The Wachowski Brothers ‘Speed Racer’ Filmed Entirely In Green Screen

It seems despite impressions to the contrary, the whole of the forthcoming Speed Racer film was filmed using green screen backgrounds.

Some use of green screens was known about, and almost guaranteed on a film project such as this, but traditional sets and props being completely missing seems a big step to take.

Empire Online recently spoke to Emile Hirsch about how filming had been, and she said:

“Nope, it’s all green screen,” Hirsch told us. “There were no sets, just us and the green background. I haven’t seen anything of it finished yet, there was a lot of trust [in the Wachowskis] involved. It’s going to be crazy. Was the monkey real? Yes.”

Hirsch, who is playing the eponymous and titular Speed, even seemed surprised about the total reliance on green screens himself. It must also be quite difficult for actors to work under such conditions, having, in effect, to act to nothing, only to get to see the final result of their endeavours when post production is completed.

It’s definitely a gamble by the Wachowskis, who are directing and attempting to bring this much loved cult cartoon to the big screen.

As Empire ponder, this make it likely that the look of the film will be very much in keeping with the Japanese animation, with a completely stylized look and feel to the whole thing. I just hope they can pull it off as successfully as the makers of 300 did.

The live action version of Speed Racer is due on on May 9th in the US, and as well as Hirsch stars Christina Ricci, Susan Sarandon, Matthew Fox and John Goodman.