Ahoy, squirts! Quint here with an update on that little sci-fi fantasy project at Paramount called JOHN CARTER OF MARS. It's official. There's a new director. I unabashedly love SKY CAPTAIN AND THE WORLD OF TOMORROW, warts and all, and am saddened by Kerry Conran leaving JOHN CARTER, but I'm also a fan of the new director the studio has brought on board. Paramount has nabbed JON FAVREAU, fresh off of ZATHURA and still riding high on the huge success of ELF. Man, all this talent swapping... you'd think the producers would make up their minds. Sheesh...
This'll be a big project for Favreau, but I really dig the choice. I like that Favreau switches up his films. MADE and ELF are radically different. ZATHURA is a sci-fi flick, but it's one aimed at families. JOHN CARTER OF MARS will not only break Favreau from the trend of directing films with one-word titles, but will also be his shot at making an all audience tentpole movie. If he sticks close to Edgar Rice Burroughs' brilliant novel, he has a chance at making a true classic. I dig this choice. I'm interviewing Favreau in about 36 hours, so I'll make sure to grill him on JOHN CARTER... plus I gotta warn him about those nasty, money grubbing redheaded producer types... What do you folks think of this development?
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