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As fans wonder who the future of Star Wars will be handled by, it may be time to give respect to the original creator, George Lucas. The filmmaker wrote and directed the first film in 1977, triggering one of the most profitable and largest cinematic universes. The space opera began as a tribute to some of the serials he watched as a kid.

Originally intended for children, Lucas reportedly was a fan of fantastical sci-fi stories and did not want to get into the hard science aspect of it like Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. One of his biggest inspirations and his initial idea was reportedly to adapt the campy comic book series Flash Gordon.

George Lucas was initially inspired by the Flash Gordon comics to make Star Wars George Lucas | Credits: YouTube/Star Wars

While Star Wars is one of the most popular sci-fi franchises in the world,...

Whenever a book becomes popular and a bestseller, it's only a matter of time before it becomes a movie or TV show. And when these books reach a certain level of popularity or relevance, they can receive multiple adaptations. Books like Pride and Prejudice, Stephen King's It or Carrie, or Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express are now classic books that have received multiple movie or TV show adaptations. But while these popular books have taken to the screen more than once, they aren't close to the many adaptations some of the most adapted books of all time have.

Everyone knows the story of Dracula, Frankenstein or Tarzan, but probably not everyone knows just how many adaptations these books have. Some of the most adapted books have over 100 adaptations between movies, TV and theater productions. One of these books has more than 500 different adaptations. Other books have become such...

“The Land That Time Forgot” is a new live-action thriller, adapting the 1918 fantasy novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, directed by Andrew Frith, starring Michael Paré, Jack Pearson and Lauren Koopowitz, now playing in theaters:

“…the adventure begins with a terror-haunted voyage as a captive in an enemy submarine.

“It ends on the rocky shores of a lost world…

“An unmapped land forgotten by the rest of humanity…

“…where primordial beasts and ‘beast-men’…

“…still live and fight…

‘…as they did hundreds of thousands of years ago…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

“The Land That Time Forgot” is a new live-action thriller, adapting the 1918 fantasy novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, directed by Andrew Frith, starring Michael Paré, Jack Pearson and Lauren Koopowitz, now playing in theaters:

“…the adventure begins with a terror-haunted voyage as a captive in an enemy submarine.

“It ends on the rocky shores of a lost world, an unmapped land forgotten by the rest of humanity…

“…where primordial beasts and ‘beast-men’ still live and fight as they did hundreds of thousands of years ago…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

When it comes to science fiction franchises, Disney doesn't have the greatest track record. The studio's Star Wars content has been heavily criticized for a decade now, and other projects like Tomorrowland, A Wrinkle in Time, and the Tronseries never made much of a dent or garnered a big fanbase. However, perhaps the biggest sci-fi tragedy in Disney's entire catalog is 2012's John Carter, which adapted the long-beloved works of Edgar Rice Burroughs to the big screen. With Taylor Kitsch playing the leading John Carter of Mars, the film was supposed to spawn a trilogy that would have continued these intergalactic adventures. Unfortunately, poor marketing killed John Carter before it had the chance to jump too high off the ground — but what would the sequels have been like? From what we can tell, they would have been magnificent.

In James Cameron's 2009 ultra-hit "Avatar," Joel David Moore plays Dr. Norm Spellman, an anthropologist who travels to the distant moon of Pandora to study its indigenous residents, the Na'vi, as well as the planet's varied flora and fauna. Dr. Spellman is gregarious and possesses a light sense of humor, making him a good friend to his fellow humans but a bad match for the more stern Na'vi locals. He, like several of the human characters in "Avatar," has his consciousness shunted into the body of a Na'vi/human clone so that he can breathe the air and traverse the terrain more comfortably. Moore handles the role well, and, despite limited screen time, infuses Dr. Spellman with a great deal of affable humanity.

It seems that Cameron auditioned at least one other notable comedian for the role, as Josh Gad was apparently a finalist to play Dr. Spellaman. In 2009, Gad...

“The Land That Time Forgot” is a new live-action thriller, adapting the 1918 fantasy novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, directed by Andrew Frith, starring Michael Paré, Jack Pearson and Lauren Koopowitz, opening January 24, 2025 in theaters:

“…the adventure begins with a terror-haunted voyage as a captive in an enemy submarine.

“It ends on the rocky shores of a lost world, an unmapped land forgotten by the rest of humanity…

“…where primordial beasts and ‘beast-men’ still live and fight as they did hundreds of thousands of years ago…”

Click the images to enlarge…...

