Remember this summer when Andrew Stanton indicated that the Finding Nemo sequel he’d be reportedly directing was all smoke and mirrors? If Ellen DeGeneres recently joining was any indication, it is indeed happening and we’ve got the first confirmation from the director himself. Speaking with the LA Times about his first attempt at a live-action feature , the massive budget John Carter, crashing and burning, he finally opened about about that sci-fi project and what he’ll be doing next.
The director revealed that the top priority was to work on a script for the John Carter sequel, but after the original’s poor box office response this spring meant Disney was done with the potential franchise. He said, “when that went away, everything slid up” and added, “I know I’ll be accused by more sarcastic people that [Finding Nemo 2] is a reaction to ‘Carter’ not doing well, but only in its timing, but not in its conceit.” So, it sounds like a continuation to Pixar’s 2003 hit has been on the table for awhile but it’s going forward for obvious timing reasons.
The article, which should be read in full, dives into the process behind Carter, in which Stanton himself was surprised he was given 100%, complete control from the very first day. He also reveals the very different environment compared to Pixar, where at that animation studio “it’s safe to fail. No one’s gonna judge you” and everyone will “keep tweaking that story to the very end.”
As for Carter, when it came time for reshoots, Disney’s marketing was still tinkering away, including a title change. Stanton said they “didn’t always agree on which direction to take every step of the way, but there was never serious contention. The truth was everyone tried their very best to crack how to sell what we had, but the answer proved elusive.”
After losing money for Disney in its theatrical run, the film has seemed to gain a bit more cred as it’s available to everyone to see. Stanton confirms that he was surprised at the negativity, but has a great quote to wrap things up. So check it out below and if you need more Stanton this year, Finding Nemo arrives next week in a 3D re-release.
The ennui you have after a huge success when it’s all over is exactly the same as the ennui you have when it’s a bomb,” he said. “You loved the doing. You’ve spent every waking moment thinking about its birth, worrying about it, raising it. It’s an empty nest syndrome. Whether your kid went to college or went to jail, it’s an empty nest.
What do you make of John Carter‘s failure? Are you looking forward to a Finding Nemo sequel?