Lost Again...

Dad is out looking for Harpo again...









So Andrew Stanton is going back to the well...

Deadline Hollywood, the site that doesn't like to credit non-approved websites for breaking stories has the breaking story. Stanton will film a sequel to his most famous creation: "Finding Nemo."

After the lackluster box office of "John Carter" because of the marketing departments totally inept campaign, the director is moving into familiar territory. Disney hadn't confirmed it as of this morning, but it makes sense. According to Deadline, the Lamp is very happy with the take that the director wants to take with the story.

Hopefully, it'll be more than just finding this time around...

UPDATE:

Sources are reporting that scribe Victoria Strouse (The Apostles of Infinite Love - Black List 2008), has been hired by the Mouse to write the script based on Stanton's idea. It looks like they're aiming for a 2016 release date.

Get Carter...

Get Marketing...



Along time ago in a galaxy not so far away...

Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote a great sci-fi adventure story called A Princess of Mars that would become one of the most influential science fiction fantasy stories of the 20th century inspiring George Lucas to make the epic Star Wars franchise nearly 60 years after it. It has taken a full century for Burroughs' imaginative epic fantasy to come to life on the big screen but John Carter has arrived in theaters DOA thanks to a series of costly marketing blunders by Disney of equally epic proportions.

Despite its numerous failures to attract an audience, director Andrew Stanton has delivered a first class epic fantasy film that brings the pages of Burroughs' highly imaginative world of Barsoom to life in living, breathing color with vibrant special effects and computer animation that could easily have become the Mouse's Star Wars franchise with the proper marketing muscle behind it. Unfortunately we will probably never see the further adventures of John Carter in The Gods of Mars or Warlords of Mars or any of the other chronicles in Burroughs' classic pulp series because the audience for whom the film was targeted has no idea just who John Carter is and is far more excited to see this summer's Hunger Games, also based on a popular series of teenage literary novels, than a hundred year-old character from a book they've never even heard of.

Perhaps the biggest tragedy is the over-simplified title changed by Stanton himself. Who is John Carter? Why should anyone care about him?

Well, he's Taylor Kitsch who played Gambit from X-Men Origins: Wolverine and his co-star Lynn Collins from the same film is ideally cast as the beautiful Princess Dejah Thoris of Helium. John Carter is a confederate captain from Virginia who travels to Arizona to find gold, only to find himself astrally transported to Mars after being fatally shot by Apache Indians. There are plenty of metaphors here between the natives of both worlds that evoke Dances With Wolves and Avatar as John Carter becomes the propheseid hero and savior of Barsoom which the native Tharks call their red planet. With an inspired cast of supporting actors with Willem Dafoe as the voice of Tars Tarkas, a nine foot tall, four armed green Martian, Dafoe sounds exactly as I would have always imagined the voice of Tars Tarkas to sound like and brings the character to life with his impassioned performance. Other inspired casting choices include terrific supporting performances by Ciaran Hinds and James Purefoy who are reunited again from working together in HBO's excellent series Rome and Tardos Mors and Kantos Kan respectively. Dominic West from HBO's The Wire also rounds out the inspired casting as the villanous Sab Than seeking the hand of the Princess of Helium to unite a planetary civil war and become its ruler.

John Carter is filled with action, adventure, special effects, animation, heroes, villains, monsters and a princess, it has all the fundamental ingredients of a classic Disney film and is a faithful adaptation of Burroughs' novel, and Disney and Stanton have delivered a spectacular film that has fallen flat on its face as a $250 million box office disaster that is being critically compared to 1995's sci-fi flop Waterworld. It must make over $400 million just to break even, another unrealistic expectation reminiscent of 2010's Tron Legacy by the foolish suits at Disney who clearly have no clue how to run the studio nor do they know anything about what they have on their hands or how to mass market their product and for that heads should roll and Disney's marketing department all deserve the grim fate that awaits them.

As for the fate of John Carter, who knows, but all indications so far seem to imply that we may never return to the red planet on the big screen again. Fortunately the written pages of Burroughs will last forever for those of us that still remember them...

Long live John Carter of Mars!

Lost In Marketing, Found On Blu-Ray...

The film was great, the marketing was deplorable...





Well, I've seen "John Carter (of Mars)" now...

