The Legend of Tarzan (film)

The Legend of Tarzan
File:The Legend of Tarzan poster.jpg Theatrical release poster
Directed by	David Yates
Produced by	Jerry Weintraub David Barron Alan Riche Tony Ludwig
Screenplay by	Adam Cozad Craig Brewer
Story by	Craig Brewer Adam Cozad
Based on	Tarzan by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Starring	Alexander Skarsgård Samuel L. Jackson Margot Robbie Djimon Hounsou Jim Broadbent Christoph Waltz
Music by	Rupert Gregson-Williams
Cinematography	Henry Braham
Edited by	Mark Day
Production company	Village Roadshow Pictures Jerry Weintraub Productions Riche/Ludwig Productions Beaglepug Productions
Distributed by	Warner Bros. Pictures
Release dates	July 1, 2016 (2016-07-01) (United States)
Running time	110 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$180 million

The Legend of Tarzan is an upcoming 2016 American epic action adventure film drawn upon the fictional character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, scheduled for release in 2016. Directed by David Yates and written by Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer, its cast comprises Alexander Skarsgård in the title role, and Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie, Djimon Hounsou, Jim Broadbent and Christoph Waltz.

Principal photography began on June 30, 2014, at Warner Bros. Leavesden Studios in the UK, and wrapped four months later on October 3. Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures in Cooperation with Dark Horse Entertainment and Jerry Weintraub Productions are co-producing the film. It is scheduled for release on July 1, 2016 in 2D, 3D, IMAX and IMAX 3D. The film will be dedicated to Weintraub, who died on July 6, 2015.

Plot

It has been years since the man once known as Tarzan (Alexander Skarsgård) left the jungles of Africa behind for an aristocratic life in London as John Clayton, 3rd Viscount Greystoke, with his beloved wife, Jane Porter (Margot Robbie) at his side. Now, he has been invited back to the Congo Free State to serve as a trade emissary of the House of Commons, unaware that he is a pawn in a deadly convergence of greed and revenge, masterminded by the corrupt Belgian Captain Léon Rom (Christoph Waltz).

Cast

• Alexander Skarsgård as Tarzan / John Clayton III, Lord Greystoke. On his character Tarzan, Skarsgård said, "This is about a man who’s holding back and slowly as you peel off the layers, he reverts back to a more animalistic state and lets that side of his personality out." To get in Tarzan shape, Skarsgård spent four months in a training regimen before principal photography started.
  • Rory J. Saper as Young Tarzan
• Margot Robbie as Jane Porter, Tarzan's wife.
  • Ella Purnell as Young Jane Porter
• Samuel L. Jackson as George Washington Williams
• Christoph Waltz as Captain Léon Rom, a corrupt merciless Belgian captain.
• Djimon Hounsou as Chief Mbonga, the leader of an African tribe.
• John Hurt as Prof. Archimedes Q. Porter, Jane's father and Tarzan's father in law.
• Jim Broadbent
• Casper Crump as Captain Kerchover
• Hadley Fraser as Tarzan's father
• Simon Russell Beale

Production

Development

In June 2003, John August was paid to adapt/pen a modern-day live-action big-budget feature about Tarzan for Warner Bros. and Jerry Weintraub Productions On December 14, 2006, it was announced that Warner Bros. is developing a Tarzan film with the fictional character Tarzan created by Edgar Rice Burroughs, Jerry Weintraub will produce the film, Guillermo del Toro will direct the film while John Collee will write the script of the film. On September 2, 2008, Variety reported that director Stephen Sommers is in negotiations to direct the film, he'll also co-write the film with Stuart Beattie. Later on December 3, 2008, Entertainment Weekly posted that the film will be most like Pirates of the Caribbean style. In July 2009, writer Beattie talked about Tarzan which he was working on, he said the film will be "big romantic action-adventure film" and it would involve parkour and other high-energy action. Later in October 2010, news confirmed that Sommers, who was expecting to direct the film, has left the Tarzan film project. The project was on paused after Sommers left but later On May 6, 2011, Warner Bros. again started the development of the film, the studio hired two writers Craig Brewer and Adam Cozad to pen separate drafts of the script. On June 2, 2011 it Brewer confirmed that, he will re-write and direct the Tarzan film. In October 2011, Brewer was asked about the Tarzan trilogy, but he denied knowledge of it, and he has given the script to the studio. On June 18, 2012, David Yates, Gary Ross and Susanna White were circling around the director seat for Warner Bros.' Tarzan. On August 1, 2012, it was in the news that director David Yates is in final talks to direct the Tarzan film. Later on November 7, 2012 David Yates confirmed that he'll direct the film. On April 10, 2013 Deadline reported that the studio has shut down the production of the film this year due to high budget, and they will try again to start the production in 2014. In December 2013 the studio was reportedly close to give the film a green light. On February 11, 2014 Warner Bros. set the July 1, 2016 as a worldwide release date for the 3D film which has officially begun pre-production. Village Roadshow Pictures had a deal with WB to co-finance the film. An official synopsis was revealed along with some crew which includes director of photography Henry Braham, production designer Stuart Craig, editor Mark Day, and costume designer Ruth Myers would be collaborating with Yates behind the scenes.

Casting

On August 12, 2012, swimmer Michael Phelps was reportedly in talks to join the film to play lead as his debut to showbiz career. On November 7, 2012, the studio was eyeing Tom Hardy, Henry Cavill and Charlie Hunnam to play the title role in the film. On November 14, 2012, Alexander Skarsgård was added to the cast by the choice of director Yates, he'll play the title role, while Samuel L. Jackson was also being eyed to play Williams in the film. Yates found Skarsgård to be the perfect Tarzan. He liked that he was born in Sweden but found a career in America, so "he has this wonderful quality of not quite belonging to one or the other" he said. On March 6, 2013, Yates wanted Jessica Chastain to play the female lead role as Jane Porter. On September 26, 2013, Christoph Waltz was in talks to play as a villain in the film; he was later cast as a Belgian soldier named Captain Rom who attempts to capture Tarzan in exchange for a ransom in diamonds.

The studio had eyes on Margot Robbie and Emma Stone to play the female lead character Jane Porter. Emma Watson, Sarah Bolger, Georgina Haig, Lucy Hale, Lyndsy Fonseca, Eleanor Tomlinson, Gabriella Wilde, Lucy Boynton and Cressida Bonas were all considered for the part. On January 18, 2014, Robbie was confirmed to play the female lead as Jane in the Tarzan film along with Skarsgard, beating Stone to this role. On June 4, Djimon Hounsou was set to play Chief Mbonga in the film. On June 17, Osy Ikhile was added to the cast to play a supporting role but the character wasn't announced. Ella Purnell was cast as young Jane Porter. Casper Crump was cast to play Captain Kerchover. The release of the first trailer in December 2015 revealed that Jim Broadbent was also a part of the cast.

Filming

The principal photography on the film commenced on June 30, 2014, at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Hertfordshire, UK. The filming had begun on the day announcement was made for the expansion of the studio. The filming wrapped-up the same year on October 3.

Release

Warner Bros. has set the film for a July 1, 2016, release in traditional releases, 3D and IMAX 3D. On April 19 at the London Preview event, David Yates and David Barron announced a sequel had been outlined, before even this film's release.

External links

• The Legend of Tarzan at IMDb