Disney to Fast Track John Carter of Mars Film
I've mentioned this before, but it bears repeating: I'm a huge fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars series. I inherited my father's old Frazetta-illustrated '60s paperbacks as a 10-year-old and there isn't a year that I don't re-read one of them. In fact, I'd go as far as to say that I think the series is far more interesting than Burroughs' other creation, Tarzan of the Apes.
So I've been chomping at the bit at rumors that John Carter of Mars might be getting a film version soon. Looks like that's becoming more and more likely to happen: According to the IESB, Disney is ready to fast-track a Pixel-produced John Carter of Mars trilogy if the latest Chronicles of Narnia film doesn't absolutely kill at the box office.
That's great, but also troubling.
John Carter is about as Disneyfiable as Tarzan is: In other words, not very. Worse, John Carter was a filthy Confederate reb. That's part and parcel of the character, and while Carter never really shows any racist tendencies in the novel (he does, after all, get along exceedingly well with both the green and red men of Mars), it's an integral part of his character, part of what makes him unique. Disney would whitewash that. And it's hard to believe Pixar would do justice to the visceral bloodshed, violence and carnage of Burroughs' classic martian pulp novels.
No More Narnia? John Carter of Mars on the Fast Track? [IESB]
Firstly, I don't think that every book in the Narnia series will be made as a film.
Secondly, I don't think this is going to be for young children. "Tarzan" had to be tailor made for that aspect and it was an okay film. I'm really thinking this is more the territory of POTC and "Prince of Persia", as in it's easily a PG-13 rating. (Or a 12 or 15, as it were in the UK.) Thus, while they try to make franchises for the entire family (Which also might be said for "The Lone Ranger" that Bruckheimer is trying to get off the ground there), this one is best for the older ones.
Although some young children might be taken to it. Berkley Breathed (The creator of "Bloom County" turned children's book author) said his young son loves that film and has taken to torturing the family dog with his toy sword. :)