And if there is any justice in this world, heads will roll in the Mouse's marketing department. My friends and I sat there watching the film and kept shaking our heads. With all that is in this film, they couldn't pull together a decent trailer? A decent poster? Banner? Why couldn't they have focused on the romance in the film? That might have brought in more female viewers who aren't into the action aspect. Because really, the film is a romance, or a love story that happens to have a lot of action. How about a banner showing John Carter and the Princess in a romantic embrace? How about a poster that is more like the wonderful Frank Frazetta posters. There is a scene in the film that is shown a bit in the trailers. Carter jumps right into the swarm of oncoming Tharks and does battle. How about that as a poster? There are so many obvious choices and the marketing department dropped the ball.

The likelihood that a sequel will happen is a very long shot right now, but there are bright spots. The foreign market opened almost double what it did here domestically. And with good word of mouth and hopefully, brisk sales of DVD/Blu-Rays then the Mouse might take another look at it. But the said truth is a great film was handled very badly. The audience won't get to enjoy a charmingly, old fashioned film that is a throwback to the epics we would see as a kid, or even our fathers and grandfathers would have seen. John Carter (of Mars) deserves better than it got. And the Suits in marketing had eight to nine months more to figure it out since the film was delayed from last summer.

Perhaps Andrew Stanton is feeling a bit the way Brad Bird did after the release of "The Iron Giant" right now...

Failing Forward...

Disney marketing, lost in this world, still not able to find another...








Once again, the Mouse's marketing department stumbles and trips...

If you've been following the docile and inept advertising campaign then you know what I'm talking about. The tracking for "John Carter" is surprisingly soft according to sources I know, but it shouldn't and wouldn't be if the Suits in the marketing department would have gotten their heads around this film earlier. It's not like it just popped up. They've had over two years to develop the strategy that they're now working though. Think anyone will be fired?

They deserve to be.

Take for example, the trailers that have came out. They show nothing for the most part that would interest you in the film. What they do show makes it appear to be a rip off of "Avatar" and "Star Wars," but they don't attempt to explain to the viewer that this came first. This was those and many other films inspiration. And if you want to see how the trailer should have been, then look at this trailer made by a fan. A fan. A FAN made this.

Bob Iger should fire whoever came up with this marketing misfire and hire the guy/girl that produced this trailer. It makes me far more excited to see the film, because the person that did it, "gets" it. I'm surprised that Andrew Stanton hasn't gone ballistic over what they're doing. I mean, the word from those that have seen it is very good. Stanton has made a great science fiction adventure that is faithful enough to the source material, but expands on it for modern audiences and is quite entertaining. But you wouldn't know that from the marketing campaign.

Look at the posters, stills and banners. Weak, static images that inspire nothing. Bland and uninteresting poses. Really? With all that happens in this film the best they could come up with was a shot of John Carter standing there or riding on an alien creature? He looks bored. The only hope I have for a poster is the one you see above. It's a limited edition being given out on the midnight showings to those that attend. It's by JC Richard(I believe) from Mondo and is the only poster I've seen that has captured anything remotely good about the film. Perhaps Mondo should be doing the banners and one-sheets as well?

It's very fascinating that Walt Disney Pictures would pony up 200+ million for this film and then not figure a way to sell it to the public...

First Tour Of Mars...

Walt Disney Pictures has released the teaser trailer for "John Carter" a day early...

And we have to remember that it's a teaser. It's meant to tease. And I think that it partially achieves its purpose. But it does give me hope that Andrew Stanton has gotten it right. I like various elements, but feel that the marketing campaign has got their hands full.




Like many people I've heard from, this is based on a classic that is a hundred years old (next year). But there are many things in this that are going to seem as though they are stolen from "Star Wars" or "Avatar." The opposite is true. But I think marketing are going to have to address this. From what I know, everyone associated with the screenplay viewed this as a labor of love. I'm going to cross my fingers and put my confidence in them to faithful put my and other geek/fanboy's dreams on the screen to Barsoom.



Come March, I can't wait to make the journey...

Teasing Mars...

Put Mars back in John Carter...








Walt Disney Pictures has released the first teaser poster for its spring 2012 tent pole feature...

