John Carter Star Reflects on Disney’s $283 Million Sci-Fi Flop 11 Years Later

Disney may lay claim to some of the world’s most profitable science-fiction franchises, but the studio’s track record with the genre has not always been spotless. Even before their 2019 acquisition of 20th Century Fox, which included the rights to Alien and Predator, Disney had a long history of dabbling in science fiction with mixed results.

Yet even some of the studio’s most lackluster box office performers have continued to find fresh life, with even 1982’s TRON originally considered a financial failure despite its moderate box office returns. Previously, Disney had gambled their largest ever budget at the time on 1979’s The Black Hole, with it too falling flat. Nonetheless, talks of a possible remake continue.

John Carter Star Reflects On Disney’s Biggest Sci-Fi Bomb

However, few of Disney’s mistakes with sci-fi have been on the same scale as the disastrous response to 2012’s John Carter. Responsible for leaving the studio with a staggering $200 million shortfall, the repercussions of John Carter’s box office failures would also lead to the resignation of studio boss Rich Ross.

Now, 13 years on, John Carter star Taylor Kitsch has spoken to The Guardian about what went wrong with the infamous box office flop. Admitting that his performance as the film’s titular hero was just one small component in the making of the film, he is still unsure of the exact cause of John Carter’s woes. Check out his comments below:

There’s so many cogs in that wheel of movies, man. I’m literally such a small part of it. I don’t know if it’s timing, or a million cooks in the kitchen, or it just didn’t hit.

Nonetheless, Kitsch remains proud of the work he put into making John Carter, and admits that he “gave it the best [he] could.” Check out his final comments below:

Over time, you gave it the best you could. I’m proud of the way I led that shoot. You move on.

Our Take On John Carter’s Revival Chances

Originally intended to kickstart a new movie franchise based on the classic science fiction works of Tarzan author Edgar Rice Burroughs, John Carter’s box office failure not only cut short Kitsch’s chances of being a major franchise lead, but has since stalled plans for movies based on Burroughs’ other Barsoom books.

Yet the passage of time often brings with it a fresh perspective, and another studio may find the courage to breathe new life into the property. Given that Disney allowed the film rights to John Carter lapse and revert to the Burroughs estate in 2014, it seems unlikely they will be the ones to do it.

In the meantime, John Carter’s legacy remains irrevocably tied to one of Disney’s most costly box office missteps, and while Kitsch may be philosophical about his time in the role, the character still deserves better.

Source: The Guardian