Speed Racer Remake

[Mark Nornes]

In the newest wrinkle in the trend to remake Japanese films or tv  
shows, the Wachowski Bros. are making
Speed Racer (starring Christina Ricci, Matthew Fox, Susan Sarandon,  
John Goodman and Emile Hirsch as Speed).

What's interesting about this is the fact that they're shooting at  
the venerable Babelsberg Studios outside of Berlin. And for that they  
get a cool $12.3 mil from Germany's new Federal Film Fund, the  
biggest dole they've made. My understanding of the fund is that it is  
supposed to meet certain cultural requirements?both European and  
specifically German. But I guess if they erase the fact that it's  
originally from Japan, leaving Americans above the line, its German  
enough!

Markus