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April 19, 2008


Lakeshore Entertainment has found its leading lady and villain for sequel “Crank 2: High Voltage,” starring Jason Statham as hit man Chev Chelios.

Amy Smart will reprise her role as Chelios’ girlfriend and Clifton Collins Jr. will play his nemesis.

Bai Ling also is joining the cast, along with Dwight Yoakam and Efren Ramirez, who are both returning from the original.

In “Crank 2,” Chelios faces a mobster who has stolen his nearly indestructible heart and replaced it with a battery-powered ticker that requires regular jolts of electricity to keep working.

Filming begins April 28 in Los Angeles on the pic, which Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor wrote and will direct.

Lakeshore’s Tom Rosenberg, Gary Lucchesi, Skip Williamson and Richard Wright produce.

Lionsgate will handle North American distribution, while Lakeshore has international.

“Crank,” released in 2006, grossed $42 million worldwide.

Smart stars in the CBS pilot “The Meant-to-Bes” and will next be seen in Fox’s thriller/horror pic “Mirrors” opposite Kiefer Sutherland.

Collins next stars in indie feature “The Perfect Game,” Mandate’s “Horsemen” and J.J. Abrams’ “Star Trek” prequel for Paramount.