ReelzChannel was on hand today at the junket for Into the Wild in Los Angeles. The film promises to be a break out of sorts, at least critically, for star Emile Hirsch. His commercial breakout, Speed Racer, is finishing production now with a tentpole release slated for next summer.
The young actor spoke briefly about his role as Speed Racer today: "One of the crazy things about Speed Racer was I went from being outdoors, beautiful nature shots, to not one scene do I shoot outdoors in Speed Racer. Everything is on a green screen stage. It was like being in a sauna and then jumping into an icebath for three and a half months. They both have their advantages. The green screen is certainly a lot safer."
"I think people should expect something very special out of the Wachowski brothers on Speed Racer. I think that they really reinvented themselves. It's nothing like The Matrix, [it] doesn't look like The Matrix. It is its own new movie, and that was something very important to them, that they bring something new to the character."
Hirsch himself admits to being a fan of the show as a kid. He firmly believes the new movie will please fans of the show. "I used to watch Speed Racer as a kid. Go Speed Racer! [Fans] will be very, very happy. They'll be more than happy. They'll be ecstatic."
When asked whether the film will have a camp element to it like the show, Hirsch smirks. "Well, you'll have to see about that."