Mouse Extra

The Los Angeles Times is reporting this morning that Rich Ross, the new head of the Walt Disney Studios, has decided to pull the plug on a remake of Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  The project was only a few months away from the start of shooting, and reportedly $10 million had already been spent on it, but Ross and perhaps Disney CEO Bob Iger as well, apparently have had second thoughts on the creative direction the film was taking.

According to people familiar with the situation, who were not authorized to speak publicly about it, Disney executives made the choice not to proceed based on concerns that parts of the movie were too dark, among other creative issues. One person with knowledge of the project said the studio intends later to restart development on the Jules Verne classic.

I am not one who normally gets excited by the idea of a remake.  I prefer something new and different, especially from Disney.  Also, the original 1954 Disney Classic 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea, with James Mason doing an absolutely masterful job as Captain Nemo, is, in my opinion, the best live-action film Disney has ever produced.  So the idea of taking another swing at it is not something you would think I would get too excited about.  But for some reason I was very excited about it, so this comes as some bad news.

The Jules Verne story is one that I feel can benefit greatly from the incredible advancements in technology the motion picture business has experienced since 1954.  While I doubt anyone can repeat the performance of James Mason in that roll, I do think the story can be an eye-candy bonanza if done properly.  There is still a glimmer of hope that the project will once again get the green light and this delay was all for the betterment of the final product.  Fingers crossed!