Get ready for some cool undersea adventure as Disney is about to go 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea with director David Fincher. Previously, the studio had been talking with Charlie’s Angels helmer McG about taking on the pic, but that didn’t end up happening.
Now, Disney has decided that the film might need a fresher approach and is going after Fight Club‘s Fincher to direct and Bourne Ultimatum scribe Scott Z. Burns to write the script. The project reportedly came together after Fincher approached Disney and said he wanted to tackle a big “tentpole” project for the studio and something different from his usual dark, R-rated films.
In case you’re not familiar with the story, it is based on a novel by Jules Verne, first published in 1869, and tells the story of a group of men who encounter a vengeful scientist names Nemo and his submarine, the Nautilus. Plus, if you remember the first Disney version of the film, which is a classic by most standards, there’s also a giant squid the men, including a young Kirk Douglas, must fight in order to survive.
Last year, Disney was fast-tracking a $150 Million Leagues that would have served as an origin story for Nemo. But that film was canceled after a regime-change at the studio. Now, Disney wants to get back in the Nemo business and this new film, even though plotlines are still a secret, will reportedly be more like Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back.
Not sure exactly what that means, but I guess we’ll find out soon enough. Maybe it means Nemo has a son and they have family issues? Could be.
