April 13, 2007 - Hot off her starring role in Black Snake Moan, Christina Ricci has signed on to star in Speed Racer. Ricci is set to play Speed's loyal girlfriend, Trixie.

Ricci joins Emile Hirsch (Alpha Dog) who will be playing Speed. John Goodman and Susan Sarandon will play Speed's parents. Larry and Andy Wachowski wrote the screenplay and are directing the film.

In a press release announcing Ricci's involvement, Jeff Robinov, President of Production - Warner Bros Pictures, said, "Christina Ricci is a young actress of extraordinary range, who has become a favorite of both critics and audiences in a wide variety of movies, from mainstream features to acclaimed indie films.

She is an amazing talent and we think she is going to do a great job with the role of Trixie."

The live-action Speed Racer follows the adventures of Speed, a young race car driver, as he seeks glory on and off the track. According to the Warner Bros press release, Speed Racer will feature characters from the classic anime series including Speed's biggest nemesis, Racer X.

Speed Racer is set to hit theaters on May 9, 2008.

Source: Warner Bros Pictures