Taylor Kitsch & Thomas Haden Church Joining ‘John Carter of Mars’ Cast?

Suddenly the John Carter of Mars news is flowing like crazy. Thomas Haden Church said on Reel Talk with Jeffrey Lyons that he’d be joining the film, in what he calls a ‘very dramatic role’. He’ll work alongside Taylor Kitsch (as John Carter) and Lynn Collins (as Dejah Thoris, heir to the Martian kingdom). Andrew Stanton will make his live-action directing debut with the film, which is written by Stanton and Mark Andrews, with additional recent work by Michael Chabon.

The actor said specifically that he was “probably going to do a huge science fiction drama at Disney called John Carter of Mars.” We’ve wondered exactly where on the Disney/Pixar line this project would fall, as it hasn’t been anywhere on Pixar’s announced slate. Increasingly, as reports of impending work in Utah have come out, it seems that this is primarily a Disney picture, even if it has Pixar talent. (Stanton and Andrews and, since we still understand that it will feature animation, possibly some other Pixar staff?) Work is set to begin in Utah in November, and Haden Church said that he’d be working on the film in the spring, so that gives some idea of the production timeline.

Read more

‘John Carter Of Mars’ Begins Shooting This November In Utah

After many years in development, it appears that John Carter of Mars is gearing up to begin production. As you know by now, Finding Nemo and WALL-E director Andrew Stanton will be making his live action feature debut with an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ 1917 sci-fi fantasy novel A Princess of Mars. KLS is reporting that Disney has signed a deal to shoot part of the film in Utah. After the jump I also have exclusive info that Tom Cruise was circling the project for a short period of time.

The screenplay was written by Andrew Stanton and Mark Andrews with some revisions from Michael Chabon (Spider-Man 2). Stanton began interviewing prospective actors in January, and I even heard rumblings from two good sources that Tom Cruise was seriously considering the project at one point (although I’ve been unable to confirm these rumors apart from knowing he had meetings at Pixar about being part of a potential trilogy of films). Tom Cruise’s representative was unwilling to comment on the matter. Whatever it was that Cruise was brewing over at Pixar’s Emeryville campus, the actor decided it was best to move on to something else — James Mangold’s Wichita.

Back to the shoot, Utah approved up to $5.5 million in tax credits, as Disney expects to spend $28 million in Utah when production begins in November. Stanton has previously stated that he wants to avoid the look and feel of Star Wars or any of its derivatives, and was seeking a “more naturalistic aesthetic.” Utah definitely fits the bill.

Governor’s Office of Economic Development Director Jason Perry says that the production will employ over 400 people full-time for seven-straight months, and that Disney believes the film could become its next big movie series, akin to Pirates of the Caribbean.

Thanks to Matt B and Dan H for the tip.

Source

Michael Chabon Hired To Polish ‘John Carter Of Mars’ Script

Pulitzer prize-winning author Michael Chabon has been hired to polish a script by Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, Wall-E) and Mark Andrews for the Pixar/Disney adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ John Carter of Mars. Chabon was quoted on the Amazing Website of Kavalier & Clay confirming the deal, “I’ve been hired to do some revisions to an already strong script by Andrew Stanton and Mark Andrews.”

ERB’s John Carter character has enjoyed an extensive career in other media especially comic books where he has appeared in Big Little Books in the 1930s and 40s, Dell comics in the 1950s, DC and Marvel comics in the 1970s, and with fellow ERB creation Tarzan in comic strips and a Dark Horse mini-series in the 1990s, and in Alan Moore’s The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

There have been many previous attempts to create a movie (or series of movies) based on ERB’s Martian novels. Disney/Touchstone came close in the late 1980s with director John McTiernan (Die Hard) in charge. Paramount acquired the rights in 2002 and put considerable effort into the project and numerous directors including Robert Rodriguez (Sin City), Kelly Conran (Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow) and Jon Favreau (Iron Man). Disney reacquired the rights in 2007 and Andrew Stanton has confirmed that John Carter of Mars will be his next project for Pixar/Disney.

Source