Disney's next Pirates

The Disney studio is hoping John Carter of Mars will be its next franchise, succeeding its Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. The movie is adapted from a 1917 science-fiction fantasy, Princess of Mars, written by Edgar Rice Burroughs about a civil war veteran who somehow finds himself on Mars (don't you hate it when that happens) and in the middle of another war. It will be directed by Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL-E), directing his first live action feature. The stars are not exactly box-office magnets: Taylor Kitsch is cast in the title role and Lynn Collins will play Dejah Thoris, the heir to Mars' Helium Kingdom throne. Much of the film will be shot in Utah, which gave Disney $5.5 million in tax credits. Production begins in November.