Disney’s Biggest Sci-Fi Failure In Years Making A Return Thanks To Being Freed From Mickey’s Grasp

By Henry Hards
| Published 54 seconds ago

Confederate Army Captain John Carter is making a comeback now that the rights to the character have reverted to author Edgar Rice Burroughs’ estate. The news comes over a decade after Disney released the ill-fated film John Carter in 2012, based on Burroughs’ first Barsoom novel, A Princess of Mars.

The Edgar Rice Burroughs estate has taken the reins and announced a full-blown animated series titled John Carter, Warlord of Mars. Developed by Michael Kogge (the guy behind the killer official audio drama adaptation with Star Wars creds) and overseen by estate heads Jim Sullos and Wolf Larson, this is the first time the books are getting a proper animated treatment. They dropped a sneak peek at San Diego Comic-Con back in July 2025, hyping the epic scope with nods to wild fantasy action like Castlevania and Blood of Zeus.

Kogge and the estate are going all-in on Burroughs’ sprawling 11-novel saga, complete with John Carter’s immortal heroics, Princess Dejah Thoris, and the savage wonders of Mars that inspired everyone from Lucas to Cameron. This attempt should be faithful, ambitious, and timed perfectly for today’s animation boom. If you’re a longtime Barsoom believer who got burned by that theatrical disaster, this could be the redemption arc we’ve been waiting for.

For those unfamiliar, the story in the books follows Confederate Civil War veteran John Carter, who mysteriously finds himself on Mars, known as Barsoom. On Mars, Carter becomes involved in an epic conflict among the planet’s inhabitants, including the noble Thardos and the evil Sab Than.

Past Attempts To Make Barsoom Happen

Multiple attempts have been made to bring the Barsoom series to the screen since the 1930s. However, most were scrapped. In the late 2000s, Walt Disney Pictures decided to move forward with a John Carter film at the urging of Andrew Stanton (the director of the 2012 movie), who convinced the studio to secure the screen rights from the Burroughs estate.

In 2009, Stanton assumed the role of director for the new John Carter film, marking his first foray into live-action filmmaking after his successful work on Disney’s animated hits like Finding Nemo and WALL-E. Filming took place in November 2009, with principal photography starting in January 2010 and ending in July 2010. The film’s score was composed by Michael Giacchino, known for his musical contributions to various Pixar productions.

Why Disney’s John Carter Flopped

Despite its high production value and visual effects, John Carter received mixed reviews, with praise for its visuals and action but criticism for its plot and characters. The movie was also a box-office failure, recouping only $284.1 million of its $306.6 million budget.

Many attribute John Carter‘s failure to its poor marketing campaign. Following its disappointing performance, Rich Ross, Disney’s head at the time, stepped down. Lead actress Lynn Collins was also instructed to keep a low profile.