Nearly two decades after its initial release, Speed Racer is finally getting the respect it deserves. The Wachowski Sisters' candy-colored, live-action anime adaptation is hitting 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on May 19, and star Emile Hirsch is opening up about the film's rocky journey from box office bomb to cult classic.

In a new interview, Hirsch revisits the painful aftermath of Speed Racer's 2008 release, when critics panned it and audiences stayed away. 'It almost felt like the world was against us,' he recalls. 'When it didn't do well, that meant we weren't going to get to make sequels.' But the Wachowskis had big plans: Hirsch reveals that before the film even debuted, Lana and Lilly shared detailed sequel ideas with him—ideas that never came to be.

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Now, with the 4K remaster, Hirsch says the film is finally winning over its harshest critics. He describes watching the new transfer in IMAX: 'The color schemes in Thunderhead, from the get-go, I could tell they had a world-class colorist come in.' Lana Wachowski personally oversaw the restoration and texted Hirsch, 'It's looking amazing.'

Hirsch also weighs in on the enduring debate: Speed Racer vs. The Matrix. While he acknowledges both are masterpieces, he argues that Speed Racer connects emotionally in a unique way. 'During the Grand Prix, I could hear the audience crying,' he says, recalling a midnight screening at Quentin Tarantino's New Beverly Cinema. 'It connected people back to a part of their childhood where anything was possible.'

The film's themes of corporate greed and family loyalty feel more relevant than ever, Hirsch notes. 'The message in this, it's only worse, what's happened with the world.'

For fans who missed it the first time—or who want to see it in stunning 4K—the Speed Racer 4K UHD Blu-ray drops May 19. It's a chance to experience what Hirsch calls 'a brilliant, sincere movie that wears its heart on its sleeve.'

If you're looking for more cult classics that have found new life, check out Grease 2's cast reunion or Matthew McConaughey's Sahara streaming revival.