"John Carter of Mars" Begins Principal Photography

[WyldeMan45]

I am really looking forward to seeing Kitsch with his own possible franchise. They are banking a lot on the kid, I've grown to know as Tim Riggins. This is just a fantastic cast including Willem Dafoe, Mark Strong, Brian Cranston and Jame Purefoy.


WALT DISNEY PICTURES’ “JOHN CARTER OF MARS” BEGINS PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY IN LONDON

BURBANK, Calif. (January 15, 2010) – Principal photography is underway in London for Walt Disney Pictures’ “JOHN CARTER OF MARS.” Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton brings this captivating hero to the big screen in a stunning adventure epic set on the wounded planet of Mars, a world inhabited by warrior tribes and exotic desert beings. Based on the first of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Barsoom Series,” the film chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter, who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants.

Produced for Walt Disney Pictures by Jim Morris (“WALL•E,” “Ratatouille”) and Colin Wilson (“Avatar,” “War of the Worlds”), the live action/animation film marks Academy Award®-winning director/writer Andrew Stanton’s (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL•E”) first foray into live action. Stanton directed and co-wrote the screenplay for Disney•Pixar’s “WALL•E,” which earned the Academy Award and Golden Globe® for Best Animated Feature (2008); Stanton was nominated for an Oscar® for the screenplay. He made his directorial debut with Disney•Pixar’s “Finding Nemo,” garnering an Academy Award-nomination for Best Original Screenplay and winning the Oscar for Best Animated Feature (2003). He has worked as a screenwriter and/or executive producer on Disney•Pixar’s “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life” (which he also co-directed), “Toy Story 2,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Ratatouille” and “Up.”

"I have been waiting my whole life to see the characters and worlds of 'John Carter of Mars' realized on the big screen,” says Stanton. “It is just a wonderful bonus that I have anything to do with it."

The stellar ensemble cast is led by Taylor Kitsch (NBC’S “Friday Night Lights”, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”) in the title role, Lynn Collins (“50 First Dates,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”) as the warrior princess Dejah Thoris and Oscar® nominee Willem Dafoe (“Spider-Man 3,” “Shadow of a Vampire”) as Martian inhabitant Tars Tarkas. The cast also includes Thomas Haden Church (“Sideways,” Spider-Man 3), Polly Walker (upcoming “Clash of the Titans,” “Patriot Games”), Samantha Morton (“Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” “In America”), Mark Strong (“Sherlock Holmes,” “Body of Lies”), Ciaran Hinds (“Munich,” “There Will Be Blood”), British actor Dominic West (“300,” “Chicago”), James Purefoy (“Vanity Fair,” “Resident Evil”) and Bryan Cranston (“Breaking Bad”). Daryl Sabara (“Disney’s A Christmas Carol,” “Spy Kids”) takes the role of John Carter’s teenaged nephew, Edgar Rice Burroughs.

The creative team includes Oscar®-nominated production designer Nathan Crowley (“Public Enemies,” “The Dark Knight,” “Batman Begins”), costume designer Mayes Rubeo (“Avatar,” “Apocalypto”), cinematographer Daniel Mindel (“Star Trek,” “Mission Impossible III,” “Spygame”) and video effects supervisor Peter Chiang (“The Reader,” “The Bourne Ultimatum”).

OHN CARTER OF MARS
WALT DISNEY PICTURES

Genre: Adventure/Sci-Fi
Rating: TBD
Release Date: TBD
Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Mark Strong, Ciaran Hinds, Dominic West, James Purefoy, Daryl Sabara, Polly Walker, Bryan Cranston, with Thomas Hayden Church and Willem Dafoe
Director: Andrew Stanton
Producers: Jim Morris and Colin Wilson
Screenplay by: Andrew Stanton & Mark Andrews (credit not final)
Based on the story by: Edgar Rice Burroughs

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”), JOHN CARTER OF MARS brings this captivating hero to the big screen in a stunning adventure epic set on the wounded planet of Mars, a world inhabited by warrior tribes and exotic desert beings. Based on the first of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Barsoom Series,” the film chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter (TAYLOR KITSCH), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (WILLEM DAFOE) and Dejah Thoris (LYNN COLLINS).

