Emile Hirsch ("Alpha Dog") is the favorite to play Speed in the Wachowski brothers' upcoming "Speed Racer" flick, according to Reuters. Larry and Andy Wachowski are both writing and directing the film, which is set to start filming this summer on location in Germany. The movie is a live-action update of the beloved Tatsuo Yoshida anime series from the 1960s, which still echoes fondly in the memories of fans even today. Those fans should be pleased to hear that many elements from the original series are going to make their way onto the big screen: Speed's family, the Mach 5, and of course the mysterious (yet familiar) Racer X.

The film is due out in May 2008.