"John Carter" (formerly "of Mars") will be Andrew Stanton's first live-action film will be out on March 9, 2012. I hope that Stanton's talent and love of the material create a modern classic, but I still hate the title change. John Carter of Mars sounds like a great, pulpy adventure. John Carter sounds like a bio-pic that George Clooney is staring in that follows a downsized, corporate suit as he learns to reconnect with the wife and child he neglected. Sigh.

Does it mean that the film is doomed? Not at all. Andrew Stanton is a very talented director that knows a lot about story. I expect all that he's learned in the Brain Trust at the Lamp to be instilled into the very fiber of this adaptation. It's just the lack of enthusiasm about selling a film that has such an uninspired title. Let's see if our fears our calmed when the teaser is released later this summer.

Time will tell...

John Carter Of Nowhere...

Where and I from again...


As much as I'm looking forward to this film, I'm not looking forward to this name change...

I'm sure you've all heard the word. Or perhaps it's the lack on a couple of words in the title that is. It seems that someone, likely in the soulless marketing department, has determined that John Carter shouldn't say he's from Mars. So instead of "John Carter of Mars" we will get "John Carter." Now this makes no sense, but if it's because some brainiac determined that "Mars Needs Moms" means that moviegoers no longer like Mars, then it's even stupider.

I hope that this changes and saner heads prevail, because this is one of my most anticipated films for 2012. I trust in Stanton as he knows the source material(and is a fan) and has a great grasp of storytelling. From what I've heard, and it's not a lot, the film sounds like it works, despite some whispers about having to do some reshoots. The biggest thing I have heard that makes me wonder is: "It plays young." Which may not be a bad thing. Pixar films play young, but they play to all sides of the audience which is what I'm going to take from that comment until I see otherwise.

But I never thought there would a need to change the "Of Mars" part of the name. It's part of the classic tale that Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote. It would be like taking "Anne of Green Gables" and calling it "Ann," or something even more asinine. I hope the loss of John Carter location doesn't mean that Walt Disney Pictures has a lack of direction in where to go with this picture. Barsoom shouldn't really be that hard to find.

And neither should Mars...

Meanwhile, Back On Mars...

Marsoon...

There hasn't been a lot of new information about Walt Disney Pictures':"John Carter of Mars" lately...

But the MTV Movie Blog has an interview with director Andrew Stanton where he sheds a little light on the process and makes you wonder when we're going to see that first teaser for the film.  My bet is sometime in the fall, close to Thanksgiving we'll get a teaser of it with some form of a trailer released near Christmas.

Barsoom is a world I've wanted to see since I was a child so I guess I can wait another year...

The Talent Pool...

The Mouse has a lot of big named talent developing projects right now...

The verdict on Rich Ross is still out and it'll be a year or more before we start seeing the results of his taste, but I'm quite surprised and curious as to the people that he's attached to films in the Disney future. Examples? Just off my fading memory:

20,000 Leagues Beneath the Sea - I would have never thought that David Fincher would adapt a family film classic like this with a script by screenwriter Scott Burns.

Oz the Great and Powerful - Sam Raimi is in line to direct this reinterpretation of the L. Frank Baum classic by Mitchell Kapner, that tells the story of how the Wizard became the Wizard. Currently, the script is being rewritten.

Oblivion - the graphic novel adaptation of Joseph Kosinski, Arvid Nelson and Andree Wallin is getting adapted by William Monahan as was announced last week.

The Black Hole - the re-envisioning of the cult Disney film, again by Joseph Kosinski, with Travis Beacham writing the new interpretation of the project.

The Cheapest Muppet Movie Ever Made - the dream project of Jason Segel, who is writing and will co-star with the famous frog and friends. The name is not final, nor financially accurate, btw.

John Carter of Mars - the adaptation of the classic sci-fi film, directed by Andrew Stanton with a screenplay by Michael Chabon and Stanton.

Frankenweenie - the full feature envisioning of Tim Burton's short film made while working at Walt Disney Studios in the late 70's/early 80's. Instead of live action, it'll be a stop motion feature in line with "The Nightmare Before Christmas" or "Corpse Bride." Hopefully, it'll be closer to Nightmare than Bride.