John Carter of Mars and the Barsoom series are brimming with possibilities for more film adaptations, with countless thrilling moments in the books still remaining gatekept from general movie-going audiences today. The legendary Edgar Rice Burroughs, also known for creating the jungle-dwelling Tarzan, is perhaps best known for the Barsoom series, which described the many adventures of human soldier John Carter and his companions on his vision of Mars. Throughout the 11 John Carter and Barsoom books, many incredible scenes unfold that would look amazing on the big screen.

The only modern attempt to bring Edgar Rice Burroughs' legendary series to life in film has been Disney's seldom-seen space opera John Carter. John Carter went on to become one of the biggest box office flops of all time, a total disaster for Disney due to the expense of the fantastical science fiction setting and the critical lashing the film was subjected to.

Though most people are familiar with Disney's Tarzan and the 2016 film The Legend of Tarzan, the classic story has been adapted to film dozens of times. The character was conceived by writer Edgar Rice Burroughs, who published the first Tarzan novel in 1914. From there, he wrote several sequels, and it wasn't long before the first movie was made about the infant English lord raised by apes. From there, a new version of Tarzan appeared on the screen decade after decade, turning Burroughs' books into several movies.

In the classic story of Tarzan, which has been adapted in both live-action and animated films, an English lord and his wife, John and Alice Clayton, become stranded with their infant son after their shipwreck off the coast of Africa. After Alice and John die, their young son, John Clayton III, becomes abandoned. Fortunately, he is taken in by a female ape, who raises...

Tarzan (1999) was one of the last movies that could be considered part of Disney's powerhouse Renaissance Era of animated films. It featured award-winning songs by Phil Collins with a score by Mark Mancina. The movie was a retelling of the story Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs, published in 1912. Frozen director Chris Buck made his directorial debut, and the movie presented a new take on Tarzan as a jungle-surfing vine swinger with a father-son conflict at its center. Rosie O'Donnell starred in the voice cast along with Tony Goldwyn, Glenn Close, Brian Blessed, Wayne Knight, and Minnie Driver.

Driver starred as Disney's latest heroine and almost-princess, Jane Porter. Although not of royal blood in the Tarzan story, Disney did once consider adding Jane to its merchandising line of princesses. Not every "princess" is actual royalty -- for example, Mulan is a warrior more than she is a princess.

2016's The Legend of Tarzan was a critical and commercial failure, even though it had assembled many of the ingredients that could have made it an adventure classic. The movie, which starred Alexander Skarsgrd as Tarzan and Margot Robbie as Jane, was a retelling of the story of the iconic Edgar Rice Burroughs character. Tarzan is a multimedia icon, and his story was adapted to the screen as early as 1918 in the silent film Tarzan of the Apes, with more than four dozen adaptations to follow, including Disney's Oscar-winning 1999 animated movie Tarzan.

The 2016 title is the most recent Tarzan movie to hit the big screen, and its general reception may be one reason that the property has since gone dormant on the big screen for nearly a decade. In addition to most likely failing to turn a profit in theaters, it was excoriated by critics and met with apathy from general audiences.

Ron Ely, the hunky and handsome Texas native who portrayed the Lord of the Jungle on the first Tarzan series for television, has died, his daughter Kirsten told Fox News Digital. He was 86.

He died Sept. 29 at the home of one of his daughters near Santa Barbara, The New York Times reported.

Ely also hosted the Miss America pageant in 1980 and 1981, stepping in for longtime emcee Bert Parks, and presided over a syndicated game show called Face the Music around that time.

The 6-foot-4, blue-eyed Ely had appeared opposite Clint Walker in The Night of the Grizzly and with Ursula Andress in Once Before I Die in films released in 1966 when he was hired to don the loincloth in a new NBC series executive produced by Sy Weintraub.

Ely was offered the Tarzan gig after former NFL linebacker Mike Henry, who had played the Edgar Rice Burroughs creation in three ’60s films,...

On September 9, 2024, Eisner Award winning comic artist John Cassaday passed away at the too-young age of 52. He was widely mourned by his industry peers and fans, who never worked with or met Cassaday, have lost any new fruits of his great talent. Before he became an artist, Cassaday studied film in college. Once you know that, his drawing style really clicks into place. Cassaday often drew huge images (both in wide and standard panels), the kind a movie screen demands, and his characters had detailed, photorealistic faces. It's no surprise he broke into comics during the mid-90s, when that style was taking off. If I could compare his work to a fellow artist, it would be Bryan Hitch.

Just as Hitch broke out working with writer Warren Ellis on "The Authority," Cassaday teamed with Ellis for the series "Planetary," published at WildStorm (a DC publishing imprint) from 1999 to 2009 across 27 issues.

