With The Matrix, the Wachowskis proved themselves to be visionary filmmakers that were years ahead of their time, helping usher in a new wave of sci-fi action. Their follow-up to the trilogy, Speed Racer, wasn’t as well received, sitting at only 40 percent positive reviews on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes and taking in less than $100 million worldwide. Despite the disappointment, star Emile Hirsch took to Twitter to drum up support for a sequel.
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Hirsch posed the question to his nearly 120,000 followers, “The Wachowskis said long ago that the sequel to SPEED RACER would be mind-blowing. And the script is written. Waiting. RETWEET this to show them just how many people love the movie and want to see the next one.”
At the time of this writing, the tweet has nearly 10,000 retweets, confirming that there are at least 10,000 people interested in seeing the franchise continue.
Days earlier, the actor revisited the film, claiming, “Watching my 4-and-a-half-year-old son hysterically laugh and filled with wonder and delight as we watched Speed Racer for the 10-year anniversary last night was an all-time meta moment for me. Speed Racer 2, don’t think we’re just playin’.”
Despite the immense overall success of their Matrix trilogy, the Wachowskis have become incredibly polarizing filmmakers throughout their careers.
After the disappointment of Speed Racer, the duo returned to cinema four years later with Cloud Atlas, an incredibly ambitious film which starred Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving, and Hugh Grant playing six characters each, exploring stories in six different eras. Many considered the film’s accomplishments would make it a serious awards contender, only to get completely snubbed at the Academy Awards, earning zero nominations.
The filmmakers followed Cloud Atlas with Jupiter Ascending, sending them back into the massive world of sci-fi fantasy. Sitting at 26 percent positive on Rotten Tomatoes, the film was also a disappointment, yet was lauded for its compelling visual effects.
On the small screen, however, the Wachowskis earned back many of their fans with the series Sense 8, which earned 81 percent positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Following news of the cancellation, Netflix announced that the program would get a two-hour series finale as a result of fan outcry at the ending of the beloved story.
Stay tuned for details about the possible future of the Speed Racer franchise.
Do you think the film deserves a follow-up? Let us know in the comments below!
[H/T Twitter, EmileHirsch]
