Iconic genre filmmaker Roger Corman is known for a lot of things, but mainly giving many talented filmmakers and actors their first jobs, as well as making hundreds of cheap B-movies and crazy exploitation films. Of his entire oeuvre, his most famous film may be the cult classic Death Race 2000, and now he’s decided to remake it.
Get ready for Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050. Director G.J. Echternkamp is at the helm with Corman on board as a producer. Much of the original 1975 film (which featured David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone, and is much more fun than the blah 2008 reboot Death Race), Death Race 2050 will be kind of a Battle Royale/Cannonball Run mashup. Here’s the synopsis:
In the not-too-distant future, America is controlled by an all-powerful corporate government that keeps the masses placated with violent virtual-reality entertainment. The event of the year is the Death Race, where a motley assortment of drivers compete in a cross-country road race, scoring points for running down pedestrians and killing each other. The reigning champion and popular favourite is half-man, half-machine Frankenstein — but little does he know he’s taken on a rebel spy as his co-pilot.
Frankenstein will be played by Manu Bennett (Azog in the Hobbit Trilogy, as well as Deathstoke on Arrow), and Clockwork Orange legend Malcolm McDowell will be The Chairman. The film started shooting earlier this month and is scheduled to be released direct-to-DVD and on demand later this year.
“This is an amazing opportunity for me and millions of Death Race 2000 fans to experience the intensity, thrills and dark humour of the original, fuelled by a terrific young cast, spectacular vehicles and side-splitting action, literally,” said Corman in the press release. “Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 puts the pedal to the metal to bring this enduring franchise to a whole new level.”