Malificent - the look back at the Sleeping Beauty tale as told from the villainess' point of view. Tim Burton reteams with Linda Woolverton, the screenwriter from his "Alice in Wonderland" sequel. Rumors are that Angelina Jolie is the desired actress to play the part, but until a script is finished, consider these rumors to be just that... rumors.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides - the fourth of the Pirates series featuring the further adventures of Captain Jack as he searches for the Fountain of Youth and dodges a flame from the past and her overly protective father (Blackbeard). Rob Marshall directs the film with a script by original screenwriters Terry Rossio and Ted Elliott.

And the list keeps growing...

Trip To Mars...

Blastoff...


Walt Disney Pictures has announced the release date of Andrew Stanton's "A Princess of Mars" adaptation...

The Edgar Rice Burroughs novel will be the basis of Stanton's live-action debut, "John Carter of Mars" film.

Now we can all wait for the teaser...

Mouse Lands On Mars...

Principle photography commenced today on Walt Disney Pictures "John Carter of Mar" in London...

And it is a Disney production, guys. Some people have been under the assumption that this is a Pixar production. It is not, it'll be under the Mouse's moniker, but it does have a few of the Lamp's talent on it. Not to mention a great deal of support from those up in Emeryville.

Here is the official statement:

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”).

JOHN 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).

I await the trailer for this like you wouldn't believe...

Designs On Mars...

What planet are we on?





That'll be ten cents, please.
If this is real, it's cool...

If it's not, then it's still cool. Swanky cool. You've ever seen Pixar's headquarters then you've noticed they have a lot of banners and posters up of whatever movie is coming out...

They tend to have artist do concept work and inspirational pieces for the projects they're working on. Andrew Stanton according to this artist has brought that plan over to "John Carter of Mars" as well.

This is a poster-type concept piece that William Erik Evans said he did for Stanton and his crew. Note that it hearkens back to the old pulp magazines that first printed these stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs. This gives me a comforting feeling that Stanton is the right person to handle the material.

That's certainly inspirational to me...

Hat Tip to Super Punch.

Avatar/John Carter/Pandora/Mars Comparisons...

With the announcement that a new "Avatar" trailer coming this weekend I figured it was time to address a few things that are going to be happening over the next few years...

First of all, 3D is here. Duh. Yeah, I know, but by the end of this year it'll have kicked into high gear with the release of Cameron's new film. Presuming that the film is not a total bust and sucks all the money it cost to make down a black hole, you can expect to see many more films like this over the next few years.

One of those film will be "John Carter of Mars" in 2012. Remember that one of the reasons James Cameron did Avatar was that he wanted to film his own John Carter of Mars type of story. He apparently didn't want to literally adapt the Edgar Rice Burroughs version; choosing instead to go his own route with a story that is merely inspired by those kinds of novels. But think about what's going to happen this Christmas season. We're going to watch a big budget Hollywood film about a man from Earth transported to another planet that interacts with the indigenous species and goes on to fight a war on their side. In 2012 we're going to watch a big budget Hollywood film about a man from Earth transported to another planet that interacts with the indigenous species and goes on to fight a war on their side. Sound familiar? Hopefully Andrew Stanton and his crew are working to make a film that is as ambitious as the King of the World's film, but uniquely different so as to not look like it's trying to rip off Avatar. I know it's based on a series of novels from eighty years ago, but the general public doesn't. And remember, perception counts. It always has/does.

But there are similarities to the characters and settings. But the main difference I think is Carmeron's film is more science fiction and Stanton's film is more science fantasy. The narrative he's going to be going with is more romantic than Avatar despite the love story in that film. It'll be easier for audiences to relate to Carter being human and his Mars Princess being almost human (she'll be orangish/coppery). Both films will have large budgets, although I don't think Carter will come in as much as Avatar, though I could be wrong.

But by the time this movie comes out two years from now it should be commonplace, almost an afterthought that it's 3D. The movie going public will not take much note since practically every blockbuster will be released in this format. So it's going to be even more critical that the Walt Disney Picture stands out from the rest. Being in third dimension won't be as much of a selling point as it is today. It'll have to rely on something that Pixar has earned its bread and butter doing: story. This film is going to have to rise above the markers set by today's films. It's going to have to set it's own. I'm curious to see what will happen. I've had friends tell me that if they get hold of the script that they'll send me a copy. I don't know if I'd read it because I've already read the novels and I want to be surprised by the film. I want to enjoy the virginity of seeing it and don't want to spoil the film by knowing every scene that is coming up. I experienced that with "Batman Begins" and chose not to do the same with "The Dark Knight." Now this isn't the case with that "Doc Savage" film coming out. I've been trying to get my hands on David Leslie Johnson's script for a few years. If I could get hold of that script I'd read it in a heartbeat. I've read a few reviews/descriptions of it and would love to turn every page of that one (hint to anyone that wants to send me a copy).

