In 1975, Roger Corman produced DEATH RACE 2000, a film that became a grindhouse / drive-in classic. Thirty-three years later, Paul W.S. Anderson made a DEATH RACE remake. Now we have two separate DEATH RACE projects to look forward to – one is the third sequel to Anderson's film, while the other is a Corman-produced follow-up to the original movie.
While I need to catch up on the sequels to Anderson's take on the concept, I have been a fan of DEATH RACE 2000 for decades, so I am very excited that Corman has returned to the world of that film with DEATH RACE 2050.
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 favorite is half-man, half-machine Frankenstein — but little does he know he’s taken on a rebel spy as his co-pilot.
Directed by G.J. Echternkamp from a screenplay he wrote with Matt Yamashita, DEATH RACE 2050 stars Malcolm McDowell, Burt Grinstead, Marci Miller, Folake Olowofoyeku, Anessa Ramsey, Yancy Butler, and Charlie Farrell, with Manu Bennett in the lead as Frankenstein, a character originally played by David Carradine.
ANACONDA director Luis Llosa produced the film alongside Corman.
Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has not yet announced specific release dates for either DEATH RACE 4 or DEATH RACE 2050, but it is known that 2050 will be reaching DVD, Blu-ray, and digital HD in 2017.
DEATH RACE 2050 will also have a presence at the upcoming New York Comic Con, where the NYCC exclusive poster previewed below will be made available on Thursday, October 6 during an autograph signing with Corman and Bennett. The signing will be taking place at Autograph Table 20 from 5:15pm to 6:15pm.