Notes:
· Edgar Rice Burroughs was born in Chicago and is best known for writing and creating Tarzan – still one of the most successful and iconic fictional creations of all time. JOHN CARTER OF MARS is based on Burroughs’ first novel, “A Princess of Mars.”
· Academy Award®-winning director/writer Andrew Stanton directed and co-wrote the screenplay for “WALL•E,” which earned the Academy Award® and Golden Globe Award® for Best Animated Feature of 2008. He was Oscar® nominated for the screenplay. He made his directorial debut with “Finding Nemo,” garnering an Academy Award® nomination for Best Original Screenplay and winning the Oscar® for Best Animated Feature Film of 2003. He was one of the four screenwriters to receive an Oscar® nomination in 1996 for his contribution to “Toy Story,” and went on to receive credit as a screenwriter on subsequent Pixar films “A Bug’s Life,” “Toy Story 2,” “Monsters, Inc.,” “Finding Nemo” and “WALL•E.” He served as co-director on “A Bug’s Life,” and was the executive producer of “Monsters, Inc.,” the 2006 Academy Award-winning “Ratatouille” and the 2009 smash hit “Up.”

Set in the wounded planet of Mars, JOHN CARTER OF MARS chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter (TAYLOR KITSCH), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (WILLEM DAFOE) and Dejah Thoris (LYNN COLLINS).

Source

[P@t_Mtl]

Maybe I got confuse, I tought I saw a while back it was going to be an animation movie?

[tiger roach]

Wow, that might be cool! I read those books when I was just a sprout.

[RBBrittain]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Maybe I got confuse, I tought I saw a while back it was going to be an animation movie?

Maybe because it's a Pixar director? But then Brad Bird's trying to make a live-action movie about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, though I'm sure it'll need plenty of CGI help--maybe even from his friends in the next cubicle.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by RBBrittain

Maybe because it's a Pixar director? But then Brad Bird's trying to make a live-action movie about the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, though I'm sure it'll need plenty of CGI help--maybe even from his friends in the next cubicle.

You may be right, that is why I got confuse. I saw Brad Bird and Pixar and I tought it was an animation. Still no matter way they make this, very interested in seeing it. Wonder what update they will make, since the story about life and Mars and such is a bit dated now

[Rob71]

This John Carter? Disney? Wow.

May be unsafe for work. Don't know your boss.

[Show spoiler]cover6.jpg

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Rob71

This John Carter? Disney? Wow.

May be unsafe for work. Don't know your boss.

[Show spoiler]Attachment 12265

That is what I was saying by how they will update this? Those stories are no longer very PC's

[Q?]

Why does it appear like John has a Batman symbol on his chest?

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

That is what I was saying by how they will update this? Those stories are no longer very PC's

Ah Phooey. You can't please those people anyway. They're only happy when they're protesting.

Have you ever seen PCU?

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Rob71

Ah Phooey. You can't please those people anyway. They're only happy when they're protesting.

Have you ever seen PCU?

Long time ago now, funny movie.

As for John Carter I am looking forward to this. I am not sure but is this the second time it's turn into a movie, wasn't there a serial of this back in the 40's?

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Long time ago now, funny movie.

As for John Carter I am looking forward to this. I am not sure but is this the second time it's turn into a movie, wasn't there a serial of this back in the 40's?

I wasn't aware of that, I'll have to do some checking. I watched about four hours of an old Flash Gordon serial a few months ago and it was pretty good. Too bad SyFy(ugh) couldn't do a retro Flash Gordon instead of the travesty they unleashed. I hope this will be done with a retro feel, I really am starting to get into the older sci-fi stuff. I really would like to see a retro Buck Rodgers.

[Moefiz]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Long time ago now, funny movie.

As for John Carter I am looking forward to this. I am not sure but is this the second time it's turn into a movie, wasn't there a serial of this back in the 40's?

Didn't Sci-Fi, did a movie or a series on this recently...like they did Flash Gordon.


Either way I am looking forward to the movie.

[P@t_Mtl]

I hope as well they go retro. It does work, look for The Mummy, going back to the 30's. These stories just seem to work better for me if set into a retro style. I think when they try to make them modern it just lose the charm it as for me personaly. I understand they might want to update them because very liekly most of the audience would just not be able to deal with a 1920'2 - 30's look for these movies, which is a shame IMO

[Briscogun]

This is great news! I LOVED these books as a kid! Used to tear through them at breakneck speed. This will be one of my most anticipated movies of the next few years. Thanks, OP, for digging this up! I will anxiously be awaiting news on this as it prgresses, but it sounds like they have a good team working on it. As long as they pay the material justice and don't try to "update" it to the 21st century too much, I'll be happy. The reason the books were so great is that they had a certain feel and flair to them. Yes, we know there is no life on Mars now, but if we can suspend disbelief that transforming robots have taken up refuge on Earth, we can pretend that life exists on Mars for 2 hours. I just hope they don't "F" it up...

