Writer Scott Z. Burns On 'U.N.C.L.E.' and '20,000 Leagues'

With recent news that George Clooney would not be starring in Steven Soderbergh's The Man From U.N.C.L.E., the film would be based on the 1960s television show by the same name, we're seeing one of the last few films to come from the director before he switches his focus to painting. Even Soderbergh confirmed that: “I’m interested in exploring another art form while I have the time and ability to do so… I’ll be the first person to say if I can’t be any good at it and run out of money I’ll be back making another Ocean’s movie.” Thankfully writer Scott Z. Burns has been working with Soderbergh on U.N.C.L.E. and the soon to be released Contagion, as well as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo with David Fincher, has been speaking about the films and his collaborations.

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From 'Social Network' to '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' David Fincher Confirmed to Direct

In May, Disney confirmed that Jule's Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea has been placed on hold due to the director McG, moving off of the project.  Since that time, Disney has always been interested in David Fincher helming the project, but he has resisted until today.  

Jon Favreau confirms that Fincher is officially on board to direct 20,000 Leagues and signed off on a script by Scott Burns who also wrote Bourne Ultimatum.  The project will be a massive undertaking for Disney who is ready to spend over $150 million to make it one of the most visually impressive films Disney has ever released.

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Wait...60,000 'Leagues Under the Sea'?

Why this, why now? Even though Disney is remaking its 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, with reports bleeding out this weekend that David Fincher will direct, it's not the studio's property. Because it was written and published before the 1920s, it's fair game according to copyright law, and anyone who wants to make 20,000 Leagues (or Shakespeare or The Wizard of Oz or even most of Sherlock Holmes' catalog) is free to do it. It's public domain.

But why are the rival productions of the same story right now? It happened with Sherlock, it's happening with Three Musketeers, but I'm still not convinced the Sacha Baron Cohen-Will Ferrell comedy collaboration will ever happen, and since Saturday - Saturday, mind you - two other covers of 20,000 Leagues have bubbled to the surface, and they're not small potatoes, either. Dark Horizons has culled information from a couple sources, and it appears David Fincher will face competition from Sam Raimi, who's on the hook to produce a version of the story written by Craig Titley that's supposed to be very faithful to the source material, as well as a futuristic take on the subject produced by Tony and Ridley Scott over at Fox, with Timur Bekmambetov looking to direct.

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Fincher Directing '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'

Disney's reboot of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is not dead. Far from it. The Hollywood Reporter says the studio is negotiating with David Fincher to direct the new film, with Bourne Ultimatum co-writer and The Informant! adapter Scott Z. Burns set to write the project.

This won't be the same movie McG was fired from, though, and there right now no reference to Captain Nemo in the title. That was one thing McG had struck upon, and the franchise would ultimately follow that character. What might surprise you about this pairing is that Fincher approached the studio about taking it over, saying he wanted to try something unlike the films he's known for. There will probably not be a serial killer in 20,000 Leagues, so that's a start.

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Insert Sailing Pun Here: McG's 'Captain Nemo' Sinks

Another tough pill to swallow for McG, the director commonly blamed for the so-so performance of and the often caustic reaction to Terminator Salvation: His Captain Nemo: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea has capsized.

Variety says that the film has been put on hold by Disney, less than three months before it was scheduled to go into production. And, what's more, McG is off the project for good. I didn't see that coming at all. This could all tie to Disney's other waterborne project, Pirates 4, which Nine director Rob Marshall confirmed recently he would be directing. Why that prospect bothers some people, I have no idea. But with The Black Pearl heading back on the water, almost certain to be a mammoth success (especially since The House of Mouse is committing less money to it to bring the series back down to Earth), a submerged McG flick may seem like a risk not worth taking, at least not in the same calendar year.

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