Movie News

Disney Heads to Mars (Again)

The Walt Disney Company is in final talks to aquire the Martian literary properties of Edgar Rice Burroughs. Reuters reports a representative of the Burroughs estate as saying this is potentially to be a live-action franchise based on ideas in what is collectively known as the "John Carter" stories. Other sources near Disney say Pixar animation will likely be the delivery system for another Disney mission to Mars.

Edgar Rice Burroughs has been struggling to make it to the screen in the last decade. Disney did at one point hold the rights to his Martian stories, but let them lapse toward the end of the 1990s, after a traditional animation project (under then-studio head Jeffery Katzenberg) never took shape. Paramount Pictures held the right for the last five years, but, after an active season in limbo, also lets the rights lapse. Disney apparently has a game plan this time, as they have been quick to reopen negotiations with the Burroughs estate.

Disney's previous Martian-themed film was based on a Martian-themed motion-simulator park ride, "Mission to Mars" which operated in both of the company's North American parks from 1975 until the early 1990s.

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Posted by on January 20, 2007 11:23 PM
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