A Live-Action ‘Speed Racer’ Series is Reportedly in the Works with J.J. Abrams for Apple TV+

According to a report by Variety, a live-action series of “Speed Racer” is in development for Apple TV+ with J.J. Abrams (Star Trek, Star Wars, Lost) on board as executive producer under his production company Bad Robot.

“Speed Racer” first appeared on television as an animated series in 1967 starring Speed Racer, a highly-competitive racer set in the future whose team consists of his father Pops Racer, his younger brother Spritle, his pet chimpanzee Chim-Chim, and his girlfriend Trixie. Speed often finds himself racing along side his mysterious rival Racer X, who unbeknownst to him, is his older brother Rex Racer.

This would be the second live-action installment of Speed Racer, with the first being the 2008 film starring Emile Hirsch.

Originally a Japanese manga titled “Mach GoGoGo” created in the 1960s, it was later developed as an animated series in the U.S. in 1967 under the name “Speed Racer.” The show proved to be very popular in the U.S. with over 50 televised episodes, and a Japanese remake of the series was aired on Nickelodeon in 2002.

The upcoming Speed Racer project also has Ron Fitzgerald (Perry Mason, Westworld, Weeds) and Hiram Martinez (The Last Ship, Get Shorty, Snowpiercer) to serve as the series’ writers, executive producers, and showrunners.

No airing date has been released, but future audiences can anticipate the legend of Speed Racer to a new generation.