Andrew Stanton Making Finding Nemo 2

And I guess the subtitle is: Where does that leave the John Carter Sequel?

Several sites are following up on a story by Nikki Finke's Deadline that Andrew Stanton has agreed to direct a sequel to his 2003 Pixar blockbuster Finding Nemo http://www.deadline.com/2012/07/john-carter-helmer-andrew-stanton-dives-back-into-animation-with-finding-nemo-sequel/ as part of a deal that also includes another stab at live action filmmaking.

The question is where does that leave The Gods of Mars? Most are reporting that Finding Nemo 2 is being set for a release date of 2016, which seems to fit the release pattern of most of Stanton's films (there was a 5 year gap between Nemo and WALL-E and four years between that film and John Carter). Now that doesn't rule out a John Carter sequel, but there may not be much involvement from Stanton. Or-and this is just speculation-it could be part of a deal to get a sequel made if Stanton gives Disney what they want, with him possibly taking a producer credit and someone else possibly directing. Because let's be honest-John Carter and Dejah Thoris might be immortal, Taylor Kitsch and Lynn Collins are not.

The other option could be tied into a statement that Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc President Jim Sullos said-as reported by The John Carter Files site-that he felt a sequel would be made, possibly without Disney. With Stanton now out of the picture, so to speak, it could make taking the property elsewhere easier and allow for a restarting of the franchise.

In the end I'm sure there will be many who are disappointed with this news. I hope the sequel movement can recover from this and find a way to rebound and convince others that a new John Carter of Mars film is worth the risk.