After the one-two punch of The Social Network and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, director David Fincher has taken his time in choosing his next feature project. He helmed the first couple of episodes of the new Netflix series House of Cards with Kevin Spacey, but with modest box office returns on Dragon Tattoo the follow-up adaptation has been slow-going. Fincher has a number of options on his plate at the moment, but he’s been pretty passionate about getting his 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea remake off the ground for the past couple of years.
Now it looks like there’s finally some movement on 20,000 Leagues, as Fincher is courting frequent collaborator Brad Pitt to lead the project as sailor Ned Land while Disney decides whether to greenlight the film. Hit the jump for more details.
Variety reports that, while Fincher waits for a draft of the The Girl Who Played with Fire script by Steven Zaillian, Disney has put a three-month hold on the filmmaker to see if 20,000 Leagues can get off the ground. The project doesn’t yet have a greenlight, but Disney is now deciding whether to move forward with the redo as they work on a budget. They’ve asked Fincher (who’s anxious to direct again) to hold off on pursuing other projects in the meantime. The conversation has turned to casting, and the director is looking to put Pitt in the role of Ned Land, who was played by Kirk Douglas in the original 1954 adaptation of the Jules Verne novel. An older A-lister will likely play the story’s anti-hero Captain Nemo.
Pitt is taking some time to mull over his future projects as he finishes up reshoots on World War Z and work on Ridley Scott’s The Counselor, so his schedule is pretty open at the moment. He and Fincher are longtime friends, so I wouldn’t be shocked if the deal went through making this their fourth film together after Seven, Fight Club, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Last we heard on 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Fincher had brought on Seven scribe Andrew Kevin Walker to do some rewrite work on Scott Z. Burns’ script. He has long stated that the film would be shot in 3D and probably 70% comprised of CG, so it’s no small undertaking. Fincher is one of the truly great filmmakers working today, and I can’t help but feel a little giddy at the prospect of him bringing to life a big-budget adventure remake of 20,000 Leagues. Hopefully we hear more firm word soon as Disney mulls over the project, but I’m all for a re-team of Pitt and Fincher.
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Will they be brave enough to cast an iconic Indian actor as Captain Nemo, or are they gonna go for Will Smith? ( Like when he was previously attached to the role for a different iteration )
My vote goes to Ben Kingsley for Captain Nemo
Tom Hanks. He’d be perfect for it. He’s already playing a villainous character in Cloud Atlas, so that just might work.
Tom Hanks as Captain Nemo? Is Mel Brooks directing the movie in the dimension you come from?
Anthony Hopkins. Or Kenneth Branagh
Liam Neeson for Captain Nemo
Ridley SCOTT, not Scoot.
Scott Z. BURNS, not Brooks.
Disney sucks.
So Brad Pitt still doesn’t mind doing 100 takes per scene. Maybe he needs it.
he could shoot this first, then do the dragon tattoo sequel.(ala spielberg tintin/warhorse situation)
20,00 leagues seems like it’s going to have a LONG LONG post production
I’d rather see the Rendezvous with Rama movie Fincher has been attached to for so long.
Now you’re talking Matt!Never knew a Rama movie was in the works.Or that a class act like Fincher was attached.Read Rendezvous with Rama when i was 16 or so.Back in mid 70s!Brilliant novel,one of Arthur.C.Clarkes best ever-and hes done plenty good’uns.Thought even then it would make an amazing movie.But with todays technology combined with Finchers directing style-we could be looking at this centuries 2001,Alien or even Metropolis.Just leave the sequels alone though Mr Fincher!
Who else expects to see Mark Strong as Nemo if this movie gets made?
Fincher and Pitt are both awesome.
Personally I would prefer Daniel Craig as Ned and love the idea of either Ben Kingsley or Mark Strong as Nemo. Brilliant – can’t wait.
Is it too soon for a remake of Fight Club? C’mon Fincher, for the new generation! We, the original Fight Club fans are getting old(er)
If Fincher had no plans to finish the Millennium series, I wish he wouldn’t have started it.
Ideally, they wouldn’t honor the character’s ethnic origin and cast appropriately an Indian actor. However, this is Hollywood and they want a well-known name. My choice, in that case, would be Harrison Ford. He would fit the bill in the age-range, the star appeal and have the presence and gravitas appropriate for Nemo. Also, from the looks of his upcoming films, particularly that Jackie Robinson film coming out in the spring, he looks like he’s stepping it up some and trying to act again.
Now you\’re talking Matt!Never knew a Rama movie was in the works.Or that a class act like Fincher was attached.Read Rendezvous with Rama when i was 16 or so.Back in mid 70s!Brilliant novel,one of Arthur.C.Clarkes best ever-and hes done plenty good\’uns.Thought even then it would make an amazing movie.But with todays technology combined with Finchers directing style-we could be looking at this centuries 2001,Alien or even Metropolis.Just leave the sequels alone though Mr Fincher!
Now you\\\’re talking Matt!Never knew a Rama movie was in the works.Or that a class act like Fincher was attached.Read Rendezvous with Rama when i was 16 or so.Back in mid 70s!Brilliant novel,one of Arthur.C.Clarkes best ever-and hes done plenty good\\\’uns.Thought even then it would make an amazing movie.But with todays technology combined with Finchers directing style-we could be looking at this centuries 2001,Alien or even Metropolis.Just leave the sequels alone though Mr Fincher!
Please not Brad Pitt! The guy just can’t effing act!!
Naveen Andrews or Ben Kingsly for Nemo. Or (if he’ll grow a beard for the role) Ajay Mehta….
Seriously, please cast an iconic Indian actor as Nemo. Cast Amitabh Bachchan; honestly the guy is a legend in his own right, and unlike a lot of Indian actors, truly is a terrific actor.