So while I realize there are challenges ahead for this film, just like Cameron's film had problems to overcome, I await seeing the stills, posters and trailers that will follow over the next year or two. Even though I'll be swept away to an alien world this holiday season, I'm excited to know I'll get to experience something similarly wonderful just around the bend in 2012.

There goes that year again...

Oh come on. You really didn't think I'd pass up that opportunity, did you?

Martians, Many Martians...

More of the cast for Andrew Stanton's live-action debut keeps lining up...

Today the Hollywood Reporter announced that three actors have joined Disney's 2012 tent pole and franchise in waiting.

One of those actors has been previously associated with the project but was confirmed today. Thomas Haden Church, James Purefoy and Mark Strong have all joined the cast of Walt Disney Pictures “John Carter of Mars.” All three will play Martians that Civil War vet Carter encounters in his adventures on Mars. Church will portray Tal Hajus, an ambitious and viciously cruel Thark warrior who wishes to rule Mars. Purefoy will play Kantos Kan, the captain of the Xavarian, the kingdom of Helium’s grand warship. Strong will be Matai Shang, the ruler of the Thems who is worshiped almost as a god.

All of these actors join William Defoe, Lynn Collins and Taylor Kitsch, who plays the title role in this epic adaption of Edgar Rice Burroughs famous series of novels. A very strong line up of very good actors for the most part. Looking forward to hearing more about this film as the start date for the Mouse production looms ever closer. Can't wait to see some photos of the Kitsch dressed as Carter.

Prepping...

Casting Mars...

Casting continues on Walt Disney Pictures adaption of the Edgar Rice Burroughs classic...

The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that actor Dominic West and actresses Samantha Morton and Polly Walker have joined Andrew Stanton's adaption of John Carter of Mars. Click over to the site for more details about who they're playing.

Production is scheduled to begin in three months (November), for a release date of summer 2011. I've seen how many times this was supposed going to be filmed since I was a teen and now it actual is coming to fruition.

Get ready Utah, here comes the Mouse...

Gill & Stanton, Together Again...

The trades are reporting that William Dafoe, who played Gill in Andrew Stanton's "Finding Nemo" film, will be staring in "John Carter of Mars." Dafoe will be Tars Tarkas, a leader of the Thark race who befriends Carter and will be seen throughout the series of books(and films should this one be successful). This more than likely means he's going to be doing a lot of MoCap, just as Andy Serkis did with Gollum back in "The Lord of the Rings." It's expected that Defoe has signed on for multiple films.

Developing...

A Sideways Sandman Bound For Mars...

More casting news keeps coming in from Walt Disney Pictures produced Andrew Stanton directed "John Carter of Mars" film...

Thomas Haden Church was on Jeffrey Lyon's Reel Talk and dropped the little nugget that he's going to be appearing in John Carter.

“probably going to do a huge science fiction drama at Disney called John Carter of Mars.”

The question then is what character will he be playing? I'm wondering if he's going to be doing a lot of MoCap? A giant Martian with his voice perhaps? Within the next couple of months all this should be clearer. If the plan is to start production by the end of this year in Utah, then by the end of summer most of the casting should be complete. It's going to be interesting seeing how this unfolds.

Watching and waiting...

Meet John Carter...

Wow, no sooner than I mention that casting should be announced soon, it's announced...

Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins have been cast in "John Carter of Mars" as announced by Variety earlier today. I really haven't seen Kitsch much other than "Wolverine" and I don't want to judge him based on that because I couldn't judge him very well after suffering through it.

Now that I've said that, I will say like a broken record, I trust Pixar, I trust Stanton and I trust Lasseter. Now some of you will say that this isn't a film by the Lamp, but you'd be wrong. Pixar is part of Disney, and the touch of that company is being felt more and more as its roots grow deeper inside the company. John Lasseter will have a say in this film as well as Bird's "1906" film, not to mention "TRON" and others that haven't been announced yet. Also, this film will benefit from the Brain Trust that the company has. This group of film makers will be giving feedback and advice to Stanton on this film. If something doesn't fit or feel right there will be people that voice it to him. And from everything I know, this is going to be a very faithful adaption of the characters/novels.

