Rain on Racer

Precipitation powered South Korean pop star and Stephen Colbert arch nemesis Rain aka Jung Ji-hoon has apparently landed a role in the Wachowski Bros.’ upcoming all green screen mega-budget actioner SPEED RACER, a live action adaptation of the 1960s Japanese manga series “Mach Go Go”. Negotiations aren’t finalized as yet but the pop star’s manager mentioned that talks were proceeding “positively” and that an announcement is imminent. Rain would, of course, be joining Emile Hirsch as the titular racing wunderkind, Christina Ricci as Speed Racer’s girlfriend Trixie and Matthew Fox as the nefarious Racer X. Don’t go thinking Rain is all atmospheric vapor condensation, dance moves and man candy, though, he’s got some acting chops – he most recently did a little sumtin’ sumtin’ in famed OLDBOY director Chan-wook Park’s romantic dramedy I’M A CYBORG, BUT THAT’S OK. SPEED RACER is set for release May 9th, 2008.