By Patrick Luce Jan 7, 2009, 11:07 GMT
Disney has tapped McG to handle directing chores for its upcoming family film "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo."
Cover art to Sterling’s abridged edition of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” The new Disney film will follow Nemo building the Nautilus.
Disney is reportedly paying $8 million against 7% of gross to get McG (who has been fielding several offers from different studios) to direct the film. The film will be produced by Sean Bailey (“Tron 2.0”) with McG's Wonderland Sound and Vision, according to information in Variety.
Disney hopes to get McG (who is finishing up duties on “Terminator: Salvation”) behind cameras this year. It was written by Bill Marsilli and is an original story of how Nemo creates the Nautilus. It is based on characters from the classic Jules Verne novel.
Disney is no stranger to the underwater world of “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” The studio’s first adaptation of the novel was released in 1954 and was the first live-action film made by Disney.
The film was the second-highest grossing film that year, won three Oscars, and is best remembered for a giant squid attacking the Nautilus. It also inspired several rides at the Disney theme parks.
McG is set to make "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo" his next directing project, but is in talks to supervise the development of the next “Terminator” film – which he will also produce. Warner Bros. is scheduled to release "Terminator: Salvation" on May 22.
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