While David Yates‘ remake of TARZAN shut down their production offices earlier this year, it seems that some progress is being made to try the project again in 2014. Variety report that pending the greenlight from the studio, Yates’ movie could begin production next summer for a release in an incredibly crowded 2015.
The remake of the Edgar Rice Burroughs pulp novels was set to be a traditional take on the classic Ape-man story and characters, but tell an original tale. TRUE BLOOD’s Alexander Skarsgard was already selected to play the title role and Jessica Chastain was being eyed for the role of Jane. Both Samuel L. Jackson and Jamie Foxx were being looked at for additional roles, but that may be changing with this new start. It appears that Emma Stone is now being looked at in place of Chastain and Christoph Waltz for the role of the villain that was associated with Samuel L. Jackson.
Here’s the plot as we know it for the new TARZAN:
Years after he’s re-assimilated into society, [John Clayton III, a.k.a. Tarzan] is asked by Queen Victoria to investigate the goings-on in the Congo. Tarzan teams with an ex-mercenary named George Washington Williams to save the Congo from a fierce warlord who controls a massive diamond mine.
In addition to Emma Stone, the studio is also considering Margot Robbie who is next seen in Martin Scorsese‘s THE WOLF OF WALL STREET. None of these parts are locks yet, but it does look like the studio is intent to move forward with the project. Prior rumors had TARZAN being budgeted around $130 million.
It remains to be seen whether David Yates will have any involvement with the recently announced J.K. Rowling films in the HARRY POTTER universe, but his good standing with the studio after helming the final four movies in the series may be why TARZAN is progessing again. I am excited to see any combination of these actors tackle the movie but am still lukewarm on Skarsgard in the lead. Time will tell which combination we get.