Disney’s John Carter was supposed to be the next Star Wars. Instead, it became a punchline. If you go back and watch that 2012 epic now, it’s actually pretty great, right? The visuals hold up, the world-building is massive, and Taylor Kitsch actually brings a decent amount of heart to a guy who’s just tired of fighting. But here we are, over a decade later, and John Carter movie 2 is still the ghost that haunts Hollywood’s "what if" list. People keep asking about it because the ending of the first film basically screamed for a follow-up.
It didn't happen.
Why? Because the first one lost about $200 million. In the business of blockbuster filmmaking, that’s not just a "miss"—it’s a catastrophe. You can’t really blame fans for wanting more, though. Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote eleven books in the Barsoom series. We barely scratched the surface of what was happening on Mars.
The Brutal Reality of the Box Office
Let’s be real for a second. Hollywood is a math game. Andrew Stanton, the director who gave us Finding Nemo and WALL-E, had a massive vision for this franchise. He even had the titles ready: Gods of Mars and Warlord of Mars. But the math didn't add up for Disney.
The budget was roughly $250 million. Marketing costs probably tacked on another $100 million. When the dust settled, the movie only pulled in about $284 million worldwide. When you account for the theaters taking their cut, Disney was left with a giant hole in their pocket. This is the primary reason why John Carter movie 2 never left the storyboard phase. It wasn't about the quality of the story or the passion of the fans. It was strictly about the "Mouse House" protecting its bottom line.
Interestingly, the marketing is often blamed more than the movie itself. Remember the trailers? They were vague. They stripped "of Mars" from the title because some executives thought "Mars" movies always failed. By calling it just John Carter, they made a sci-fi epic sound like a biopic about a guy who works in accounting. Honestly, it was a mess.
What Was the Story for John Carter Movie 2?
Stanton wasn’t just winging it. He had a plan. If you’ve read the books, you know The Gods of Mars is where things get truly wild.
The sequel would have picked up with John Carter’s return to Barsoom after being stuck on Earth for ten long years. Imagine the drama of finding out you have a son you never knew existed. That was the plan. Carthoris, his son, would have been a central figure. We would have seen the Therns in their true power, hiding in their secret paradise at the south pole of Mars.
It wasn't just going to be a retread of the first film. Stanton wanted to lean into the mystery of the planet's religion and the fake gods that controlled the water supply. It sounds deep because it was. He wanted to explore the idea of a world being manipulated by a shadow government of immortal shape-shifters.
- The focus would have shifted to the Valley Dor.
- The Plant Men would have finally made an appearance (and they are terrifying).
- Dejah Thoris would have had a much more active role in the political upheaval.
- We would have seen the "First Born" race, adding more layers to the Martian hierarchy.
The Rights Have Left the Building
Here is the part most people miss. Disney doesn't even own the rights to the Barsoom series anymore. In 2014, the rights reverted back to the Edgar Rice Burroughs Estate. This is a huge deal.
Why? Because it means Disney couldn't make John Carter movie 2 now even if they suddenly felt like losing another couple hundred million. Any new project would have to start from scratch with a different studio. There have been rumors for years about other companies picking it up. Netflix? Maybe. Warner Bros? Possibly. But whoever takes it on has to deal with the "flop" reputation that follows the name John Carter around like a bad smell.
It’s a shame, honestly. The source material is the DNA for almost every sci-fi movie we love. Without John Carter, you don't get Flash Gordon. Without Flash Gordon, you don't get Star Wars. We are looking at the grandfather of the genre, yet the brand is currently seen as toxic in the eyes of major investors.
The Fan Movement That Won't Quit
You've probably seen the petitions. "Take Me Back to Barsoom" is a real thing. There are Facebook groups and Twitter threads dedicated solely to convincing a streamer to reboot the series. These fans aren't just shouting into the void; they’ve actually managed to keep the conversation alive for over ten years.
But passion doesn't always pay the bills. The original cast has moved on. Taylor Kitsch is older. Lynn Collins is doing other projects. A direct sequel with the same actors is becoming less likely with every passing year. If we ever see Barsoom again, it’ll likely be a complete reboot. Maybe a high-budget series on a platform like HBO or Apple TV+ would suit the episodic nature of the books better than a two-hour movie.
Why a Reboot Makes More Sense Than a Sequel
If we’re being honest, a sequel is a bad idea. You’d be asking a new audience to go back and watch a movie from 2012 that most people associated with "failure." That’s a tough sell.
A reboot, however, allows for a fresh start.
- Lower the budget. You don't need $250 million to tell a good sci-fi story anymore. Look at The Creator or Dune. Technology has made epic scales more affordable.
- Lean into the pulp. The books are weird. They are violent, strange, and slightly erotic. Disney tried to make it a family-friendly adventure. Maybe it needs to be an R-rated or "prestige TV" adaptation that captures the grit of the original 1912 text.
- Fix the title. Call it A Princess of Mars. Give the audience a hint of what they’re actually watching.
The Legacy of a "Failure"
It's funny how time changes things. If you look at Rotten Tomatoes or Letterboxd, the "Audience Score" for John Carter is significantly higher than the critic score was at launch. People who discover it on streaming today often wonder why it didn't get a sequel. It has become a cult classic.
The movie was ahead of its time in terms of motion capture. The Tharks, played by actors like Willem Dafoe on stilts, look incredible even by today's standards. The chemistry between the leads was genuine. It had a sweeping, orchestral score by Michael Giacchino that actually felt "big."
But Hollywood is a graveyard of "almosts." For every Star Wars, there are ten John Carters. The tragedy isn't that the movie was bad—it wasn't. The tragedy is that it was a victim of a corporate transition and a marketing campaign that didn't know how to sell a hero who jumps really high on a red planet.
What You Can Do Now
If you are still holding out hope for John Carter movie 2, the best thing you can do is support the original source material. Read the books. They are in the public domain, so you can find them easily. If the Burroughs Estate sees a massive resurgence in interest for the novels, they are much more likely to find a partner for a new adaptation.
Also, watch the 2012 film on whatever streaming service has it this month. Metrics matter. If a movie suddenly spikes in viewership a decade later, data analysts at places like Amazon or Netflix take notice. They love "undervalued IP" that has a built-in, hungry fanbase.
Ultimately, the story of John Carter on film is currently on pause. It’s not dead—nothing in Hollywood ever truly dies—but it’s in a deep sleep.
To stay informed on any real developments regarding the Barsoom franchise, follow the official Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. social media channels. They are the ones who hold the keys now. Don't fall for "fan-made" trailers on YouTube that claim a sequel is coming out in 2026; those are just clickbait using AI-generated footage. If a deal actually happens, it’ll come from a major trade publication like The Hollywood Reporter or Variety. Until then, we’ve just got the books and a really underrated movie to keep us company.
Check out the Barsoom series in chronological order to see exactly where the story was headed:
- A Princess of Mars (The first movie)
- The Gods of Mars (The intended sequel)
- The Warlord of Mars (The intended third film)
- Thuvia, Maid of Mars
- The Chessmen of Mars
Understanding the depth of these stories makes it clear why fans are so frustrated. There is a whole universe sitting on a shelf, waiting for someone with enough guts to try again. Go read The Gods of Mars this weekend. You’ll see exactly what we’re missing out on.
