Ian McShane has joined the cast of Paul W.S. Anderson's remake of the Roger Corman cult classic "Death Race" for Universal Pictures says The Hollywood Reporter.

"Death Race" sees a future America in which prison inmates are forced to brutally compete in an enclosed arena. Jason Statham will play a prisoner who, with only weeks to go before his release, is coerced into being a driver and becomes the crowd favorite called Frankenstein.

Joan Allen will play the warden of the prison who runs the race and ruthlessly forces Statham to enter the arena. McShane will play a coach, while Tyrese Gibson is a sociopathic racer named Machine Gun Joe who seeks to escape from prison.

Production will start this year with an aim for a fall 2008 release.