulting on the project. Paul W.S. Anderson (”AVP: Alien vs Predator”) has been charged with bringing Corman’s 30-year old script up-to-date.

Corman’s original 1975 film starred David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone as drivers living in a futuristic dystopian America in which the main function of the President of the United States is to watch over a high-speed and extremely violent road race from New York to Los Angeles in heavily armored vehicles. Points are scored along the way by having the drivers run over innocent bystanders.

Statham is ideal casting for a film like this. Besides “Crank,” his resume includes such films as “The Italian Job,” “Transporter 2″ and “Revolver.”

Shooting for “Death Race” is set for sometime later this year.