A long casting notice discovered by SpoilerTV revealed the title, storyline, and characters of the prequel to Paul W.S. Anderson's Death Race. For anyone familiar with Anderson's remake of Roger Corman's 1975 cult classic Death Race 2000, and even for those unfamiliar, the story for Death Race: Frankenstein Lives shouldn't come as a huge surprise.
Newly arrived at Terminal Island, a prison for the most nonredeemable of convicts, CARL "LUKE" LUCAS must prove his mettle in a race to the death...
Much like the remake, "death" and "race" aren't arbitrary words in the title. The casting notice describes the two lead characters Lucas, replacing Jason Statham, and September Jones, filling in for the Warden character Joan Allen played in the remake.
[CARL "LUKE" LUCAS]
In his 20s-30, American, European, British, Australian, Latino, etc., handsome and confident, with a hint of danger, Lucas has been in trouble since the age of 12. Right-hand man to a notorious mobster for twelve years, he is sent away for life after killing a cop in the course of robbing a bank. Offered a deal by the DA if he turns state's evidence, Lucas opts to take his chances behind bars, where he soon captures the attention of a violence-peddling television producer. Possessed of some serious driving skills, assertive, strong, and charismatic, Lucas is a natural fit for the ultimate test, aka, the "Death Race."...LEAD (2) STAR NAMES PREFERRED - ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY
[SEPTEMBER JONES]
In her 20s - early 30s, a model turned journalist, September is "insatiably ambitious and eye-poppingly gorgeous," a woman who knows how to use what she's got to get what she wants. She's callous and self-serving, dressed provocatively, with the soul of an ice-pick, but the brains to know how to market violence to the masses. When ratings for her gladiator-style television show begin plummeting, September is quick to come up with the "Death Race" concept, thrilled by its stunning success sptv050769...LEAD (2) STAR NAMES PREFERRED - ANY NATIONALITY, ANY ETHNICITY
Screenwriter Tony Giglio told ShockTillYouDrop that Death Race: Frankenstein Lives is an "an origin film, in every sense... not simply of the Death Race or Frankenstein, but of [characters] Lists and [Elizabeth] Case." Both characters are listed in the casting notice along with Gunner and 14K, all of whom were characters in Anderson's version. Whether or not the original actors will return is uncertain.
Giglio says the prequel will be closely tied to Anderson's Death Race.
I also took painstaking efforts to make certain that this prequel organically sets up a lot of the stuff that was in the original. Frankenstein is a bad ass. Unlike Statham's character in the original, Carl Lucas is a bad guy. He wasn't framed. He's not fighting to get out to save his children. He's a convicted cop killer. A guy who's worked for the mob his whole life. A true anti-hero. The idea was Mad Max. He'll do the right thing, but only if it serves him. I hope that gives this film an edge most don't.
Death Race: Frankenstein Lives is currently seeking a director. Anderson and Jeremy Bolt will executive produce the movie, which will start production on February 22, 2010.
Posted 11.17.09 by Ryan