#CultCinemaIcons New set photos from cult film legend Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050

It’s Roger Corman’s 90th birthday today. The prolific cult cinema icon decided to celebrate by releasing new behind the scenes photos from the set of his newest creation, Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050, which began filming February 8th in Peru and will be released on home video later this year.

Death Race 2050 is described as an outrageous, action-packed reboot of the original Death Race 2000. Filled with the full-throttle mayhem and black-hearted humor, this all-new film drops the flag on a phalanx of automotive gladiators who earn points for killing pedestrians and their fellow drivers. Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 is an original release from Universal 1440 Entertainment, part of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment.

In the decades since well-known independent film pioneer and Academy Award winner Roger Corman first put the iconic anti-hero Frankenstein into the driver’s seat in Death Race 2000, this over-the-top cult classic has hurtled headlong toward cinematic immortality. Among the most enduring of the prolific producer’s legion of memorable films, Death Race 2000 has inspired a growing fan base that continues to propel the popular franchise as it marks the 40th anniversary of its original release.

“This is an amazing opportunity for me and millions of Death Race 2000 fans to experience the intensity, thrills and dark humor of the original, fueled by a terrific young cast, spectacular vehicles and side-splitting action, literally” said Corman, the trailblazing writer, director and producer. “Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 puts the pedal to the metal to bring this enduring franchise to a whole new level.”

Roger Corman’s Death Race 2050 stars Manu Bennett (The Hobbit franchise) as Frankenstein, along with Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange) as the Chairman, Burt Grinstead (NCIS), Marci Miller (Viper), Folake Olowofoyeku (The Beaver), Anessa Ramsey (Footloose), Yancy Butler (Hard Target) and Charlie Farrell (Cantar).

The film is directed by G.J. Echternkamp (Hard Candy), working from a script he co-wrote with Matt Yamashita (Sharktopus vs. Pteracuda). Corman is producing Death Race 2050 with Luis Llosa (Anaconda).

Death Race 2050 takes place in the not-too-distant future, America is controlled by an all-powerful corporate government that keeps the masses placated with violent virtual-reality entertainment. The event of the year is the Death Race, where a motley assortment of drivers compete in a cross-country road race, scoring points for running down pedestrians and killing each other. The reigning champion and popular favorite is half-man, half-machine Frankenstein — but little does he know he’s taken on a rebel spy as his co-pilot.

Check out the new images from Death Race 2050, below.