A quick primer for Disney's 'John Carter'

Will Perkins

If the trailers are any indication, Walt Disney Pictures has spent more than a little bit of scratch on the production and marketing of the epic science fiction film "John Carter." With a rumoured budget in the neighbourhood of $250 million dollars, the house that Mickey built has a lot riding on the film's success. Based on the pulp novels of Edgar Rice Burroughs (creator of Tarzan), the film follows Civil War veteran John Carter as he is mysteriously transported to Mars and is swept up in massive war for control of the dusty planet.

If you were left slightly confused (loincloths AND spaceships?) by the most recent trailer for the film, here are a few things you should know about "John Carter."


Who is in it?
The film is headlined by Canadian actor Taylor Kitsch ("Friday Night Lights," "Battleship") as the titular hero John Carter, and his "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" co-star Lynn Collins as Princess Dejah Thoris. As for the baddie department, Mark Strong checks off yet another box on his growing list of cinematic villains, playing Martian heavy Matai Shang. "John Carter" also stars Willem Dafoe, Thomas Hayden Church, Ciarán Hinds, and Dominic West.

What is it about?
Mars (known as Barsoom to its inhabitants) is a dying world. Dwindling resources have divided the population into long-warring factions, including the human-like Red Martians, the zealous, cult-like Therns, and the 12-foot tall, four-armed Green Martians. Wounded and seemingly killed in an Apache attack in Arizona, former Confederate soldier John Carter then awakes on Mars. Accustomed to the strong gravity of Earth, the lower gravity of Mars gifts Carter with incredible strength and agility. Already a gifted leader and warrior, these superhuman powers immediately thrust Carter into the political and military struggle for the planet.

Who's making it?
Directed by Pixar veteran Andrew Stanton ("Finding Nemo,"  "Wall-E"), "John Carter" represents the filmmaker’s first foray into live-action. The screenplay was co-written by Stanton and Mark Andrews (director of Pixar's upcoming "Brave"), with script revisions being provided by Pulitzer prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon ("Wonder Boys," "Mysteries of PIttsburgh").

In many ways "John Carter" is not unlike Disney's mega-budget "TRON" sequel, “TRON: Legacy”:  Audiences were vaguely familiar with the franchise, but very few people actually remembered much about the 1982 flop. The sequel represented a huge gamble on the part Disney, but "TRON: Legacy" proved how well a little-known property can do at the box office when left in the right hands. Will "John Carter" follow "TRON: Legacy's" example? Disney is betting the farm on it.

"John Carter" arrives in theatres March 9, 2012.

  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next
  • Up next

Latest Stories

  • We have more insights as to where the economy is headed — and it's not good

    Inflation rearing its ugly head again proved problematic for the market.

  • CB Financial Services Inc (CBFV) Posts Mixed Q1 2024 Results; Adjusted Earnings Dip Amid ...

    Quarterly Performance Analysis Reveals Key Financial Metrics and Strategic Changes

  • Kristi Noem, a Trump VP contender, defends killing dog on family farm

    Kristi Noem, a contender to become Republican Donald Trump'svice presidential running mate, defended herself on Friday against Democratic attacks over her account of shooting a dog on her family farm. Noem, the governor of South Dakota, describes killing an "untrainable" dog called Cricket which she "hated" in an upcoming memoir, excerpts of which were first published by The Guardian on Friday. Noem said the dog ruined a hunt and later attacked chickens owned by a local family, behaved like a "trained assassin," and was "dangerous to anyone she came in contact with."

  • Modular apartment project offers more units, smaller space: developer

    A 32-unit affordable housing project is offering more units in the same building footprint by shrinking the size, the developers told Sussex council Monday. Council voted for first and second reading for the proposed modular housing project on Marble Street by Clayton Developments. The land, which has no civic address, is zoned medium-density residential, but developers asked to have it zoned as high-density in order to boost the unit count from 22 to 32. "The ways that we're managing cost in or

  • What next for Adrian Newey? Jeremy Clarkson’s schoolmate turned genius behind Red Bull

    Most of the headlines in Formula One motor racing are generated by the drivers – winning races, swapping teams or sounding off about their rivals or their latest hobby or girlfriend.

  • #MeToo advocates vow the reckoning will continue after Weinstein's conviction is overturned

    NEW YORK (AP) — #MeToo founder Tarana Burke has heard it before. Every time there’s a legal setback, the movement is declared dead in the water. A legal success, and presto, it’s alive again. So Burke, who nearly two decades ago coined the phrase “Me too” from her work with sexual assault survivors, found herself again declaring after New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction: The #MeToo reckoning is greater than any court case. It’s still there, and

  • Marlins place opening day starter Jesús Luzardo on injured list with left elbow tightness

    The Marlins placed opening day starter Jesús Luzardo on the 15-day injured list Friday because of left elbow tightness. Luzardo, who was scheduled to pitch the opener of Miami's four-game series against Washington on Friday, first experienced discomfort during his routine throwing a day earlier. “I felt just felt a little tight more than normal I guess you could say, a tightness I don’t feel normally have before a start,” Luzardo said.

