McG Gets Ready For ‘20,000 Leagues Under The Sea’
Terminator Salvation director McG has confirmed he’s now prepping his feature film adaptation of Jules Verne’s 139 year old novel, 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.
“I’m just bringing it into today’s culture,” he told MTV. “I think it is so interesting that 7/10ths of Earth is water, and so few people know anything about what is going on beneath its surface.”
“There’s a great story there,” McG adds. “I love the anti-hero of Captain Nemo – and I like Jules Verne.”
Verne’s story tells the story of a crew aboard a naval ship sent to track down and destroy a sea monster. Whilst battling the monster they are thrown overboard, only to find that the sea monster is actually metal machine. Once aboard they learn it is a submarine named the Nautilus, and it is captained by the outlaw Nemo.
The screenplay to the big budget Disney film is in the hands of Justin Marks. Marks was hired to rewrite a draft script that had previously been written by Bill Marsilii. To date Marks’ only feature film writing credit is Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li. He is also scripting a feature film adaptation of the Shadow of the Collossus video game.
Disney previously made 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea as a feature film in 1954 starring Kirk Douglas and James Mason. Interestingly, it was the first science fiction film Disney had ever made and it went on to win two Academy Awards.
The new film is expected to be in theaters sometime during 2010.
Image: The image used in this article is the original 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea collaborative artwork by father and son team Peter & Harrison Ellenshaw. Harrison Ellenshaw’s work has also been featured in Star Wars, Tron, The Empire Strikes Back, Superman IV and other well known films. As a print, it is currently valued at US $54,000. If you would like ot learn more, visit Sanders Art Studio.
April 29th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
Holy cow, $54000? I think the price tag on that image stole the thunder of the movie announcement lol.
August 1st, 2009 at 1:07 am
Cette Nouvelle version de – 20 000 lieux sous les mer – et une super idee ..Only a French speaking Action Actor will be able to express the true outlaw identity that Nemo has, in the eyes of Jule Verne 139 years ago this charismatic Anti Hero was strong / Calm and sexy .. wearing a stylish trimmed bead in this ’spartiate’ uniform tres Avant Garde for this time ..McG will create something amazing if he use a new profile Action Actor .. Having Justin Marks on Board writing the screenplay will Taylor made the framework for a street fighter type of Actor ..
McG for Director and -El Rico- for the character of ‘ Nemo ‘ another explosive chemistry ..2010 the new odyssey – Captain Nemo -
in ‘20 000 leagues under the sea’