Who would you cast in a movie version of A Princess of Mars?

[samurainoir]

If they were doing a movie version of Edgar Rice Burroughs classic, who would you cast as John Carter? Dejah Thoris? Tars Tarkas?

[MysteryWho]

They've already begun a live action version of this story that you may have heard about.
John Carter of Mars (2012)
I am actually a bigger John Carter fan than a Tarzan fan. I had the Marvel series as a kid and I actually tried to read some of the books, whereas I never bothered with Tarzan novels.
It is interesting that Michael Chabon is doing the screenplay. When he's not writing "real books" he sometimes slums around in "genre fiction" (at least that's what book snobs imply when they review him). He's a big fan of the material so it could turn into something special and unusual for Hollywood.
The woman who is playing Dejah Thoris is a nice choice visually, but I've only seen her in one movie and her acting might not be up to much. Oddly, I've only seen this Taylor Kitsch ONCE in the SAME movie (Wolverine: Origins) and he didn't impress me much. Tars Tarkas would presumably be animated to some extent, and Willem Defoe is usually solid wherever he ends up.
And I still haven't answered the question
Can I pick anybody from any era, or do I have to pick somebody from the now?

[samurainoir]

[knight errant00]

Well, I wouldn't cast Antonio Sabato, Jr. . . .

Princess of Mars (2009) (V)

. . . premiering this Saturday on SyFy.

My, how they must hate us . . .

[Cmonster]

Harrison Ford, 25 years ago

Racquel Welch, 45 years ago

SC

[samurainoir]

Well, I wouldn't cast Antonio Sabato, Jr. . . .

Princess of Mars (2009) (V)

. . . premiering this Saturday on SyFy.

My, how they must hate us . . .

Yegads!





Not quite a Frazetta Painting come to life is it?

[wyldpny]

Thats because they are giving it a hollywood look and not an exotic fantasy look

[knight errant00]

Harrison Ford, 25 years ago

Racquel Welch, 45 years ago

SC

I always thought Christopher Reeve and Mia Sara, circa 1990 would have been the book in the flesh.

Of course, I still think it's a shame Dennis Quaid (any time between 1990 and 2000) never played Captain America . . . but that's a different thread . . .

[johnnystorm]

Well, I wouldn't cast Antonio Sabato, Jr. . . .

Princess of Mars (2009) (V)

. . . premiering this Saturday on SyFy.

My, how they must hate us . . .

I only watched a few minutes of this last night...reminded me of the quick-cut effects they used on 1950S Superman- they show Carter jumping into the air then a closeup of his feet landing, to simulate his being able to leap farther in the Martian gravity. And the Tharks only have two arms. I dvr'd it to make fun of later. Typical Sci-Fi channel stuff.

I thought Carter was still owned by ERB and Disney had the only rights? Or is "Princess of Mars' in some kind of public domain limbo..if so, I expect a host of crappy animated quickies to hit video in the next year.

[bobws]

I forgot to record this.

[Thor]

The Sy Fy channel Princess of Mars started off okay but ended in a train wreck of bad acting. Btw Traci Lords is too old to portray Dejah Thoris imo.

[phil]

I think the story "A Princess Of Mars" is in the public domain as is "Tarzan of the Apes". An animated John Carter movie isn't a bad idea but I hope the human and humanoid charters are depicted realistically and not with any exaggerated cartooniness. The more real Carter looks the better the contrast between him and the inhabitants of Mars.

[Nostalgiabuff]

i watched about 5 minutes of that drek on Scy Fy and then deleted it from my DVR

[MadMikeyD]

Indeed, the first 5 books of Burroughs' Mars series are in the public domain in the US. (All 11 are PD in Australia.) The official movie rights are licensed to Disney, and the official comic book rights are licensed to Dark Horse. Being public domain, though, both the Asylum movie and Dynamite's upcoming comic series are all legitimate adaptations. Hopefully Dynamite's comic is better than Asylum's movie...

[Bruce Banner]

I really hope that these awesome stories get a movie adaptation (animated or live action) worthy of their greatness some day. ERB rules.