'Jumanji' Producer Backs Female-Focused Racing Thriller 'Breakneck'
The film will be in the vein of the 'Fast & Furious' franchise.
With the rise of motorsports in recent years, from the perennially popular Fast & Furious franchise to Netflix's popular series Formula 1: Drive to Survive, it seems like the perfect time to capitalize on the sport. And James Leon's 8th Gear Entertainment and Ted Field's Radar Pictures are doing just that. Field is perhaps best known for his work on the classic 1990s film Jumanji. They have partnered with FIA ABB Formula E, the official electric racing championship circuit to create a new fast-paced, female-centered racing-action thriller to be called Breakneck.
The film will be in the vein of the beloved Fast & Furious franchise, and will be fully backed by FIA ABB Formula E. However, unlike the Fast & Furious franchise, the film will focus on a group of women, a strong shift in a usually male-dominated genre. Jim Byrkit is set to direct the film from a script written by Nick Kocher.
Of the new film, producer Leon said, “With ‘Breakneck’ we are laying the foundation for a film franchise at a time of rapid ascension and fan adoption for Formula E." The plan, it seems, is to not only create another racing film, but to introduce an entirely new audience to Formula E racing. He continued, saying that "[a]s the league expands and the sport grows in popularity around the world, our movies will add crossover appeal into a mainstream entertainment lane where winning comes as a result of fresh storytelling, memorable performances and flawless execution.”
