Andrew Stanton Explains Why John Carter Of Mars Became Just John Carter

[Brendon Connelly]

When Andrew Stanton was in London last month, I went down to see almost twenty minutes of the film and to hear what he had to say about it. He was most interesting, not to mention infectiously passionate. I've already shared his empassioned feelings about how the movie industry is broken.

One of the most interesting things Stanton had to say, I think, was his explanation of why the film is now called just John Carter, plain and simple and without Of Mars. It seems to be a controversial decision, but he certainly has his reasons:

Here?s the real truth of it. I'd already changed it from A Princess Of Mars to John Carter Of Mars. I don?t like to get fixated on it, but I changed Princess Of Mars... because not a single boy would go.

And then the other truth is, no girl would go to see John Carter Of Mars. So I said, ?I don?t won?t to do anything out of fear, I hate doing things out of fear, but I can?t ignore that truth.?

All the time we were making this big character story which just so happens to be in this big, spectacular new environment. But it?s not about the spectacle, it?s about the investment. I thought, I?ve really worked hard to make all of this an origin story. It?s about a guy becoming John Carter. So I?m not misrepresenting what this movie is, it?s John Carter.

Mars is going to stick on any other film in the series. But by then, it won?t have a stigma to it.

Any other film in the series? Yep. Stay tuned for more on that soon...

[MyInfiniteAbyss]

Come on. No girl is going to go anyway.

[bottleHeD]

No girls is going to see "John Carter of Mars"? Really? So if you remove "Mars" from the title, girls will magically forget all the trailers and articles which have Mars in them?

[kaldahl]

John Carter might make them come.

[ahlhelm]

So, there should be surprise that Disney wants sequels out of this? It is a multipart franchise. It only makes sense that they want to make half a dozen of them.

[Stink Monkey Pop Pop]

The next re-named title will be, "Jimmy Carter."

[The Xenos]

Do these studio zombies think Mars is that big of a turn off to women? Or that the word princess is that big a turn off to guys, especially if you showcase the sexy princess herself? How stupid and braindead are these people? How stupid and braindead do they think we are?

[moun10dew]

Maybe had you called it John Carter is from Mars and June Carter is from Venues, you could get Women to go.

[Dead Walrus]

Do these studio zombies think Mars is that big of a turn off to women? Or that the word princess is that big a turn off to guys, especially if you showcase the sexy princess herself? How stupid and braindead are these people? How stupid and braindead do they think we are?

I think he might have been referring to boys as in the 13-and-under audience. You know, kids? Those magical human puppies of the future? Not all of them are going to have started exploring the wonders of the female form.

[Wintermute]

Stanton's statements make perfect sense to me. I'm keener than ever to see this now.