Disney has movies for all ages and tastes, but it can be harder to find those that are rated PG-13 because it's a much smaller category. Although the list is short, there's still plenty to choose from. Disney PG-13 movies range from true stories that depict the background of a famous movie to those that sail off on an adventure with pirates.

With a suitable range covered, Disney fans can rest in the knowledge that they will find something within the specific age recommendation. Some of them are rated as such for language use or violence that wouldn't be appropriate for a younger audience. But even with some more mature elements, certain films have continued to stand the test of time.

John Carter Is an Underrated Adventure

Unfortunately, the lack of financial gain from John Carter doesn't reflect how enjoyable it is. The titular character is a Civil War veteran.

New York, NY – Lazarus Rising Games has initiated its campaign to return the legendary 1990s collectible card game OverPower to its original glory, signing licensing deals with Top Cow Productions, Inc. and Edgar Rice Burroughs, Inc. to include the likes of Top Cow’s Witchblade, Darkness and Cyberforce, as well as Burroughs’ iconic Tarzan of the Apes® and John Carter of Mars®. OverPower is set to formally relaunch in late 2024.

Formerly known as BMG & Associates, Lazarus Rising Games’ core ownership is comprised of a group of successful professionals who spent their youth playing OverPower – and continue to this day. Their passion for the game is the driving force of the company, and their experience ensures the game’s authenticity to its roots while relentlessly seeking new assets to infuse the game’s resurgence. As the collectible card game market has continued to once again blossom, the Lrg team has sought...

Oak Park, Il – When there is an awesome Village like Oak Park (Illinois) right adjacent to Chicago, it stands to reason that Joyce Porter, a prominent character actor, would put in motion the first Oak Park Film Festival.

Opening Night is September 12th, with a special screening of “The Abyss: Special Edition” – which features Oak Park native Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio – and wraps up with an all-day short film and seminar celebration on Saturday, September 14th. For details and tickets, click Oak Park Ff.

Founder Joyce Porter, who is also the President of the Fest, began planning last year for this first time event. The mission of the festival is to bring together and showcase Oak Park Illinois’ outstanding creative community and provide entertainment for the entire Chicago area. The Village, famously the boyhood home of Ernest Hemingway and with a collection of Frank Lloyd Wright Homes, has also been an incubator for the arts,...

Star Wars is one of the most lucrative media franchises to come out of Hollywood, starting out as a personal project for George Lucas, and having all the trappings of a perfect B-movie. However, the franchise has since snowballed into one of the pillars of Disney, and one of the most lucrative IPs to come out of classical Hollywood.

George Lucas, in an interview with Charlie Ross, talked a lot about how he accidentally stumbled onto mainstream success, something that forced him to make the kind of films that he wasn’t very keen on. Further, Star Wars would eventually end up out of his hands, leaving the director free to do what he set out to do in the first place: make films for himself.

George Lucas never wanted to make popular films George Lucas || Image by Joey Gannon, licensed under Cc By-sa 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

George Lucas revealed that,...

Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man achieved immense popularity due to their recognition, commercial success, inspired by pulp heroes. Tarzan and Batman share wealthy orphan status and dedication to their home, fighting threats with unconventional methods. The Spider, like Batman, was a wealthy orphan with deadly villains, differing in his willingness to use violence to achieve his goals.

Since his creation by Bob Kane and Bill Finger in the pages of Detective Comics #27, Batman has become the de facto face of DC Comics. Alongside Superman and Spider-Man, few superheroes have achieved the level of recognition, commercial success and popularity as the Caped Crusader. Famously, the Golden Age Dark Knight was inspired by a long line of protagonists from pulp magazines and comic strips, which dominated the medium before superheroes found success.

The Golden Age of superhero comics notoriously drew from the ideas, names, abilities and designs of the heroes of the early and mid-1930s.

Hollywood has a long history of producing movies that, despite failing at the box office and with critics, can still go on to cultivate a dedicated fan base. While many of these are typically met with a lackluster reception from the mainstream (if not outright rejected), they can still appeal to audiences down the road. Some films seem destined for cult classic status, even if it might take a new generation to find something to love about them.

Movies that seem bad to some people can stand out to others as great pieces of cinema, while some movies are just taken far too seriously. Where some of these films simply suffer from obscurity, others became living memes, with some people latching onto small issues and blowing them out of proportion. While some movies are overlooked, others manage to become cult classics specifically due to being terrible films, garnering an ironic fandom.

Considered one of the most renowned illustrators of the 20th century, Frank Frazetta is primarily recognized for his science fiction and fantasy art, which appeared across a variety of mediums, including comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, and LP record album covers. His work inspired thousands of artists throughout the world until his passing in 2010. Even today, his influence is as outsized and lasting as his talent and imagination.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro described Frazetta as nothing less than “an Olympian artist who defined fantasy art for the 20th century.”

