The actress signs on to play Speed’s girlfriend Trixie.

Christina Ricci has signed on to star in Speed Racer, Larry and Andy Wachowski‘s live-action adaptation of the 1960s animated series, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Ricci will play Trixie, the title character’s (Emile Hirsch) girlfriend. Susan Sarandon and John Goodman will play Speed’s parents. Casting is still underway for Speed’s mysterious rival, Racer X.

The Warner Brothers film is based on the anime series created by Tatsuo Yoshida for Japanese audiences. The series, which was later imported and adapted for the U.S., centered on the young race car driver Speed and his quest for glory in his thundering, gadget-laden vehicle Mach 5.

The Wachowski brothers (The Matrix) are writing and directing Speed Racer, which begins filming in Berlin this June. Joel Silver is producing the film, which is scheduled to hit theaters May 9, 2008.