The cast for Pixar’s first foray into the live-action arena is certainly shaping up, with thee announcement that Willem Dafoe will be joing Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins in John Carter Of Mars. The film, which is due to be the first of a trilogy, is based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’ (King Solomon’s Mines) 1917 novel, A Princess Of Mars, which is about a Civil War veteran who is tranplanted to Mars, where he finds a civilisation of 12-foot-tall green barbarians. He also comes across Dejah Thoris, Princess Of Helium, who’s desperately in need of a savior.
Dafoe is due to play Tars Tarkak, a fierce green Martian warrior, who’s unusual among his species for having the ability to love. He develops an alliance with John Carter, which lasts through several books in the Burrough’s series, so it suggests Dafoe may have signed up for more than one movie.
John Carter Of Mars will be going into production in Utah later this year, with Andrew Stanton directing.
However if he’s playing a green, alien warrior, does that mean Dafoe’s character is actually going to be CGI, but with his voice? It would seem likely, especially with Pixar’s involvement.