American Hero Press is launching a new series of curated, themed collector books. The Frazetta Gallery Series features Frazetta masterpieces in frameable gallery format. These books are officially licensed productions from the Frank Frazetta Estate and the Frazetta Art Museum in East Stroudsburg, Pa. Each book will be designed and printed to the highest available quality from first-generation files.

Considered one of the most renowned illustrators of the 20th century, Frank Frazetta is primarily recognized for his science fiction and fantasy art, which appeared across a variety of mediums, including comic books, paperback book covers, paintings, posters, and LP record album covers. His work inspired thousands of artists throughout the world until his passing in 2010. Even today, his influence is as outsized and lasting as his talent and imagination.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro described Frazetta as nothing less than “an Olympian artist who defined fantasy art for the 20th century.”

American Hero Press is launching a new series of curated, themed collector books. The Frazetta Gallery Series features Frazetta masterpieces in frameable gallery format. These books are officially licensed productions from the Frank Frazetta Estate and the Frazetta Art Museum in East Stroudsburg, Pa. Each book will be designed and printed to the highest available quality from first-generation files.

Barsoom series explores a wondrous world full of evil scientists, warriors, and alien races, not all starring John Carter. Latest book in series tied up John Carter's tale on a disappointing note, followed by anthology collections with mixed quality and originality. Despite flaws, series introduced creative Martian races, intriguing storytelling, and some of Burroughs' best writing in later installments.

John Carter and the Barsoom series is an iconic masterwork of pulp science fiction action, but author Edgar Rice Burroughs didn't create each novel equally. Named after the word native Martians use to refer to the famous red planet in-universe, the Barsoom series chronicles the adventures of John Carter, a simple Earthling soldier who is mysteriously teleported to Mars only to become a great hero. The series was unsuccessfully adapted into a film by Disney in 2012, becoming one of the worst box office flops ever.

In truth, the series reads more...

Disney's peak was from 1989 to 1999, with films like Tarzan. Despite age, Tarzan remains notable for its handling of complex themes. Tarzan highlights the importance of peace, balance, and respect in relationships.

Disney has offered fans a wealth of enchanting films since the 1930s. However, many audiences state that the production company's peak was from 1989 to 1999, providing them with classic hits such as The Little Mermaid and Pocahontas. At the very end of this period, Tarzan was released, allowing Disney to end their period of grand success on a high. Though this is a very old story, the production studio did a fantastic job of transforming this traditional tale into a film for all ages.

Despite its conventional animation style, this film handled a wealth of complex themes. This gave the Disney Renaissance film a deeper sense of heart and emotion, something that its competitors just couldn't catch up with. Yet,...

For twenty-five years, the Disney classic Tarzan has entertained audiences both young and old. The film, based on the popular Edgar Rice Burroughs novel series, is considered to be the last film of the Disney Renaissance, a period of films that helped rejuvenate the company and reestablish it as an animation juggernaut.

The story of a man raised by apes in the late nineteenth century lent itself well to an animated feature with wild and imaginative settings and action sequences. The last real animated “jungle movie” that Disney was the 1967 film The Jungle Book. Now a new generation of creatives would have a go at the unique settings of the which African jungles and the exotic wildlife.

The film was co-directed by Kevin Klima and Chris Buck, with Tab Murphy, fresh off of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, brought on to write the initial treatment. Other writers, such as Bob Tzudiker and None White,...

1999's Tarzan earns a 10 out of 10 score from an ape expert for its depiction of a gorilla protecting a human baby from a leopard. Despite this, a primate expert concedes that an ape could not successfully raise a human. Disney's Tarzan was a major success critically and commercially.

Disney's Tarzan scores a perfect grade from a primate expert. Released in 1999 and directed by Chris Buck and Kevin Lima, Tarzan adapts a story first published in 1912 by Edgar Rice Burroughs about a man raised from a baby by apes. The animated Disney film, which features voice performances from Tony Goldwyn and Minnie Driver, earned positive reviews from critics and was a box office hit.

In a recent video for Insider, primatologist Mireya Mayor analyzes scenes from Tarzan and grades them for their accuracy.

The film ultimately earns a perfect score for its depiction of a leopard attack scene, though Mayor admits...

Considered an art form by paleo-media enthusiasts, dinosaur movies have influenced pop culture in ways many people can't imagine. These films have helped humanity explore the prehistoric world and express their artistic visions of it. While some may have trouble viewing a film like One Million Years B.C. with the same reverence as Citizen Kane or The Godfather, there's no denying how much modern culture is shaped by the creatures of the past. Whether a pulpy paleontological piece that doesn't take itself too seriously or a masterpiece of animation, dinosaur movies, like the fossils that fill museums, allow us to understand how things evolve and shape the world humans live in today.