I would love to see Pixar's approach to film making move further inside the company and take over it the way NeXT computer was bought by Apple and over a few years engulfed the company and made it its own. A similar scenario by the Lamp over the Mouse could prove a wonderful thing. This film will be a test case for how that kind of situation would work. I'll look forward to the coming announcements about this. The first picture of Kitsch as Carter should be something akin to the Holy Grail...

Mars = Utah...

Wow, finally "John Carter of Mars" is going to be shooting in Utah during November...

After decades of failed attempts the film is actually going to be made by Andrew Stanton. And he's a fan so he "gets" it. It appears that the script is going to be much more faithful than that awful updated screenplay I read in the late 90's. It's funny, because Tom Cruise was apparently interested in playing the character (again, since he was somewhat connected to the project back in the early 90's when Disney was going to do it with John McTiernan). It never happened, Jeffrey Katzenber (remember when he used to do live-action films as well?) and McTiernan couldn't agree on a budget. And during the holidays a film that sci-fi geeks the world over will actually be filming at Lake Powell (remember the original "Planet of the Apes" film?). So cool.

Now, we should start hearing about who will be playing this iconic character very soon. I'm trying to imagine who will play this part. Hmmm...

A Perfect Ten...

Well, the Lamp has done it again...

Now, this really won't be a review of "Up" though I will share my thoughts and feelings about it. I want to address the success of Pixar in general and use Up as representation of that success since it's the latest example of what comes out of Emeryville.

As for Pete Doctor's new film, I can only say that it's another phenomenal achievement for John Lasseter and his crew. Pete Docter as one of the original Pixar animators goes for the outfield with his second at bat and he hits the sweet spot on the leather. Ok, for those of you that don't understand baseball metaphors let's just say I liked it. I liked it a lot. More than his first film, "Monsters Inc." even. As with all films produced under the Pixar banner, it's a film filled with great, approachable characters that you feel for in situations that make you wonder how they did it. These guys seem to take the strangest ideas that anyone else would turn into a flaming ball of mediocrity and create a jewel of entertainment. In fact, if George Lucas was going to make an adventure featuring an old explorer going to South America for adventure like he attempted to do with "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," then this is what it should have been. There was more heart in this than that soulless, by the numbers stab at bringing back the magic of my favorite film character. Up is a film that shows us what you can do when you focus on story first.

But then again, that's what every Pixar film does. That is why they've been so successful over the last fourteen years. Ten films in that period and each of them a box office and critical success. Some more than others, but each and every one of them better than almost everything else out there, animated or live-action. I don't know of another studio with such a long, winning streak. Granted, they don't produce four or five or more films a year. They only make one a year (with 2011 being the exception that we get two), but each one has been a hit and many people are wondering what will be the first one to fail? When will we get a box office bomb from them? Or at the least, a disappointment. Well, I don't think 2010 with "Toy Story 3" will be it. And 2011 with the "Cars 2" sequel and the ever growing fan base of young boys it gathers will be it either. Maybe it'll be the Christmas release of "The Bear and the Bow" which will take the traditional Disney animated spot? Or 2012 with Gary Rydstrom's "Newt" film? Of those two I can't say, but if "Monsters Inc. 2" makes it in 2012, which is still tentative, I can guarantee that won't be that one.

Pixar is on a roll. Rolls end, but for now it's one great winning streak that you have to applaud. Succeeding in Hollywood is extremely difficult, succeeding as well as they have is almost next to impossible. Many are hoping that that magical pixie dust rubs off on its owner. Walt Disney Animation Studios took a step in the right direction last year with "Bolt" as Lasseter's first fully influenced film under his management. This year with "The Princess and the Frog" it moves out front and center to see if he's going to be able to not only continue, but expand his winning streak. And then "Rapunzel" next year and 2012's "King of the Elves" sweetens the gamble even more. It could impossible, but having ten films in a row like this could've been said to be impossible as well. At least before Pixar came around.

Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go plan for an adventure I've been putting off for quite some time...