The star of the upcoming Roger Corman produced film “Death Race” says it’s not a remake of the 1975 cult classic Corman film “Death Race 2000.”
Jason Statham (“Crank,” “The Transporter 1 & 2”) told SCI FI Wire in a recent interview that this new film, which will be directed by Paul WS Anderson, is more of a homage to the original than a remake of it.
Anderson, known for helming such landmark SF films such as “Event Horizon,” “AVP: Alien vs. Predator” and “Resident Evil” also co-wrote the script for “Death Race” with J.F. Lawton (“DOA: Dead or Alive,” “Chain Reaction”). The film also co-stars the great Ian McShane (“Deadwood,” “The Golden Compass”).
“It’s fantastic fun,” Statham said. “It’s more of a homage to the Corman film. It’s not really a direct remake. I suppose it’s very different. There’s a great story to it, and I think it’ll do really well. Paul Anderson was a dream to work with, and I’m really excited about seeing it.”
Jason may have a valid point because all reports coming out of the production thus far have indicated that the only thing resembling the original is the automobile race itself. All the rest has a core theme about what a possible future version of America could look like if current trends in video games and reality television were taken out to their uncontrolled limit.
Statham plays the part of a prisoner, who has only a few weeks before being paroled, but is forced to compete in a deadly cross-country auto race by the prison warden, portrayed by three time Academy Award nominated actress Joan Allen (“Bourne Ultimatum,” “Face/Off”).
“It’s a big budget [film]” Statham said. “It’s a great, great fun film. I’m working with people of immense caliber. I’ve got Joan Allen there, who I’m doing scenes with. I’ve got Ian McShane. To be able to work with people like that, it just gets better and better.”
“The cars in this are really killer,” Statham said. “They’ve got ejector seats, and they spray out oil and napalm, and they’ve got rocket launchers. The story is it’s a race to the death, and all the inmates in the prison build these cars.”
“Death Race,” currently in post-production, is set to open in theaters worldwide on September 26, 2008.
So it’s Running Man with cars?
J.F. Lawton (â€DOA: Dead or Alive,†“Chain Reactionâ€)
That is what makes me say, I am unsure I want to pay money to see this. Might wait for the rental.
Tim
Couldn’t Corman come up with a different title other than “Death Race?” This is no homage to the original film as far as I am concerned. A REMAKE would have been a better homage to the original.
This is more of a homage to his other Death Race film, “Deathsport,” which was a sequel. If you hadn’t seen “Deathsport” you have to see it. It’s just about as “bad,” but it works on the premise of condemned prisoners having to race for their freedom, but on futuristic motercycles. David Carradine also stars in this film, and it starred a beautiful actress whose, life was cut short soon after. Her name was Claudia Jennings. She died oddly in a car accident where her head was gruesomely severed from her shoulders.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077414/
If you read the description of this film, you will see far more a likeness to his film, than “Deathrace 2000.”
(@
Alisa