Since humanitys infancy, prehistoric fossils have inspired myths of dragons, cyclops, and countless other fantastical creatures. After dinosaurs were scientifically recognized in 1677, they began to fill modern mythology through the works of authors like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,...

The tale of John Carter has been iconic in the realm of science fiction novels for a long time, as it started way before Frank Herbert wrote his sci-fi epic, Dune. Unfortunately, the story hasn’t had the best fate in the world of movies, with several attempts never reaching their full potential due to development hell, but in 2012, Disney took the risk and created a film based on the Barsoom series written by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Things didn’t go well for Andrew Stanton’s adaptation, called John Carter, as it became one of the biggest box-office bombs of all time, but our close sources say that the character is set to make a comeback.

John Carter Is Making a Return

Taylor Kitsch portrayed John Carter in the film.

Disney put a lot of financial trust in the John Carter film, spending $350 million on it, which made it one...

Pulp heroes shaped modern superheroes, with Flash Gordon, Doc Savage, and The Shadow leading the way through thrilling adventures. Filmmaking over the past 100 years has seen mixed results with pulp hero adaptations, from box office flops to hidden gems waiting to be discovered. From Tarzan to Zorro to Buck Rogers, iconic pulp heroes like Conan the Barbarian and The Rocketeer brought thrilling adventures to the big screen.

While the pulp heroes of the past may not be as recognizable as the most popular superheroes of today, they still have plenty of great movie adaptations that viewers should be sure to check out. From masked vigilantes to over-the-top musclemen, pulp heroes acted as the forerunners to modern-day superheroes and originated through inexpensive fiction magazines that provided readers with disposable adventures and peaked in popularity between the 1920s and 1940s. Major heroes of the pulp era included popular characters like Flash Gordon,...

George Washington Williams, portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson in The Legend of Tarzan, was a real-life hero who exposed the human rights abuses in the Congo Free State in the late 1800s. Williams had an extensive career as a soldier, journalist, Baptist minister, and politician before uncovering the truth about Belgium's crimes in the Congo Free State. While the movie takes creative liberties with the story, it does highlight Williams' influential role in history through his open letter exposing the atrocities in the Congo Free State.

Although The Legend of Tarzan's central storyline is obviously fantastical, there are some interesting real-life elements to the movie – especially concerning Samuel L. Jackson's character, George Washington Williams. In the film, George is an earnest investigator, sent to unearth Belgian crimes in the Congo Free State alongside Alexander Skarsgård's Tarzan. However, the real Washington Williams played a pivotal role, not just in...

Tarzan, now known as John Clayton III, returns to Africa after leaving England and reclaiming his parents' home and title. Eight years pass between Tarzan leaving Africa and returning, during which he and Jane live in England as Lord and Lady Greystoke. Tarzan's adoptive brother, Akut, becomes the new Lord of the Apes in his absence, while Tarzan reunites with his human grandfather.

The 2016 movie The Legend of Tarzan puts a unique spin on the events that followed the titular character's departure from Africa. Of course, the original Tarzan book series by author Edgar Rice Burroughs also continued past the original story, but film adaptations don't often cover these tales. Though The Legend of Tarzan adhered somewhat to how Burroughs described Tarzan's life in England (and beyond), director David Yates' version took a different route.

The original story of Tarzan sees the infant English Lord orphaned and alone in an African jungle.

Disney's John Carter is a 2012 adaptation of the Edgar Rice Burroughs books that infamously bombed and has not been revisited. Disney's John Carter has a cult reputation, and holds up well against more recent blockbusters. A reboot or new incarnation of John Carter is overdue, and could open steampunk science fiction up to a much bigger audience.

Failures are a part of movies, and there will always be films that never find an audience. But no film thus far in Hollywood history lost like John Carter, a 2012 adaptation of the seminal Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels that ranks as one of the biggest box office disasters of all time. It's doubly painful because the film itself is actually quite good, and does justice to Burroughs in a way that got missed amid its disastrous theatrical run. In some ways, it would be easier had it simply been a bad movie, or...

With Thor 5 likely the last Thor movie, Chris Hemsworth can join the Dcu as an obscure hero. Warlord isn't a mainstream character, but that status fits in with James Gunn's DC Universe plans. Warlord can offer a similar yet quite different role next to Thor, with Hemsworth helping to draw interest to the project/character.

