20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (remake)

[Madwelshboy]

Dwayne Johnson, who recently starred in Race to Witch Mountain, has been cast in director McG's remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, according to Production Weekly, an entertainment industry newsletter which reports on film and television projects curently in pre-production, preparation, and active development.

The newsletter lists the film's status as being "Active Development," and also provides the following synopsis for what is currently being called 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo:

"The story begins with the mystery of an underwater "beast" that has been stalking boats, taking bites out of them, and leaving them to sink to the bottom of the sea. Ned, is reluctantly recruited by an old army buddy to hunt the beast. He's joined by Aronnax, a scientist and Julie. They go out looking for this beast and eventually find it. But the beast is not a beast at all...it's a super tricked out mega submarine called The Nautilus, captained by Nemo, who takes them captive and brings them back to a secret Volcano City. There they learn that Nemo is searching for a lost underwater civilization that holds libraries of vast knowledge and a weapon with the power to destroy mankind. (Studio is fast-tracking the project and hopes to make the film this year.)"

http://scifiwire.com/2009/05/dwayne-...heading-20.php

[Madwelshboy]

McG says Johnson not in 20,000 Leagues

Director McG told SCI FI Wire that, contrary to reports, Dwayne Johnson is not—repeat, not—set to star in his upcoming remake of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Speaking by telephone on May 4, the director-producer of the upcoming sci-fi actioner Terminator Salvation revealed that he's never spoken with Johnson and had actually offered the lead role to another genre favorite: Will Smith. Following are edited excerpts from our exclusive interview with McG.

http://scifiwire.com/2009/05/mcg-say...n-not-in-2.php

[Hermiiod]

I can tell you right now that I will not be seeing this movie. One, I don't believe we need to make a remake of every movie out there--we need original ideas, not washed up old ones. Two, I really cannot stand Dwayne Johnson--he's a horrible actor in my opinion. Three, the old 20,000 leagues under the sea was an incredible movie for it's time and is still viewed upon by many to be incredible--even though it was made a long time ago. Four, I won't see it to honor the Disney "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea" -- Same way I did not go see "The [new] Day The Earth Stood Still".

EDIT: After seeing your second post () I see now Dwayne Johnson will not be starring. Good for them.

[AvatarIII]

this could be good. and there is always the possibility of a mysterious island sequal.

[Madwelshboy]

McG Updates ‘20,000 Leagues’

McG’s film appears to be both a remake of the Richard Fleischer film from 1954 that starred Kirk Douglas and James Mason, as well as a new kind of adaptation of the 1870 novel by Jules Verne. McG has talked about the aim to for his version:

“It’s a bit of a departure from the Fleischer movie, and much more in keeping with the spirit of the novel, as far as what Aronnax is up to, and the becoming of Nemo, and how the man became at war with war itself. So there’s a little bit more meat on the bone in regard to the genesis of the Nemo character than you’re given in the ’50s movie that Disney made. And also, it’s a little more contemporary.”

“I love that [original] movie, but there were two female characters, and they were both prostitutes. And, there were a couple of black people in the film, and they were all electrocuted. So, nowadays, I think we need to progress a little bit beyond that.”

The movie appears to be quite far along in the development stages, since McG reveals they’ve been scouting various shooting locations around the world from France, Japan and England, to Canada, Australia and Hawaii (the latter for some sort of “little volcano work”). McG has revealed he is aiming for it to be an action-packed film, trying to capture the spirit of the adventure from the original story.

http://screenrant.com/mcg-20000-leag...-5-ross-20666/

[Madwelshboy]

McG: 'I want Worthington as Captain Nemo'

Director McG has revealed that he wants Sam Worthington to portray Captain Nemo in his 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea film.

The filmmaker signed on in January to update the Jules Verne novel that was turned into a classic 1954 Disney movie featuring James Mason as the captain of the Nautilus submarine.

The Terminator Salvation helmer had previously suggested that he was hoping actor Will Smith would take on the role for his origin picture.

However, McG told IGN that he would love to reteam with Worthington, who co-starred with Christian Bale in the recent sci-fi blockbuster.

He said: "I take a lot of satisfaction in playing a role in breaking the great Sam Worthington, who I think is one of the best actors out there. He's all over the place, and I might cast him as Nemo if it's in the cards. We'll see."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a...tain-nemo.html

[Madwelshboy]

Worthington: 'I want to be Captain Nemo'

Sam Worthington has admitted that he would like to play Captain Nemo in the 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea remake.

The Terminator Salvation star was recently mentioned by director McG as a possible lead in the update. The helmer had previously expressed a desire for Will Smith to portray the part, which the actor reportedly turned down.

Worthington, 33, said that he has sent the filmmaker an email about the possibility of taking on the role in the origin film.

"I actually saw that online [that McG said he wanted me]," he told Movie Hole. "Am I like, 'Hey [McG], how come you've never talked to me about this?'"

He added: "The next thing you know it's online - he's saying, 'I want Sam I want Sam'. I started laughing. I might get into it a bit more and start writing online saying I want this job and this job and this job.

"We haven't discussed it seriously. I wrote him an email and he wrote back saying, 'I don't think you have these qualities, blah, blah…' and I wrote back saying, 'It's your job as a director to bring it out of me'."

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a...tain-nemo.html

[Madwelshboy]

McG's '20,000 Leagues' halted by Disney

Disney has shelved production on Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, reports Variety.

Director McG has also withdrawn from the movie, which has been halted indefinitely, and will turn his attention to espionage thriller Dead Spy Running and Terminator 5.

Nemo, a reimagined take on Jules Verne's classic story, had been a top priority for former Disney chairman Dick Cook. However, Cook's abrupt departure in September put the brakes on the big budget action adventure project.

Will Smith had been linked to the role of sea commander Captain Nemo in the film.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/n...by-disney.html

[Madwelshboy]

Epic spoilers for Sam Raimi's 20,000 Leagues reboot

Now that Disney has pulled the plug on McG's proposed Captain Nemo movie, it looks like a competing 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea project from Spider-Man's Sam Raimi has an open field.

It's not yet clear whether that film will move forward, but we're still intrigued by the idea of a Raimi version of Jules Verne's classic science fiction tale. Craig Titley wrote the screenplay for Raimi's Stars Road Entertainment. (Raimi is producing, not directing.)

"It's very much in the tone of the Pirates [of the Caribbean] movies, sort of period, good old swashbuckling, some humor, action, excitement," Titley said in an exclusive phone interview last week while promoting Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.

Verne's novel chronicled the exploits of Captain Nemo's undersea adventures. A 1954 Disney movie is most remembered for its then-groundbreaking sequence of a giant squid attacking Nemo's ship, the Nautilus. Titley has a new spin on the squid attack: Just use real Architeuthis (the scientific term for giant squids).

continues:
http://scifiwire.com/2010/02/weve-go...ew-details.php

[BayGateScape]

Another remake? sheesh. hasn't been there like 10 remakes already.

[GuHNDoi]

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1916
20000 Leagues Under the Sea 1954
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1997 TV Movie
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 1997 TV movie (a different one)

I don't know, could be alright. It's Sam Raimi!