Cinematical

I guess it's official: Speed Racer was not the summer smash hit the Wachowskis were hoping for. For their sake, I hope they have better luck with the martial arts flick Ninja Assassin. Details on the film had been kept under wraps, but Movieweb has now posted an official press release from Warner Bros. with an outline and official character info for the film.

Ninja Assassin will center on, "Raizo (Rain), one of the deadliest assassins in the world. Taken from the streets as a child, he was transformed into a trained killer by the Ozunu Clan, a secret society whose very existence is considered a myth. But haunted by the merciless execution of his friend by the Clan, Raizo breaks free from them...and vanishes. Now he waits, preparing to exact his revenge." WB also confirmed that Naomie Harris (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End) will play a Europol researcher named Mika Coretti, Ben Miles (V for Vendetta) plays her partner, martial arts performer Sho Kosugi stars as the leader of the assassins and Rick Yune will portray Raizo's rival, Takeshi.

When the Wachowski brothers arrived on the scene in 1996 with Bound, they were a critical force to be reckoned with. The two followed up with The Matrix, and it looked like the duo were destined for great things. Unfortunately, they have never been able to come close to the bar they set way back in the '90s. Now that their 'power rating' is in a serious decline, Ninja Assassin could be their last chance to recapture a little of that former glory -- even if it is just as producers.

Ninja Assassin is expected to arrive in theaters in 2010.