The upcoming DC Universe will feature major heroes such as Superman and Batman, but other, more obscure characters will also be present. This includes the likes of Swamp Thing and the Creature Commandos, though it's unknown which lesser-known DC characters will show up next in the Dcu. Given the plethora of tones, there's room for several deep cuts, and this could provide an avenue for one sword and sorcery character in particular.

Warlord is a largely forgotten figure from DC's Bronze Age, and he represents fantasy concepts that are somewhat removed from traditional superheroics.

If a movie franchise can last long enough, sooner or later, it will start eating its own tail. It’s a common grumble when talking about the big boys on the block, Star Wars and Star Trek. Neither feels like it’s willing to move on into the future, pulling fans back to earlier years and rebooting iconic characters in order to refresh—read: re-market—the stories fans love. But they’re not the only adopters of the technique; some franchises get downright sneaky about where in the timeline they’re going to take us next.

For example, little about the upcoming Saw X makes it clear to average moviegoers where the movie fits into the timeline. Franchise fans are probably aware that it’s a sequel-prequel timeline pretzel, fitting itself in between the original film and Saw II, and adding new details about Jigsaw’s obsession with the doctors that failed him.

MovieWeb recently attended a press screening for footage from the upcoming sci-fi epic, Rebel Moon. Filmmakers Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Wesley Coller, and Eric Newman were in attendance to sneak preview some in-room footage from the project decades in the making. Read on to hear our take.

The official synopsis for Rebel Moon reads as follows:

"From Zack Snyder, the filmmaker behind 300, Man of Steel, and Army of the Dead, comes Rebel Moon, an epic science-fantasy event decades in the making. When a peaceful colony on the edge of a galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of a tyrannical ruling force, Kora (Sofia Boutella), a mysterious stranger living among the villagers, becomes their best hope for survival.

"Tasked with finding trained fighters who will unite with her in making an impossible stand against the Mother World, Kora assembles a small band of warriors — outsiders, insurgents, peasants and orphans...

Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. has partnered with LA’s Tarzana International Film Festival (Sep 29– Oct 1) to honor the author best known for creating the Tarzan and John Carter Of Mars characters.

Opening night festivities will include the screening of the 2017 documentary Tarzan: The Man Behind The Legend, followed by a Q&a with the director and cast.

The festival, which takes place at the Regal Cinemas in the Sherman Oaks Galleria, will bestow the inaugural Edgar Rice Burroughs Legacy Award at the closing night gala. The award will be presented to an “iconic industry writer known for their work in the genres of science fiction, fantasy, and adventure”.

This year, the event will also celebrate Warner Bros’ centennial with a screening of 2007 feature The Brothers Warner directed by Cass Warner Sperling, granddaughter of longtime studio head Jack Warner. The documentary chronicles the creation and rise of the first major Hollywood studio.

The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is Disney’s highest-grossing live-action movie series, but the studio has continually failed to copy its own success. Walt Disney Studios saw massive box office returns on their 2003 film Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, which was based on a Disney theme park ride. That initial film follows the pirate Jack Sparrow and a blacksmith named Will Turner as they race to save the kidnapped Elizabeth Swann from a ship full of cursed buccaneers. It made $650 million on a budget of $140 million and has spawned numerous highly profitable sequels for a total worldwide gross of over $4.5 billion.

After such a massive return on investment, Disney sought further success by cashing in on the same formula — yet they can't seem to discern just what that formula is. The decision has proven costly, as the studio fed massive budgets into other Disney ride-based movies,...

Despite Disney having high expectations John Carter would be a hugely successful blockbuster, it lost the company so much money Disney fired its studio chief. Loosely based on the novel A Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs, known for Tarzan and other classic pieces of literature, it starred Taylor Kitsch as war-weary military captain John Carter, who finds himself transported to the Red Planet and falling in love with the heroine at the center of Burroughs' book. Princess Dejah's world is on the brink of collapse, and one human man becomes the deciding factor in an epic conflict between Mars' inhabitants.

Despite an exciting adventure story, dazzling visual effects, a strong cast, and the potential to launch a franchise that could have included the rest of John Carter 2 and 3's canceled story plans, the movie was a resounding disappointment. It needed to recoup at least double its Mars-sized...

Unfortunately, HBO is as good at making fans wait as they are at video game adaptations. As is prestige TV tradition, it’ll be quite some time before we see the second season of The Last of Us. While fans can always replay the first game or wade into major spoiler territory with The Last of Us Part II, you could also opt for some lo-fi post-apocalyptic stories.

