John Carter : A Princess of Mars

[Johnichi Chiba]

I would really be interested in seeing an animated movie closer to the style of the books.

 

[rogue trooper]

My choices:

John Carter: Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale or Eric Bana
Deja Thoris: Paz Vega, Diane Kruger or Natalie Portman

 

[green]

http://www.filmick.co.uk/2007/02/is-john-carter-of-mars-to-be-disney-and.html

Is John Carter Of Mars To Be A Disney And Zemeckis Motion Capture Project?
I've recieved three e-mails in the last half an hour all suggesting the same thing, but I have to ask you: could John Carter of Mars really be Robert Zemeckis' next film, after Beowulf? Gossip in motion capture circles, such as they are, seems to be suggesting so.

As reported earlier, Zemeckis and Disney are teaming to open a state of the art Motion Capture facility. As reported even earlier, the rights to make a movie of John Carter of Mars are heading to Disney. It seems to add up, so I'm off to investigate... Zemeckis or Pixar, both prospects sound pretty remarkable to me.

 

[terry78]

Dejah Thoris = Salma Hayek. That's all there is to it.

 

[Ratcrawler]

Dude, Salma Hayek's 40. A ridiculously hot 40 but still.

I'm sPlit on the whole Pixar thing. I want a PG-13 film with fierce battles and a scantily clad princess. The closest costume I've seen to Dejah's in a mainstream cartoon was Kida's in Atlantis. Sorry if I sound a little testosterone driven there.

I think if anyone can pull off bringing pg13 toons into mainstream, it'd be Pixar who's got a pretty sPotless record people trust. My biggest peeve is that this'd take at least 4 year to make. v_v

 

[green]

This is from Quints visit to Favreau's production offices for Iron Man, he talks about what he was going to do with John Carter and Quint got to see some art.

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31525

I mentioned previously that I saw some more artwork from both Saunders and Meinerding. Favreau called them in and had them bring along a portfolio of their work for JOHN CATER OF MARS.

The pain of losing the project was obviously still fresh for Favreau, but he seemed happy John Lassetter and Pixar/Disney had it. He didn't know what they were going to do with it, but speculated on a great animated version being made. He said he would have had to MoCap a good deal of the movie if he had made it and noted that animation seems to be going in that direction with BEOWULF and films like MONSTER HOUSE.

The artwork, in short, was breathtaking. Edgar Rice Burroughs' world was realized beautifully. I saw everything from Carter on horseback escaping the Indians to Tars Tarkas towering over Carter, easily double his size. They realized the Tharks as more human that I imagined, but without a nose. The tusks protruded from the joints in the jaw, not the mouths, which I thought was an interesting way of approaching it. The eyes, brow and mouth were human. The expressive parts of the face. Favreau wanted the performance to show through the computer effects, find that soul in the pixels that the best CG work can do.

Most of the art was from Meinerding, who did the black and white pieces for IRON MAN. His work was black and white here, too. I freaked out a little when he said he works 100% in computer because the art looked painterly... kind of an Alex Ross mixed with Frank Frazetta. Meinerding's John Carter looked great. Very stoic, young... heroic.

I asked who Favreau was going after for John Carter before the plug was pulled. He looked a little hesitant to say, but then spilled that he wanted Eric Bana, which I think would have been a fantastic choice.

Saunders art was in full color and was more landscape than character or action driven, but his concept of Mars and the cities on Mars was amazing. He envisioned an obsidian-like landscape, but instead of black glass rock it was variations on red glass. Sharp and curving natural glass structures were semi-transparent at different light points. The majority of the swords and daggers were made of this beautiful red glass, with metal being extremely precious on the planet, so only a few metal swords exist.

There was a city (Helium) built completely out of this material, giant glass buildings stretching out to the heavens, refracting light in different shades and hues.

It would have been absolutely beautiful and it's a shame we won't see that movie.

As of my visit, Favreau was trying to find out the legality of making the art public. I hope he can work it out. If the film can't be made, at least the vision of the film should be seen by us geeks.

 

[Mr. Socko]

Never even heard of Princess of Mars.

Was the book good?

 

[green]

Never even heard of Princess of Mars.

Was the book good?

yeah definately if you are into science fiction/fantasy.
I believe there are 11 books total. The first three were reissued in a collection called Under the Moons of Mars a couple of years ago.
Here's some more info if you're interested.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Princess_of_Mars

 

[Mr. Socko]

Thanks, I'll give 'em a look.

