Just about the most unshocking news in the world. It barely made money on box office according to Wikipedia, so I’m guessing that quarter billion is likely viewed as better spent elsewhere.
On the flip side, hopefully this means it will find better direction and/or a more engaging approach. I didn’t hate the film (unlike many), but at every turn it felt like there were missed opportunities.
I expect a Syfy mini-series to come out of this at best. I just don’t think John Carter has any pull with audiences.
It will probably sit fallow for a while. Honestly, the books are antiquated in any number of ways - style, science, social, you name it. Still, I was happy that I got a John Carter movie of some kind.
Can you image what an AMC or Starz might do with this property though? That could be interesting!
Looking forward to this being Netflix’s first flop.
That will happen with works of literature over a hundred years old. ;)
I was a big fan of the books…as a kid. I was really looking forward to this film because of that. And while it failed to capture the John Carter I envisioned as a 12 year old, sprawled out on my parent’s living room floor and anxiously turning the pages to see what would happen to my favorite Thark or to John Carter himself, it was still better than most big blockbuster adaptations out of Hollywood. If someone were to take another chance on the franchise, I’d love to see it serialized. The aforementioned Starz would be a fantastic home for such an endeavor.
John Carter just needs a re-edit. There is a bunch of good stuff in that movie…the pacing is horrible.
I would’ve preferred it if they’d made Dominic West the title character instead of the villain. Kitsch did better than I expected after I heard he was taking on the role, but West is in a while different league of actors, for cryin’ out loud.
Yes, took way too long to get to Mars, and then way too long to get to the big picture stuff. Might have been too much reverence for the original texts.
But the Tharks looked very nice.
Not enough reverence for the original texts, more like it… the original book was pretty much Carter walking into three way thark-red-blue war and brokering peace between them by being awesome, which I think would have been more than enough. Instead they had to put in those meta-villain Therns with magical black goo powers and tedious take-over-world machinations pulling strings with lame star trek shape changing powers and basically just dragged the whole thing down. Therns in the books only came in later volumes, and turned out to be normal men using superstition, tradition and ritual sacrifice to enslave and remain in power (iirc). Again, simpler, better.
Interesting, I was thinking of the multiple Earthbound framing sequences, but I didn’t realize the Therns weren’t introduced until much later in the series. It’s been more than 30 years since I read any Carter books.
You know Dejah thoris is sorta well done in this monstrosity of a movie. There is so much good to to see in this old series.
It will be done again. And better. Think if we have one thousand years of movie making this series will be done better.
Can you really imagine a great series GOT -like for this?