Get ready to gasp, cry, and stay up all night reading six brilliant page-turners that are perfect follow-ups to The Last of Us. The end of the world features in a huge amount of novels, but we’ve sifted through bloater-sized mountains of books to find some of the most similar in theme, tone, and sometimes plot.

The Strange by Nathan Ballingrud

True Grit meets Ray Bradbury’s The Martian Chronicles in this page-turning space Western from the Shirley Jackson Award-winning author...

Hugh Hudson, who directed the classic Oscar winning film “Chariots of Fire,” died Friday in London. He was 86.

The Guardian said he had died after a short illness. His family released a statement saying, “Hugh Hudson, 86, beloved husband and father, died at Charing Cross hospital on 10 February after a short illness. He is survived by his wife Maryam, his son Thomas and his first wife Sue.”

As a director Hudson could be counted upon to deliver lush, beautifully designed, well-orchestrated scenes.

“Chariots of Fire” was the story of the rivalry between two British runners, one Jewish, the other a devout Christian, culminating in the 1924 Olympics. Hudson was Oscar nominated for best director in 1982, and the movie won four Academy Awards, including best picture and best score for the electronic compositions of Vangelis that somehow worked splendidly in the period film.

Hudson had brought his friend Vangelis onto the project, and...

Hubert G. Wells, who trained animals for films including the original Doctor Dolittle, Out of Africa, Wolf, Sheena and The Ghost and the Darkness, has died. He was 88.

Wells died on Christmas Day of age-related illnesses at his home in Thousand Oaks, fellow animal trainer Doree Sitterly told The Hollywood Reporter.

Sitterly and Wells worked together for 20 years — she doubled for Meryl Streep on Out of Africa while Wells was serving as chief animal trainer on the 1986 Oscar best picture winner — and for 10 of those they lived on a compound in the Santa Monica Mountains that was filled with trained wild animals. (They raised lion cubs in the laundry room.)

The Hungarian-born Wells got his start in Hollywood at Jungleland, a 27-acre theme park and private zoo in Thousand Oaks that was used to rent and train animals for movies, TV shows and commercials. After it closed in 1969, he created Animal Actors of Hollywood,...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

There are lots and lots of movies that have made lots and lots of money over the years of cinema's history. Heck, as of writing this (December 2022), there are 51 different movies that have made at least 1 billion at the box office, with "Jurassic World: Dominion" serving as the most recent addition to that coveted list. But only one movie gets to claim the top spot as the highest-grossing movie of all time: James Cameron's 2009 sci-fi blockbuster "Avatar." In a list dominated by reboots, sequels, and adaptations, an original sci-fi film from the most commercially successful director of all time reigns supreme.

Frankly, for many years, it wasn't even all that close. Only five movies have ever crossed 2 billion in ticket sales...

The Asylum is known for their mockbuster movies, and when James Cameron‘s Avatar was released in 2009 they released the Edgar Rice Burroughs adaptation Princess of Mars with a note on the poster: “The classic story that inspired James Cameron’s Avatar“. A sequel to Avatar is heading to theatres this month, and this time The Asylum has a mockbuster that is even more obvious in its attempt to draw in viewers who are anxious to see something Avatar-esque. Coinciding with the release of Avatar: The Way of Water is the release of The Asylum’s Battle for Pandora! You can watch the trailer for Battle for Pandora in the embed above.

Battle for Pandora is now available to watch on VOD, and is showing in the following theatres:

Laemmle Town Center 5 – Los Angeles, CA

Hickory Ridge Cinemas – Brunswick, Oh

Trylon Cinema – Minneapolis, Mn

O Cinema South Beach – Miami Beach,...

For “Strange World” director, Don Hall, creating the film’s incredible realms was definitely a challenge but one he saw as a beautiful challenge. “We did a lot of research into different biomes and living systems. Ultimately, what I really wanted is just to kind of create a blank space,” he tells Gold Derby during our recent Meet the Experts: Film Animation panel (watch the exclusive video interview above).

He brought the blank canvas to the animators over at Disney and they let their imaginations go wild. “I was just sort of the cheerleader, you know, ushering them to go weirder, go stranger and just embrace the limits of their creativity, which was boundless. It led to a really unique, specific and beautiful world.”

See Oscar Best Animated Feature Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Awards History

“Strange World,” which is currently in theaters, focuses on the Clade family which is made up of legendary explorers.

Disney is exploring a thrilling new world with the animated pulp adventure movie Strange World. Inspired by turn-of-the-century adventure stories, the movie follows the legendary Clade family on their most important mission yet. The movie features a star-studded cast with Jake Gyllenhaal as Searcher Clade, Dennis Quaid as Jaeger Clade, Jaboukie Young-White as Ethan Clade, Gabrielle Union as Meridian Clade, and Lucy Liu as Callisto Mal. Strange World is written by Qui Ngyuen (Raya And The Last Dragon) who also co-directed the movie with Don Hall (Big Hero 6) and produced by Roy Conli (Tangled).