 

[green]

http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2537&Itemid=99

Exclusive POTC 3 Coverage: Pixar Heads Lasseter and Catmull on John Carter of Mars!
Written by Robert Sanchez
Monday, 21 May 2007
So if you happen to be a sci-fi geek and have the two top people from Pixar coming up to you for a couple quick questions during the premiere of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, what would you ask them? All about John Carter of Mars of course!

Let me say that from the get go I knew it was going to be difficult to get Ed Catmull and John Lasseter to talk about John Carter of Mars, but we still had to try.

Ed gave up a little saying that John Carter will be different when compared to other kid friendly Pixar/Disney Animated films because it will be based on the book. Hmm, so does that mean we will get something with a little more punch than your standard animated Pixar film?

John Lasseter was a little less forthcoming, we tried twice to get him to say something about the property but all he would say is that it’s moving forward and that he can’t say much more than that. Hey, we had to try.

Click on the links below to watch our video interview

John Lasseter(doesnt say much at all)
http://iesb.net/index.php?option=com_xevidmegafx&Itemid=139&func=detail&id=669

Ed Catmull
http://iesb.net/index.php?option=com_xevidmegafx&Itemid=139&func=detail&id=668

Something that I have been waiting to clear up for a few months is the rumor that started around the same time that April Fools/John Carter joke hit the web. Since then certain sites have continued to report that Brad Bird would be directing John Carter of Mars.

When the IESB visited Pixar a few months back, we confirmed with Bird that his next movie would indeed be live action but it would not be John Carter, it’s 1906, based on the novel written by James Dalessandro about the San Francisco quake. He told us he was currently in negotiations.

We were asked not to report on the news at that time and to hold the story for a little while. We did, but since we are going on a three months, we figure it’s safe to report now.

 

[green]

http://www.iesb.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2753&Itemid=99

John Carter of Mars Live Action or Animated?
Written by Stephanie Sanchez
Friday, 22 June 2007
Today, during the press junket for Pixar’s latest, Ratatouille, IESB’s Robert Sanchez started inquiring to anyone who would listen about a big project that the studio has coming up, John Carter of Mars.



Big question on fans' minds? Will it be live action or animated?
With Pixar behind it one has to wonder. Well boy and girls we’ve got your answer.

IESB was told that John Carter of Mars would be both. Pixar will use both live action and animation working together to bring the story to life.

Meanwhile, one more tidbit of news, Brad Bird reconfirmed that he is definitely working on 1906 next. Anybody that was still hopeful, as we posted previously, he will not be directing John Carter of Mars.

 

[Cinemaman]

^^^

I have feeling Wall-E is going to use some kind of pre-animation of A Princess of Mars.

BTW, who's going to direct this movie?

 

[green]

The director is still unknown Cine.

 

[Cinemaman]

Damn it, I hope it's someone, who wouldn't just make another CGI flick full of action. I want to see something deeper (talking about philosophy of this film)

 

[green]

I was hoping Bird was gonna direct but it doesnt sound like that's gonna happen.

 

[Cinemaman]

^^^

He is a great filmmaker, but as I know he is too busy with his shedule

 

[Galactus]

Pixar Confirms "Mars" Trilogy
By Garth Franklin
Monday October 8th 2007 7:32am
The Pixar team has confirmed to EBZine that they recently made a trip to Edgar Rice Burroughs archives, doing research for a trilogy of John Carter of Mars films.

Directors Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews and Pixar executive Jim Morris all attended and confirmed the first John Carter film, which will be part live-action, would hit theaters before 2012.

The movie will follow Civil War vet John Carter, who is transplanted to Mars, where he discovers a lush, wildly diverse planet whose main inhabitants are 12-foot tall green barbarians.

Finding himself a prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter Dejah Thoris, Princess of Helium, who is in desperate need of a savior.

At present the studio has "Wall-E" in 2008, "Up" in 2009, "Toy Story 3" in 2010, and "1906" or the first 'Carter' film for 2011

 

[블라스]

Oh man....

 

[Ratcrawler]

2011? I can't wait that long. And the world's ending in 2012 so we'll never get the sequels. v_v Well, the first will probably rock as a standalone film anway.

Frankly, I'm just stoked this thing is entering production!

 

[terry78]

2011? I can't wait that long. And the world's ending in 2012 so we'll never get the sequels. v_v Well, the first will probably rock as a standalone film anway.

Frankly, I'm just stoked this thing is entering production!

It was supposed to end in 2000. They're late.

 

[Dr. Fate]

Funny trivia: Charlton Heston's real name is John Carter. They say he couldn't use his real name because of the book "A Princess of Mars" as well as reports that studios were thinking of making a film based on the book at the time.

