Will John Carter be the next “cult classic”?

September 13, 2012 by | 28 Comments
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John Carter and White Apes Image John Carter was infamously one of the biggest box office bombs in recent years, reportedly losing around $200 million dollars. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred when a movie preforms this awfully at the box office it is written off as a total failure, remembered only mockingly or as a cautionary tale.

Every once in a while, however, a movie will find a second life after its initial release, developing a following of small but devoted fans. Speculation that Carter would find a new audience on DVD has come from everyone from RedLetterMedia (of the famed 170 minute Phantom Menace review) to John Carter’s director himself, Andrew Stanton, who recently said he hopes the film joins other cult movies and finds an audience over time.

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John Carter has already fared much better on DVD than it did in theaters, and fan support has been encouraging. Fans on sites such as Twitter and Facebook have called on Disney to start work on a sequel, proof that the film is gaining a following even though the sequel will never happen.

Unlike last year’s big sci-fi flop, Green Lantern, John Carter was well received by fans of its source material and science fiction in general. Could John Carter have the same fate as previous box office flops like; Blade Runner, Princess Bride, and Fight Club? Only time will tell.

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  • Rob

    Make a spinoff with the Martian dog, it was really the only thing I enjoyed about the movie

    • Alex

      I’d pay money (that I don’t have unfortunately) to see that film happen. Bring on the Woola spin-off!

      And yes, a sequel would be much appreciated too. While we usually agree on most movies, when it came to John Carter our opinions were vastly different.

  • http://www.facebook.com/dbanway Debbie Banway

    Nice article but who are you to say a sequel will never happen. What do you know that we the fans of the film don’t. There was a trilogy planned by Andrew Stanton and I want the trilogy to happen. Do we really need or want another Resident evil or Underworld? Did Ghost Rider really deserve a sequel. John Carter took me by surprize when I saw it the first time in IMAX, I had no idea what it was about. The Title was vague, the 6trailers made no sense. But I went anyway, because I go see a movie every weekend. I have see a lot of movies and its been a long time since a movie so enamored me. I have joined the back to Barsoom group. We are loud and vocal. Everyone I know can’t understand what the bad press was for, They liked the movie. . So you can rite articles about it becaoming a cult classic, but who are you to say what will happen to a sequel.

    • Derick

      Well actually “even though the sequel will never happen” was added by my editor, but unfortunately I agree. It’s not about if the movie deserves a sequel, I’ve been praying for the Resident Evil and Underworld franchises to end for years, but the studios listen to ticket sales more than the fans or the quality of the film. Personally I’d love the planned trilogy to happen, but its a pipe dream.

  • http://www.facebook.com/mark.holmes.792 Mark Holmes

    This movie has real heart built into it. It is slowly finding it’s audience and we will someday get the sequel we deserve.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=754929345 Khanada Taylor

    You know, the only reason John Carter is called a “flop” is because of its budget. It’s made blockbuster money worldwide, so it really doesn’t deserve that label. But I do firmly believe it is already gaining so many fans via home viewing, that it is well on its way to being a classic like the other films you mentioned. I also believe that there will be sequels. I just think it’s going to take a little time so that public opinion of the film changes and maybe even some more Disney brass restructuring needs to take place. It’s amazing all that John Carter had going against it from almost the very beginning. But just like in the books it’s based on, when John Carter gets into hopeless situations, he keeps moving forward with the powerful mantra, “I still live!”

  • http://www.facebook.com/CrotchetyOldFanand68CaliberEditor Steve Davidson

    a handful of people stroking themselves on Facebook does not a cult film make.
    In order for a film to become cultic, there has to be something there; Rocky Horror, Buckaroo Banzai – these are films that became cults after bad showings in the theaters because they had an internal message to convey; the films spoke to people. John Carter? About the only thing is says to anyone is: Andrew Stanton should stick to animated film.
    As an aside: you also failed to mention the LEGIONS of Edgar Rice Burroughs fans who thought this film an abomination when related to the “source” material.

    • http://www.facebook.com/eewestjan Jan Austin

      Were you at the recent Edgar Rice Burroughs Centennial in Woodland Hills in August? Cause you could have fooled me! While not exactly what everyone wanted from the book, the ERB family and friends and fans are very much behind us, on our groups, and support what we are accomplishing. Again, homework time for some….

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=512314229 Mike Carlock

      Ah, Steve Davidson, is there no swimming ool that you do not p in?

  • http://www.facebook.com/vicki.s.semans Vicki Schmidt Semans

    It ALREADY is a cult classic…great film ignored by studio and critics….it is an incredible film

  • http://www.facebook.com/eewestjan Jan Austin

    There are certainly thousands and thousands of “devoted fans” of this film! Not sure I would call us “small” though. You may only see over 11,000 fans on our Facebook group, but remember, not everyone does Facebook. We have fans from all over the world! Fans on 5 different websites! And much much support from the crew, some of the cast and the producers of John Carter that I don’t think people really realize. Don’t think many reviewers of John Carter really do their homework either when it comes to this film – fans, box-office, DVD sales, etc., and continue to refer to John Carter as a “flop” or a “bomb.” Well, we had a really great Edgar Rice Burroughs Centennial recently here in L.A. with Jim Morris, Producer of John Carter and General Manager of Pixar! It was WONDERFUL! Wish you could have been there!

    John Carter was a brilliant film! If anyone liked the HBO Rome series, they will simply love this cast! The characters were fantastic, the cast incomparable. A story you wanted to go back to time and time again. Really a shame that Disney politics played such a role in the marketing of this film! Take a chance and watch the film. You’ll then want to go BACK TO BARSOOM!

