Toon Zone Talkback - Disney/Pixar Reported Seeking "John Carter of Mars" Rights

[Ed Liu]

This is the talkback thread for Disney/Pixar Reported Seeking "John Carter of Mars" Rights (http://news.toonzone.net/article.php?ID=14349).

It's not quite "Cinderella... IN SPACE!!" (http://forums.toonzone.net/showpost.php?p=2399482&postcount=30) But it does involve a princess on another planet.

Somehow, though, I don't see Dejah Thoris (http://members.fortunecity.com/harryart2/dejah.html) making the grade as the next Disney Princess.

Still, if Disney does this animated and they can apply the same intelligence and faithfulness that they did on Tarzan (and exclude the wacky kiddie sidekick Rosie/Wayne Knight-type characters), I can see this being pretty cool. It might also be another shot at an Atlantis-type movie that's more an all-ages adventure type of thing rather than getting relegated to the kiddie ghetto. I've always hoped that the critical and commercial success of The Incredibles would open the door to more PG-rated animation at Disney.

-- Ed

[screw on head]

I was very excited when Kerry Conran was attached to this, and I was even looking forward to Robert Rodriegez taking it on. I don't have the confidence in Disney to make something gritty and true to the books like Conran and Rodriegez could, but an animated or live action adaption by Disney could definately be cool. I'd be very excited if Pixar took the reigns of it, but that doesn't seem likely right off the bat...

[Dantheman]

I know what you mean about Dejah Thoris. From what I've read about Edgar Rice Burrough's Barsoom Saga,the women wear outfits that make Princess Leia's metal slave bikini look modest in comparsion. Not to mention John Carter first shows up on Mars naked. I'd love to see how they handle this,if they're going to make it.

[the greenman]

I have yet to read the novels, but I read a short story online once. First off do we know this is going to be animated or live action? It could be done like Pirates trilogy if live action.

As for the animated side, I don't think it will happen. It would be great if they made a Tarzan-like version of it, but I don't know if it'll happen. I'm kinda on the fence seeing as I don't know how it's going to be done yet.

[PeppeRaskell1]

Hollywood was fooling around with a John Carter of Mars concept long before this: a series of John Carter cartoons was proposed by the late, great WB animator Robert Clampett. (I remembered this from a Beany and Cecil DVD I watched quite a few years back.) It was going to be done in the style of the Max Fleischer Superman cartoons, if memory of that DVD serves me right.

Maybe this will actually come into fruition.

[Ruffian]

It might also be another shot at an Atlantis-type movie that's more an all-ages adventure type of thing rather than getting relegated to the kiddie ghetto. I've always hoped that the critical and commercial success of The Incredibles would open the door to more PG-rated animation at Disney.

-- Ed
If they do get the rights, that's the most positive possibility of what the film could be. I recently bought Atlantis on DVD and I like it so much more than when I saw it the first time. An action/adventure would definitely pique my interest as well as Burroughs' Martian series.

The only point of worry is how it'll be adapted. I think I'll be happy as long as they get the main story and it doesn't turn into a John Carter of Mars only in name type of deal (ie. Sinbad, which I know isn't Disney, but it's the best example I can think of right now).