Tag: Andrew Stanton

Taylor Kitsch Geeks Out For…

  Disney’s John Carter takes us to Mars this week. Fans of Edgar Rice Burroughs sci-fi pulp adventures get to geek out but star Taylor Kitsch geeked out for a different reason – the chance to audition for director Andrew Stanton.

“I got a call that said, ‘Hey, would you go down to Disney to meet with Andrew Stanton?’” Kitsch tells Spinoff Online. “I was like, ‘Oh, God, yeah! I loved Wall-E and I’m a huge fan of his!’”

“You know when those opportunities come around they’re rare and you have to fight for them,” Kitsch continued. “Well, I threw my hat in the ring as soon as I could!”

Kitsch says he created his portrayal based on John Carter’s past as a Civil War officer and his research of that time period.

“[John Carter] fought more for the protection of his family and lost that fight,” Kitsch added. “That’s what I stick to, that guilt that he left ironically to fight and protect his family but leaving them vulnerable to be attacked. […] I certainly didn’t play him as a hero. He’s just this everyday guy who is in this extraordinary circumstance.”

Friday Night Lights fans will be interested to hear Kitsch talk about his role as Tim Riggins and his choice of film roles..

“I had the best of both worlds, garnering that critical acclaim as a show and as Riggs, and we’re not so overexposed that I have more of an uphill battle to prove that I’m this guy,” he said. “I pick the roles that are going to make me better … It really boils down to character.”

For more of Kitsch interview here’s the Spinoff Online link. Disney’s John Carter opens this Friday. From what I’ve seen so far, I think Edgar Rice Burroughs will be smiling or cheering from up above!

John Carter & Marvel Comics

Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins in Disney's John Carter

  I’m excited for Disney’s John Carter. Some lucky fans got be see a Q & A with director Andrew Stanton hosted by Geoff Butcher of Hero Complex. What I share with director Andrew Stanton is our early love of Edgar Rice Burroughs John Carter began with Marvel comics*. Stanton tells why the pre-teen boy in all of us can relate to John Carter of Mars.

  “When you’re 10 or 11 years old, and you’ve discovered girls, but they haven’t discovered you yet, and you’re reading about this ordinary guy that’s suddenly extraordinary on another planet, he’s got the coolest best friend, the coolest pet, and he’s winning the heart of the most beautiful girl in the universe, that’s like a checklist of everything you’ve ever wanted,” Stanton told the audience.

 

John Carter Warlord of Mars #1 courtesy Marvel

“My gateway drug was the Marvel comics of John Carter,” Stanton said. “My friends were drawing these four-armed creatures with tusks, and I said, ‘What are those?’ And they said, ‘Those are Tharks. This is Tars Tarkas,’ and then they threw the comic book at me. … By the time I was in high school finishing [the books], my girlfriends would call them my romance novels.”

Watch the entire interview here.

The legendary Marv Wolfman and Gil Kane created John Carter: Warlord of Mars back in 1977 for Marvel comics and ran for two years. I remember collecting these along with the Star Wars Marvel comics and my first Uncanny X-Men books.

Marvel is publishing new comics based on Edgar Rice Burroughs tales as prequels and sequels to the upcoming movie.

Cheering for John Carter the Underdog

Poster for Disney's John Carter

  Disney’s John Carter will leap and soar on Mars but some critics are predicting a downfall. Can the big screen version of Edgar Rice Burroughs literaray hero recoup the $250 million dollar budget? The Earth man will be a underdog on a world of giant green warriors, big white apes and other huge aliens but one film producer uses the same analogy for their film.

 “I think it’s kind of nice to be the underdog,” producer Lindsey Collins told CNN The Marquee “I’m trying to embrace it, to a certain degree, but I think it’s one of those things where this is the biggest movie coming out right now.”

Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins in Disney's John Carter

 “If people really had crystal balls like that, they’d really make a lot of money,” Director Andrew Stanton said. “All I’ve ever been able to control is what the movie is itself. I came to that conclusion with ‘Toy Story’ 20 years ago. I don’t even pay attention to this outside stuff. Because if I did, I wouldn’t have made half the movies I made!”

For more of the interview here’s the link.

I’m a huge fan of Edgar Rice Burroughs’ hero and the director so I’m hoping this is the first of many cinematic adventures on Mars!

4 Minutes on Mars With John Carter!

Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins in Disney's John Carter

  Somewhere up in Heaven I think Edgar Rice Burroughs is smiling or cheerig. Here’s 4 minutes of Disney’s John Carter based on the first John Carter novel A Princess of Mars. I think director Andrew Stanton has done it! Bring on the Tharks!

I can’t believe we’ve had so many version of Tarzan and this is the first John Carter…hopefully it’s just the beginning! See you on Barsoom in March! Thanks to Twitchfilm. I suggest you check their more expanded review.

Updated: John Carter Cast Set for Sequels

Poster for Disney's John Carter

(Update: Following up on the post below)

  Taylor Kitsch told /Film he won’t do John Carter 2 unless Director Andrew Stanton is involved. He told them what he would look forward to if a sequel happened:

 “It’s such an origin story for JC, this one, and you’re always trying to ground yourself, in the first weeks of any film, of the tone, the character, of all that stuff. But now we have it. This sequel, we’re landing and we’re going full tilt. So that’s what I’m excited to do. You guys will know where John is so there’s no explaining the back story anymore. And I know where Stanton’s going with it and it’s pretty great.”

 

Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins in Disney's John Carter

(Previous Post)

I’m eagerly awaiting Disney’s John Carter next month. Willem Dafoe plays the Martian warrior Tars Tarkas and tells The Playlist he and other actors are signed on for sequels.

 “If it succeeds, there are potentially two or three of them and I know Andrew’s signed on, Taylor [Kitsch]’s signed on, Lynn [Collins’] signed on. So if it happens, I know it’s the same people and there’s only the hope that we can go deeper.”

  For those new to the story Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan) created a fantastic series of books featuring an Earth man transported to Mars. No little green men here. The various warrior tribes of the red planet call it Barsoom. Tars Tarkas a leader of the Tharks, big green warrior men.

  Disney’s John Carter marks a union of two Marvel movie universes. Taylor Kitsch was Gambit and Lynn Collins was Silverfox in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Dafoe was Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in Spider Man. Thanks for Comic Book Resources.

 

Meet John Carter! Go Mars,Young Man!

  As I post this I want to break out into the Jetsons theme:  Meet John Carter…..his gal Dejah…ok that’s a far as a got.

  I was mesmerized by covers of the John Carter books by Edgar Rice Burroughs as a kid. The more I see the trailers I see so many sci-fi ideas and concepts were born in those books. Director Andrew Stanton is bringing that wonder to the big screen next month. Taylor Kitsch plays the Earth man who finds new powers, a new purpose, and a Princess (Lynn Collins) on Mars.

  Today Disney’s UK YouTube Channel posted a featurette with the cast and crew and astounding new footage. Thanks to Comic Book Resources Comic Reel for sharing.