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Bob-Heffner/1075422622 Bob Heffner

    I feel fairly confident that Disney will never make a sequel, so pushing them is a waste of time. It would be better to see if a cable network would be interested in doing John Carter. Perhaps, Syfy, after all they created a wonderful reboot of Battlestar Galactica. It would do justice to the plots, subplots, characters, etc of the Martian series than a simple two hour film. The one drawback, for all who drool for the main actors, is that neither would be back for it.

  • VLaszlo

    The generalization that the film was ‘well-recieved’ by fans of the novel isn’t entirely accurate; there is a lot of division about that – especially considering it was no more true to it’s source than Green Lantern was.

    Not a terrible movie, but certainly a limp and disappointingly ‘Hollywood’ and Disney-fied adaptation of a savage, romantic, powerful and poignant work of pulp literature.

    Looking forward, hopefully in 5-10 years another version can try to get it right.

    • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=512314229 Mike Carlock

      I wouldn’t compare John Carter to Green Lantern. I saw both movies. While John Carter may not be flawless perfection, Green Lantern has plot holes so big that power rings cannot fill them.

      • VLaszlo

        The article author brought that up – but I can elaborate. Both turned the bold, daring heroes of their source material into reluctant brooders who spend the whole film trying to avoid helping anyone, or accepting any responsibility – the exact opposite of the nature of each character – and from what I’ve read, that’s what repulsed portions of both fanbases.

        To it’s credit, Green Lantern put some cosmic images on screen that I’ve never seen before, while Disney’s John Carter had a bland color/design palette that looked like so many other films (which is a crime considering the dazzling visual descriptions in the novels).

        I will say the best difference is that the makers of Green Lantern didn’t seem to care much, whereas the makers of the Disney John Carter film certainly did, and passionately – they just cared about the wrong things.

        I saw both, too, and I’d say both films have pretty serious plot holes and issues. Neither is particularly great or particularly terrible – just semi-passable, mediocre adaptations of characters/stories that deserve better.

        Hopefully someday they both get it.

  • Elric1116

    I LOVED this Movie!

  • Rejdon

    I think this movie deserves a sequel.It was one of the best movies I have ever seen if not the best. And it would be a shame if it did not get one as it so strongly deserves.

  • http://www.facebook.com/daved.mcdonald Dave D McDonald

    This movie is proving itself through the test of time. There are many serial movies that have grown to be accepted, after struggling to launch from poor marketing campaigns. The increase in DVD sales shows that people who saw the movie loved it. Those who did see it in theaters, wished they had, so they bought DVDs. Moreover, people are growing to embrace John Carter in spite of the overwhelming criticism it receives because of the high cost it cost to market the film. Here again, why are we judging this film because of the Super Bowl Commercial in 2012? It’s time to look a little deeper at the real drama this studio did to create John Carter into the cinematic masterpiece it is!

  • mark

    yea I had no idea what this movie was about when I watched it on demand and was left wanting more if disney doesn’t want to make a sequali hope some1 else does I wouldn’t mind a gritty animated verison either

  • http://www.facebook.com/michael.d.sellers Michael D. Sellers

    Hey Derick can you PUHLEASE swap out that damned ape photo and put in something else? Anything else? Thanks. ;-)

    • Derick

      Sorry I just wrote the article, I didn’t choose the picture

  • arun279

    I saw the trailer of John Carter and thought it was cool, went and watched it when it released and thought it was a good movie. There were things I think could have been different about the movie, but I was certainly not disappointed. I thought it was going to be a hit. A lot of such movies click at the box office even thought they aren’t really that great. I want to know where this movie went wrong – not in terms of the story, but rather in terms of marketing and stuff.

  • http://www.facebook.com/diana.cole.773 Diana Cole

    I have been a fan of Edgar Rice Burrough’s Martian series for about 60 years. At first I was very sure I wanted a film that followed the original story very closely and was suspecious of Andrew Stanton’s approach. However, as time went by and I saw what was being done with the characters, story, and concept art, I came to appreciate the care and passion which was being put into the production. Although it is a retelling of the original story, it still retains the heart and spirit of ERB’s wonderful tale. There will always be haters as well as lovers of this highly entertaining movie, but people should take a chance and watch it and judge for themselves. I was not disappointed and I don’t think they will be either.

  • http://www.facebook.com/ron.heydon Ron Heydon

    I have no doubts that John Carter will be recognised as a great movie in the fullness of time. The sequels will make a great franchise and it would be a crime if they are not made with the same cast and crew.

  • Derek

    “John Carter” was epic, amazing, and so on. It became one of my favorites. Join the Facebook group to fight for a sequel.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Robert-Coplin/100002428744434 Robert Coplin

    Let me say that i loved the John Carter movie and the only things wrong with the movie was both the title and the marketing for the movie sucked while it had a great storyline.If Disney had done as good as job in marketing the movie as they did with the Avengers i beleave John Carter would have been a success at the box office.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002601847385 Dana Lind

    I’m gonna sum up this movie(John Carter) with a statement I made after watching “Hunger Games” with my wife…me, “John Carter was so much better than this movie. This movie sucked!.” Wife, “Yeah I agree.” What a joke…IMO and my wife as well…John Carter was way better, the problem is not only do we have a dumber audience, we also have a dumber movie business now too! (By dumber audience, I mean people that will go see a film based on advertising, and then are incapable of forming an independent and honest opinion of what they are watching.)

    Dumber movie business, they use their art of manipulation to sell….which they decided not to do…. for whatever reason… with John Carter.

  • Sarky

    Over in the UK the advertising posters were mostly black with a bit of design on them and just the initials J.C. If that was done world wide i wonder how many thought it was a religious movie?