Conli has been a part of Disney for nearly thirty years, with his first project being the acclaimed Hunchback Of Notre Dame. Conli would go on to produce a number of projects, including Treasure Planter, Big Hero 6, and the Disney Plus series Baymax! Twenty years after Treasure Planet was released, Conli is diving back...

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Andrew Stanton is returning to the world of live-action moviemaking.

The Oscar-winning filmmaker, known for helming Pixar classics Wall-e and Finding Nemo, is set to direct In the Blink of Eye, a sci-fi drama for Searchlight Pictures.

Jared Ian Goldman, who counts indie Ingrid Goes West and heady TV series Russian Doll among his credits, is producing.

Stanton is known for working expansively, be it thematically or budgetarily. And while Searchlight isn’t known for its big purse, Blink seems to have the Stanton hallmark of an epic scope.

Written by Colby Day, the project seeks to explore no less than the entire history of the world and tackle the nature of life, love, hope and connection, doing so by focusing on three intersecting storylines. Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, and Paul Thomas Anderson’s Magnolia are the watchwords.

Sony Pictures has acquired film rights to Tarzan in a deal with the estate of original book author Edgar Rice Burroughs, Deadline has confirmed.

Plans are in the earliest of stages we hear, with no writer, director or producer attached to what would be a full reinvention of the popular character first created by Burroughs in 1912; the author continued to write Tarzan books into the 1940s.

Tarzan was the son of English nobility who was raised by apes in the African jungle after his parents were marooned there and died. He had no contact with Western culture until he was grown and “King of the Apes.”

Screen adaptations go back almost as far as Hollywood itself, with the first, Tarzan of the Apes, appearing in 1918. Since then, the franchise has seen long runs on the big and small screen with stars such as Olympian Jonny Weissmuller and Ron Ely, as...

The classic vine-swinging, jungle-dwelling hero Tarzan may have a future on the big screen once again. Per The Hollywood Reporter, Sony has grabbed the film rights to Edgar Rice Burroughs's classic pulp story from his estate with the hopes of breathing new life into the property. Reportedly, Sony is aiming for a "total reinvention" of the character with the goal of reintroducing him to a new, modern audience. Currently, no creatives are on board the project.

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ Tarzan is well over 100 years old, but the iconic character seems to be due for another reinvention. THR has reported that Sony Pictures have picked up the screen rights to Tarzan from the estate of Edgar Rice Burroughs and are looking to do a “total reinvention” of the character.

Sony Pictures had no comment, and no writers, filmmakers, or producers are attached to the Tarzan project, but it seems that we’ll see the character back on the big screen. The first Tarzan novel was serialized in the pulp magazine The All-Story in 1912. It proved so successful that Burroughs wrote dozens more, and Tarzan has been brought to life in movies, TV, radio, and comics for nearly as long as the character has existed. As for what this “total reinvention” might entail, it’s not hard to imagine what they’re getting at. The Tarzan stories have...

Sony Pictures has picked up the film rights to “Tarzan” from Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc., according to an individual with knowledge of the project.

The studio is looking to do a total reimagining of the intellectual property for modern audiences.

No producer, writer or director were thus far attached to the property Friday.

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According to an insider with knowledge of the property, “Tarzan” has been in the public domain since January 2020.

Written and created by Edgar Rice Burroughs in 1912, “Tarzan” centered on the son of a British lord, who was marooned in the African jungle and raised by apes. Tarzan would grow up and discover civilization, only to reject it and return back to the jungle as a heroic adventurer.

The book spawned numerous sequels and the property would go on to dominate...

“Atlantis: The Lost Empire” producer Don Hahn had an anecdote about the ethos that drove that 2001 animated Disney film’s production. If other Disney animated films, the ones concerned with princesses and magic kingdoms, represent the Fantasyland area of a Disney theme park, the one you reach after passing through the castle, then he wanted “Atlantis” to be the Adventureland movie. This would be one where you turn left.

For “Strange World,” Walt Disney Animation Studios’ 61st (!) feature, they have decided to turn left again. “It’s funny, every time I walk down Main Street, I turn left,” said “Strange World” producer Ron Conli.

“Strange World” is the story of the Clades, led by the rugged adventurer Jaeger Clade (Dennis Quaid). After Jaeger goes missing on an expedition, his son Searcher (Jake Gyllenaal) grows up, maintaining the family name in a different way: he farms a powerful crop that has...