Mark Strong joins John Carter of Mars
Story by Jack Foley
MARK Strong and Thomas Haden Church have joined the cast of Disney’s John Carter of Mars.
Based on the book series by Edgar Rice Burroughs, the film will follow the fortunes of a Civil War veteran (played by Taylor Kitsch) who is mysteriously transported to Mars and plunged into a battle between the planet’s warring people.
Strong will play Matai Shang, the ruler of the Thems who has godlike status, and Church is Tal Hajus, an ambitious and vicious Thark warrior who wants to become ruler, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Britain’s Mark Purefoy has also signed on to play Kantos Kan, the captain of the Xavarian, the kingdom of Helium’s grand warship.
The trio join a strong ensemble line-up for the action-adventure that also includes Willem Dafoe, Samantha Morton, Dominic West and Polly Walker. Andrew Stanton is directing.
Strong will next be seen as the villain in Guy Ritchie’s re-imagining of Sherlock Holmes alongside Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law.
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