September 25, 2006
Zap2it.com - Expect 'It's a Small World: The Movie' in the near future
With the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise pouring billions into its coffers, Disney wants to keep its ride-to-movie momentum going.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, "Smallville" creators Al Gough and Miles Millar are in final negotiations to write "Jungle Cruise," a potential franchise pic based on one of Disneyland's original rides. The trade paper says that the project has been given high-priority status.
On the ride, passengers travel down a jungle river with a fearless skipper who identifies the flora and fauna and occasionally shoots at things. The plan is to set the film in the 20th century, but all else is shrouded in mystery.
"Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" has made more than $1 billion worldwide since its release this summer, following in the footsteps of "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl," which did more than $650 million worldwide in 2003. Other Disney ride-to-movie transitions have been a bit less smooth, with "The Haunted Mansion" limping to $75 million domestically and "Country Bears" failing to make it to $20 million in 2002.
The long-gestating "Teacups" movie remains unmade.
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