 

[DocHoliday]

Yes, the long awaited ER/science fiction spin-off starring Noah Wylie! In all seriousness Pixar has a killer slate. This and that 1906 Earthquake film. Plus WALL-E looks excellent.

 

[Ratcrawler]

Oh yeah, that John Carter! LOL Or possibly they'll tie in Eureka's "Everyman" sheriff played by Craig Ferguson for the role.

 

[green]

http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/jim_h...narnia-pixar-now-sets-its-sights-on-mars.aspx

Last week, the trades were full of stories about how Brad Bird was getting ready to make his live action debut. How the director of "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille" would soon be helming the big screen adaptation of James Dalessandro's "1906."

Now some animation fans had initially assumed that this disaster pic (Which will recreate the Great San Francisco Earthquake) would be Pixar's initial foray into live action. Well, not quite. "1906" will actually be a co-production, with Warners and Disney / Pixar splitting this sure-to-be-expensive movie's production costs.

Mind you, Pixar Animation Studios is getting ready to put its first really-for-real live action project into production. Don't believe me? Okay. Then check out the batch of domain names that the Walt Disney Company registered this past Friday:

JOHNCARTERANDTHEGODSOFMARS.COM
JOHNCARTERANDTHEWARLORDOFMARS.COM
GODSOFMARS-MOVIE.COM
GODSOFMARSMOVIE.COM
THEGODSOFMARS-MOVIE.COM
THEGODSOFMARSMOVIE.COM
THEWARLORDOFMARS-MOVIE.COM
THEWARLORDOFMARSMOVIE.COM
WARLORDOFMARS-MOVIE.COM
These titles -- coupled with the ...

JOHNCARTEROFMARS-MOVIE.COM
JOHNCARTEROFMARS-THEMOVIE.COM
JOHNCARTEROFMARSTHEMOVIE.COM
... domain names that the Mouse snagged back on August 18, 2007 as well as that

CHILDRENOFMARS.COM

... name that Mickey registered back in November suggest that what Andrew Stanton supposedly told the staff at Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. back in October of last year is true. That Disney / Pixar definitely is gearing up to do a trilogy of films based on the "John Carter of Mars" books.

According to what Mouse House insiders recently told me, Mark Andrews has allegedly already completed a first pass on a screenplay for the first film in the proposed "Mars" series. And given that both Pixar and Disney execs have reportedly responded very enthusiastically to Andrews' script ... Well, both companies are now anxious to put this project in the development pipeline ASAP.

"So what sort of timetable are we talking about here?," you ask. Well, really serious work on the first "Mars" movie can't get underway 'til this Fall. Which is when Stanton will finally be through with all of his "WALL * E" -related promotional obligations (i.e. First Andrew has to spend several weeks this spring helping to promote the domestic & international release of Pixar's latest. Then -- after a short break -- Stanton has to jump right back in and begin promoting the DVD version of "WALL * E").

But all of this actual selling-of-"WALL-*-E" work is completed ... Andrew is then expected to sit down with Mark & Jim Morris (i.e. A Lucasfilm Digital vet who made the jump to Pixar back in 2005. He's reportedly been tapped to be the producer on the "Mars" project) and map out a battle plan for "John Carter of Mars." Which is now tentatively slated to be release in 2012 ... or possibly earlier.
"Why earlier?," you ask. Well ... From what I've heard, studio suits seem to be cooling to the idea of producing movie versions of all seven of C.S. Lewis's "Narnia" books. And unless "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian" does truly huge box office once it's released to theaters in May of this year ... Disney & Walden Media (i.e. Mickey's partner on the "Narnia" film series) will probably still go forward with production of the already-in-development "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." But after that ... The Mouse would then mostly likely pull the plug on the rest of the proposed "Narnia" film series.

And were that to happen ... That would then leave Walt Disney Pictures with a very big hole in its release schedule for 2011 and beyond. And given "Narnia" was initially supposed to have been this on-going franchise, with the Mouse once envisioning releasing a brand-new chapter in the "Chronicles" to theaters every May from 2008 through 2013 ... Well, Mickey would love to be able to fill that hole with another film franchise.

Which explains some of the urgency that now surrounds the "John Carter" films. Should "Prince Caspian" stumble once it hits theaters this Spring, Disney may be looking for Pixar to begin its mission to "Mars" pretty damned quick.

So what do you folks think? Are you ready for Pixar to move into live action? Or are you more troubled by the idea that Disney seems to losing its nerve just two books into the "Chronicles of Narnia" film series?

 

[terry78]

I would like to see what Pixar can do with live action. Will they be on par with ILM, Weta, etc.