More Hollywood talent has been added to Disney's live-action John Carter of Mars movie, joining X-Men Origins: Wolverine's Taylor Kitsch in the title role. Previous cast announcements have included Academy Award-nominated actor Willem Dafoe as Carter's Martian (Barsoomian) ally Tars Tarkas, and Lynn Collins as Carter's love interest and martian princess Dejoh Thoris. Now it's been reported that Samantha Morton, Dominic West, and Polly Walker will "go Martian" in the movie.
John Carter of Mars is based on the classic Edgar Rice Burroughs character who appeared in the 11-volume Barsoom series of books. The movie is planned as the first installment of a Mars trilogy and is based on the first novel, A Princess of Mars, which was first published in 1912. In the novel, Captain John Carter, a Confederate Civil War veteran, is mysteriously transported to Mars (Barsoom), where he finds that the lesser gravity gives him super-human strength and agility. Carter becomes embroiled in the conflict between the Red and Green Martians and falls in love with Dejoh Thoris, a Red Martian.
Principal photography is expected to begin this November in Utah and continue through July 2010.