  • Cap on plastic production may be too complicated for global treaty: Guilbeault

    OTTAWA — A global treaty to end plastic waste can be ambitious and successful without firm caps on plastic production, which are hard to design and harder to get agreement on, Canada's environment minister said Friday. Negotiators from 175 nations are in Ottawa trying to solidify some of the details of such a treaty, which is supposed to be finalized this fall in Korea. A cap on plastics is among the most contentious items on the table. Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault said there's a need

  • Timeshares are in: Travel + Leisure tops Q1 earnings estimates

    Younger families are increasingly turning to timeshares, a service offered by Travel + Leisure Co. (TNL), which recently topped earnings estimates for the first quarter. Travel + Leisure CEO Mike Brown joins Yahoo Finance to discuss the company's niche in the vacation ownership market and broader travel trends.  Travel + Leisure's "very strong Q1" was driven by consumer demand to purchase timeshares, Brown says. "Leisure travel doesn't seem to be slowing from our perspective," he adds, pointing to the Sun Belt, Florida theme parks, and East Coast beaches as particularly popular destinations.  The post-pandemic transformation of work has boosted the company's length of stay, the CEO explains, with consumers getting away from the office earlier and working remotely toward the end of the week. Accommodations like timeshares that offer more space "are at the front end" of what consumers desire for future vacations, Brown adds.  Though Airbnb and VRBO also offer rentals with more space, Brown says Travel + Leisure's commitment to brand differentiates the company from vacation rental businesses. Highlighting the Margaritaville and Wyndham collections, Brown says consumers like the consistency a brand provides. "That's what we offer: brand and great value in vacation ownership," the CEO tells Yahoo Finance.  For more expert insight and the latest market action, click here to watch this full episode. This article was written by Gabriel Roy.

  • British man injured after Tobago shark attack

    The 64-year-old was 10 metres off the shore when he was attacked and is receiving critical care in hospital.

  • 4.24.24 Denver7 Book Fair at Kenton Elementary News Mention 528A

    Denver7 Book Fair at Kenton Elementary on 4/23/24.

  • What Is Eye Syphilis? The Severe Symptom Doctors Are Seeing amid the STD Epidemic

    Doctors are seeing more patients with unusual vision and eye symptoms due to the sexually transmitted infection

  • UN investigators probe 14 Gaza aid staffers Israel had tied to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack

    U.N. investigators are looking into allegations against 14 of the 19 staffers from the U.N. relief agency for Palestinians who Israel claims were involved in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants that spurred the latest war in Gaza, a spokesman said Friday. The announcement by U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric provided the first information on the investigation ordered by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

  • Ritzy Hangout Cipriani Says It Got Duped by Its Own Staff

    REDA&CO/Universal Images Group via Getty Images For decades, the ritzy leisure and dining group Cipriani has attracted tabloid fixtures to its banquet halls, from Donald Trump to Taylor Swift, the Clintons, Kardashians, and Kennedys. But according to a new lawsuit, some of the real drama has played out within the company’s own ranks.The complaint, filed in New York Supreme Court on Thursday, alleges that Cipriani was duped by its own facilities director and one of his subordinates into paying th

  • Pickleballers, rejoice: Prince's new Target collab has everything you need to stand out on the court

    Step up your style game with these retro-inspired pullovers, hoodies, belt bags and more.

  • US Air Force awards Doomsday plane contract to Sierra Nevada

    The Survivable Airborne Operations Center (SAOC) project is intended to replace the aging 1970s-era aircraft, which is approaching end-of-service life, a Air Force spokesperson said in a statement. To satisfy operational requirements, the weapon system will comprise of a commercial derivative jet hardened and modified to meet military requirements. Reuters in December reported that the U.S. Air Force eliminated Boeing from its competition to develop a successor to the E-4B Nightwatch.

  • Residents getting a heads-up on coming blue box changes

    Durham Region has announced a transition in the Blue Box recycling program, beginning July 1, 2024. The program is being taken over by an organization called “Circular Materials”. The Region notes that though the Blue Box program is changing, “there will be no immediate change to how residents recycle during the transition period.” “The provincially regulated transition of the Blue Box program from municipalities to producers is planned to be seamless, and residents should not notice a change in

  • First Haitian American legislator reacts to the resignation of Haiti's Prime Minister

    First Haitian American legislator reacts to the resignation of Haiti's Prime Minister

  • 4.23.24 Denver7 Book Fair at Kenton Elementary News Mention 625P

    Denver7 Book Fair at Kenton Elementary on 4/23/24.

  • Kevin Spacey's Accusers Come Forward for First Time in New Explosive Docuseries “Spacey Unmasked”

    Spacey's alleged victims began to come forward with accusations against the actor in 2017