Go get the books if you've never read them. You won't be disappointed. I'm going to pick one up for my son today, so he can start reading them now.

[vega2K]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I hope as well they go retro. It does work, look for The Mummy, going back to the 30's. These stories just seem to work better for me if set into a retro style. I think when they try to make them modern it just lose the charm it as for me personaly. I understand they might want to update them because very liekly most of the audience would just not be able to deal with a 1920'2 - 30's look for these movies, which is a shame IMO

Well the description does say a "Civil war veteran", so it can't take place in the present. But if they follow the story as it is written, then they would only show horses and civil war soldiers very briefly at the beginning and at the end. The rest of the time the story would take place on Mars.

Looking forward to this one, especially because James Cameron has stated that a big influence on Avatar was Edgar Rice Bourroughs John Carter of Mars! And the production folks on this movie have said that they have been looking very closely at Avatar and have made their goal an Avatar-like movie! I will dig up the article shortly.

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by vega2K

Well the description does say a "Civil war veteran", so it can't take place in the present. But if they follow the story as it is written, then they would only show horses and civil war soldiers very briefly at the beginning and at the end. The rest of the time the story would take place on Mars.

Unfortunatly that is something that can be overlook real quick. They can make him a veteran of the recent war, or set this up in the future with space travel and such. It's really easy for them to transport any story in recent time if they wish it. I think they just have a different feel if they are set in that period instead of now. Look how badly the new Flash Gordon look's when updated compare to what they could have done if left in the 30's.

[vega2K]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Unfortunatly that is something that can be overlook real quick. They can make him a veteran of the recent war, or set this up in the future with space travel and such. It's really easy for them to transport any story in recent time if they wish it. I think they just have a different feel if they are set in that period instead of now. Look how badly the new Flash Gordon look's when updated compare to what they could have done if left in the 30's.

That is true, however I have read interviews (I can't find them now) where the director is quoted saying that the film is "about a civil war soldier...." Plus the film synopsis above does state the following:

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”), JOHN CARTER OF MARS brings this captivating hero to the big screen in a stunning adventure epic set on the wounded planet of Mars, a world inhabited by warrior tribes and exotic desert beings. Based on the first of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Barsoom Series,” the film chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter (TAYLOR KITSCH), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (WILLEM DAFOE) and Dejah Thoris (LYNN COLLINS).

I have a feeling we will see a pre 21st Century JCOM!

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by vega2K

That is true, however I have read interviews (I can't find them now) where the director is quoted saying that the film is "about a civil war soldier...." Plus the film synopsis above does state the following:

From Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton (“Finding Nemo,” “WALL-E”), JOHN CARTER OF MARS brings this captivating hero to the big screen in a stunning adventure epic set on the wounded planet of Mars, a world inhabited by warrior tribes and exotic desert beings. Based on the first of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Barsoom Series,” the film chronicles the journey of Civil-War veteran John Carter (TAYLOR KITSCH), who finds himself battling a new and mysterious war amidst a host of strange Martian inhabitants, including Tars Tarkas (WILLEM DAFOE) and Dejah Thoris (LYNN COLLINS).

I have a feeling we will see a pre 21st Century JCOM!

That will be great for them to go this way, will keep the feeling of the original story

[vega2K]

Originally Posted by vega2K

Well the description does say a "Civil war veteran", so it can't take place in the present. But if they follow the story as it is written, then they would only show horses and civil war soldiers very briefly at the beginning and at the end. The rest of the time the story would take place on Mars.

Looking forward to this one, especially because James Cameron has stated that a big influence on Avatar was Edgar Rice Bourroughs John Carter of Mars! And the production folks on this movie have said that they have been looking very closely at Avatar and have made their goal an Avatar-like movie! I will dig up the article shortly.

I can't dig-up the particular artcle (I'm at work) where the producers/director of JCOM acknowledge Avatar, but here's two I found that are interesting.

James Cameron's inspiration for Avatar is JCOM:
James Cameron and “Avatar” : The New Yorker

Here's excerpts of an Interview with the JCOM director:
WALL-E helmer Andrew Stanton talks John Carter of Mars | SCI FI Wire

[Duffy12]

Originally Posted by vega2K

...And the production folks on this movie have said that they have been looking very closely at Avatar and have made their goal an Avatar-like movie! I will dig up the article shortly.

Boy...if one movie screams for Cameron's Avatar filming technology...


This one is it!


BTW, I read the first three books a couple of years ago and if people had problems predicting Avatar's story...they are really going to be disapointed in this one. A lot of the story is so badly telegraphed that a grade school kid can see it coming. I hope they fix the scrip in this cause I am looking forward to it also .




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