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McG's Captain Nemo movie is dead; will someone else take over?
Remember that remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea that Terminator Salvation director McG was going to make?
Well, it's sunk, according to Variety's Michael Fleming:
The picture, tentatively scheduled to begin production in February, has been halted indefinitely, and McG is no longer steering the ship.The studio confirmed that the studio won't proceed with the film for now, and reps for the director confirmed he has withdrawn. McG will concentrate on other projects that include "Dead Spy Running," a Warner Bros. drama that Stephen Gaghan is writing. McG is also attached to "Terminator 5," though that movie is on hold indefinitely as the Terminator franchise works its way through bankruptcy court.
In January, McG told us that he was going to based his film not only on Jules Verne's original story, but also reference Verne's other classic SF adventure tales, such as Mysterious Island.
The director added that his version of the Nautilus would definitely be influenced by Harper Goff's design for the iconic submarine, as seen in Disney's 1954 movie. (See the image above, a re-creation of the Nautilus by WikiFred on Wikipedia.org.)
There had also been reports that McG was considering Will Smith to play the role of Captain Nemo.
So what does this mean?
Drew McWeeny at Hitfix.com surmises that the project was only being developed in the first place to derail another 20,000 Leagues project, with David Fincher directing, Sam Raimi producing and a script by Craig Titley (Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief).
Will that project now move forward? Stay tuned!
Do you think this classic story should be updated?
By tati at 2:50 PM ON 11/17/09
I love the original movie. I can see this one being updated and full of CGI, etc. but I hope the story remains the same. Sometimes, modernizing the actual story doesn't work for me. There's a lot of charm to the 'old' versions that is lost in translation to a more current version.
By sparrowlord01 at 3:42 PM ON 11/17/09
Will Smith as Nemo!?!?! What is he smoking...? The perfect Nemo would be Ian McKellan. He'd be perfect.
By PALADIN at 3:48 PM ON 11/17/09
The only thing wrong with the Disney film was that it edited down Verne`s story.
The only thing that could make for a viable remake would be a more complete telling of Verne`s story.
I am SSSOOOO TIRED of Verne`s story being 're-imagined' in one twisted fashion after another, withoout anyone even considering the original source material as a resource to draw upon.
Bloody Hell, people...
Why Do You Think It Became A CLASSIC anyway ???
By Justo at 3:57 PM ON 11/17/09
Nemo was middle eastern, wasn't he? What about that guy that played the baddie in Iron Man and the captain at the beginning of Star Trek? He's awesome. Have him play Nemo.
By gorehound696 at 4:26 PM ON 11/17/09
we need more originality in hollywood not more YARM !!! yet another remake/reboot
I for one am very happy to read this is dead and hope the other one is too.
make us new scifi............................why not use a story by verne that was never done before.
By Farrah Fawcett's Hawt Ghost at 5:09 PM ON 11/17/09
God, I wish McG was dead, too.
He sucks so hard, plants die in his vicinity...
By rj472 at 8:30 PM ON 11/17/09
Nemo was from India, one thing they got right in the movie version of he League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. I thought the comic was excellent.
Will Smith in a McG version would probably turn out like The Wild Wild West did. Anyone here want to defend that movie?...Anyone?
This captcha seriously blows. 5th attempt to post.
By Jason Swartz at 9:23 PM ON 11/17/09
McG is weird, however i actually liked T: Salvation the first couple watches, but the last time i watched it realized how shit and a waste it really really was.
By Johnny B. at 7:23 AM ON 11/18/09
Wil Smith as Nemo would work as well as it did when he was cast as James West in Wild, Wild, West. It would make about as much sense as someone casting Brad Pit as Shaft
By Red Mask at 8:36 AM ON 11/18/09
Adios, Kitschy McG! Stick to producing TV shows instead of directing!
By SethSJ at 12:42 PM ON 11/18/09
Disney needs to get a new director: Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan,etc. Or maybe they should give the script to Pixar. Anyone have a suggestion?
By darkpath at 5:58 PM ON 01/21/10
Nemo was NEVER middle-eastern. In the original drafts, Nemo was Polish, fighting against the Russians. Because of the alliance between Napolianic France and Csarist Russia, Verne's publisher demanded that Verne change Nemo's identity to keep them both out of prison. Subsequently, Nemo was made Indian, fighting against the British.
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darkpath:
Nemo was NEVER middle-eastern. In the original drafts, Nemo was Polish, fighting against the Russians. Because of t...More »