Live Action Speed Racer Series in Development at Apple

The classic series Speed Racer is getting yet another new lease on life on the small screen thanks to Warner Bros and J.J. Abrams’ production company, Bad Robot. 

According to a report which went live on Wednesday, May 25th, the project will be co-written by Hiram Martinez and Ron Fitzgerald. The two writers will also be the co-showrunners for the project, which will eventually stream on the Apple service. Additionally, it was reported that this project has been in development for quite some time, with executives only meeting with potential writers within the last few months despite the project landing at Apple a while ago.

You might recall that this is not the first attempt at creating a western adaptation of this franchise. It’s not even the first attempt by Warner Bros. In 2002, children’s network Nickelodeon created an animated adaptation titled Speed Racer X which ended up getting stalled out due to licensing issues. Fast forward a few years and Warner Brothers would make their first big attempt to create a live-action movie adaptation of the series, which featured the Wachowski sisters as directors and Emile Hirsch in the starring role. It was… (arguably) not good, but has maintained a cult fan base who are more than happy to defend the movie.

Originally published as a manga starting in 1966, Speed Racer (Japanese title: Mach GoGoGo) was many fans’ first proper introduction to the world of anime after the series was adapted for a western audience and aired on television in the late 1960s. Produced by Tatsunoko Production, Speed Racer has remained an iconic piece of anime history. While not every part of the franchise has aged well (which, really, can you honestly say you’re surprised by that?), it remains an indelible part of the hobby that we love to this day.

Source: Hollywood Reporter