According to Variety, Stephen Sommers is in negotiations to direct a big screen version of Tarzan for Warner Bros. and producer Jerry Weintraub. Sommers, who just wrapped production on G.I. Joe will also be co-writing the screenplay with Stuart Beattie.
Warner Bros. has had Tarzan in development since at least 2003 when they hired John August to write a new take on the Edgar Rice Burroughs created character. Two years ago, the studio was negotiating with Guillermo del Toro to direct.
The character of Tarzan has been around since 1912 and has been popular since Johnny Weismuller played him for MGM back in the 1930s. Warner Bros. has actually brought Tarzan to the screen a couple of times in recent memory. They produced the 1984 film Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes, starring Christopher Lambert, and, with Village Roadshow, produced the 1998 film, Tarzan and the Lost City starring Casper Van Dien
I’m not sure I see any reason why we need another Tarzan movie, if I’m being honest. The character has never held much appeal for me and, frankly, I think it’s been done to death. I just don’t see what they can bring to the production that is new or interesting. I mean, there’s only so many stories you can tell about a man who was raised in the jungle.
What do you think? Does this sound at all interesting to anyone?
It's a “reimagination” of Tarzan, Jason…so it MUST be done!
You're right. The world must have the “reimagined” Tarzan. They must!
Didn't they already do this when they made “George of the Jungle”?
Lord Greystroke, Tarzan of the Apes is Edgar Rice Burrough's golden-boy exemplar of “natural selection” used by the author to model the arrogance and ignorance of 19th Century colonial imperialism. Burroughs, like his contemporary brethren Arthur Conan Doyle, was a staunch Darwinist, promoting the iconoclast of European white male superiority (a white man lording through the jungle) over the “darkies” of primitive Africa with unashamed abandon.
The 21st Century challenges for the Continent are, to say the least, multifaceted and multi-layered, involving both culture and ecology, the horrors of global neglect and apocalyptic famine, incurable diseases and genocidal wars—all this, while being subjected to the kinds of exploitation (blood diamonds, Draconian oil deals, Machiavellian retribution, etc.) that will skewer or sidetrack any conventional re-telling or traditional interpretation of the Tarzan motif as conceived by Burroughs.
Any attempt to produce a “great summer action movie” rated PG-13 will be an anathema in the current zeitgeist and an historical anachronism that by now belong not in the 19th Century—for that matter, not even inside the Matrix of a 1999 Disney cartoon. Except for the ignorant, Tarzan’s time has past.
Tarzan is still my favorite super hero, why? Because he’s human. Make it action pacted, make it for adults not children. Time period in the early 1900’s. Stay as true to the Burroughs collection as possible #1 and #2 are my favorites.Do it up right!!!!!!not too much computer generation.
I totally agree with mike! The worlds favourite superhero is TARZAN.Hollywood can make the next tarzan movie the best ever!!Cut the bullshit,stick to the story/get the right tarzan character(me ofcourse)and create a sheer spectackle!!!! Hollywood can create anything…its just an act of sheer WILL!!!