Jim Hill Media posted up some cool news about whats going on with Pixar and a live action film.  A couple of days ago it was announced that Ratatouille director, Brad Bird, was going to make a new film called '1906' and that its Pixar's attempt at a live action film, but its really a joint opperation between Warners and Disney.

John Carter of Mars will be solely from Disney/Pixar being their first live action film and I'm already looking foward to it.  Granted I'm not any type of authority on Mars but from the things I've read it sounds really cool.  Mars is an early form of Science Fiction and an inspiration to future sci fi.  The first book was written in 1912.

Jim Hill Media says that Disney is loosing enthusiasm for its Narnia franchise and may actually wrap it up after Prince Caspian and the next film.  They don't see it going further unless it does very well in the box office.  So John Carter from Mars has their eye and they want to move foward.

Disney / Pixar definitely is gearing up to do a trilogy of films based on the "John Carter of Mars" books.

According to what Mouse House insiders recently told me, Mark Andrews has allegedly already completed a first pass on a screenplay for the first film in the proposed "Mars" series. And given that both Pixar and Disney execs have reportedly responded very enthusiastically to Andrews' script ... Well, both companies are now anxious to put this project in the development pipeline ASAP.

Its expected that Mars will have a release date in 2012, possibly earlier.  Thats a long time to wait, and I hope its worth it.  So far Pixar's track record is amazing so I don't see it being any different with this.

I suggest you read the full article for more information.  Head over to Jim Hill Media.

If you don't know what John Carter from Mars is, here is a snippet from Wikipedia.

John Carter, an American Civil War veteran, goes prospecting in Arizona and, when set upon by Indians, is mysteriously transported to Mars, called "Barsoom" by its inhabitants. Carter finds that he has great strength on this planet, due to its lesser gravity. Carter soon falls in among the Tharks, a nomadic tribe of the planet's warlike, four-armed, green inhabitants. Thanks to his strength and combat abilities, he soon rises to a position of respect in the tribe.

-Phil