'Tarzan' - Directed by David Yates; Starring Alexander Skarsgard
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Alexander Skarsgård and Samuel L. Jackson Wanted for David Yates’ ‘Tarzan’; Plot Details Revealed
Alexander Skarsgård has been teetering on the verge of movie stardom for a while now, but even as peers like Tom Hardy and Henry Cavill have found their way to comic book tentpoles, Skarsgård’s mostly been alternating between TV roles (Generation Kill, True Blood), indies (Disconnect, What Maisie Knew), and supporting parts in higher-profile pics (Battleship). Not a bad path, but not quite the A-list career his fans have been predicting.
That may be about to change, though. Skarsgård is reportedly the frontrunner to lead David Yates‘ Tarzan, WB’s long-gestating adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ classic character. He could be starring alongside Samuel L. Jackson, who’s being considered for another key character. More details, including a plot description, after the jump.
WB’s variation on Tarzan seems to focus on the character’s post-assimiliation years, as opposed to his wild jungle childhood. Here’s how Variety puts it:
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[Skarsgård] would play John Clayton III, known around the world as the famous “ape man” Tarzan. Years after he’s re-assimilated into society, he’s asked by Queen Victoria to investigate the goings-on in the Congo. Tarzan teams with an ex-mercenary named George Washington Williams to save the Congo from a fierce warlord who controls a massive diamond mine.
Samuel L. Jackson is being eyed to play Williams, a Civil War veteran eager to redeem himself for his part in the massacre of Native Americans.
The script’s gone through several hands over the years, including John August, Cormac and Marianne Wibberly, and Adam Cozad. Jerry Weintraub, Alan Riche, Peter Riche, and Keith Goldberg of Dark Horse Entertainment will produce.
No final decision has been made regarding casting, and no formal offer has been extended. But Skarsgård is Yates’ top choice, and WB seems to like him as well. The actor is already attached to star in the WB projects Hidden (a thriller) and The Vanguard (a Viking epic). Jackson’s casting isn’t set in stone yet, either.
Presumably these decisions will get firmer once the studio officially greenlights Tarzan, as it’s expected to do by the end of the year. Should everything go according to plan, Tarzan will begin filming in summer 2013.
I actually kind love the idea. Which I didn't think I would. But I love the idea of a semi-tamed version of the character becoming a sort of hero for hire, where his primitive side can shine through in the heart of battle. I'm really hoping this turns out well. It could be a lot of fun.
I actually kind love the idea. Which I didn't think I would. But I love the idea of a semi-tamed version of the character becoming a sort of hero for hire, where his primitive side can shine through in the heart of battle. I'm really hoping this turns out well. It could be a lot of fun.
+1
Looking forward to it.
Good to see one of the classic comic strips getting the big screen treatment!
I actually kind love the idea. Which I didn't think I would. But I love the idea of a semi-tamed version of the character becoming a sort of hero for hire, where his primitive side can shine through in the heart of battle. I'm really hoping this turns out well. It could be a lot of fun.
It helps that the proposed plot has a very pulpy feel to it. It seems like something that might have resulted from one of the classic Tarzan books.
I actually kind love the idea. Which I didn't think I would. But I love the idea of a semi-tamed version of the character becoming a sort of hero for hire, where his primitive side can shine through in the heart of battle. I'm really hoping this turns out well. It could be a lot of fun.
Actually, the plot sounds a lot like that failed 90's Warner reboot that nobody saw, and now I'm almost curious enough to go look it up:
David Yates’ TARZAN Back on Track with Christoph Waltz in Talks for Villain Role; Emma Stone and Margot Robbie Eyed for Jane
Tarzan may be swinging into theaters in a couple of years after all. Director David Yates had been developing the project since 2012 as his follow-up to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, but earlier this year word came that Warner Bros. was putting the brakes on Tarzan due to budget concerns. The future of the project was uncertain as potential filming was pushed to 2014, but now it appears that things are back on track as Christoph Waltz has entered talks to take on the villain role opposite Alexander Skarsgard, with an official greenlight potentially imminent. Hit the jump for more.
The folks over at Variety report that Christoph Waltz is in talks to play the villain role in Yates’ Tarzan, a military figure that crosses paths with Skarsgard’s titular character. While Jessica Chastain was previously in the mix to play female lead Jane, apparently Emma Stone and The Wolf of Wall Street star Margot Robbie are now among the actresses currently being considered for the role. Offers have not gone out to Stone or Robbie, so the likelihood of either actress signing on is unclear.
Yates is still waiting for an official greenlight on the project, but that might come as early as November with a summer 2014 production start-date. Should that occur, we might see Tarzan in theaters as early as December 2015 or summer 2016. The script has gone through a number of drafts by scribes like John August, Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, and most recently Adam Cozad. Hopefully we hear more firm word soon, but the prospect of Yates getting another film into theaters sooner rather than later is certainly exciting.
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'Tarzan' - Directed by David Yates; Starring Alexander Skarsgard
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