It’s been over a decade since Tarzan graced the big screen in Disney’s animated adaptation and over three since the jungle hero was sexed up by Bo Derek in Tarzan the Ape Man. Between those two we’ve seen Christopher Lambert go ape in Greystoke, the Legend of Tarzan…and that’s about it.
But Edgar Rice Burroughs‘ high-flying hero looks set to be a hot property in the next couple of years. First up will be a motion-captured adventure starring Twilight‘s Kellan Lutz, but it’s probably safe to call that one a bomb right now. The much safer bet is the big budget reboot coming from WB.
David Yates has been rumored to take on the directing gig for a few months now, but the veteran Harry Potter-helmer seemed to be in no rush to jump into another possible franchise. Per Vulture though, it looks like Yates has finally signed on the dotted line. The question now becomes who will be cast in the high profile but somewhat risky role of Tarzan?
The director is already meeting with a few potential actors including Henry Cavill, Charlie Hunnam, and Alexander Skarsgård, and reportedly WB is also pushing for Tom Hardy to be added to the mix. It’s early so don’t expect confirmation on any of these names yet, but it’s interesting to speculate.
Hardy makes sense in regard to his recent relationship with the studio in Inception and The Dark Knight Rises, but take one step away from that and he seems like a truly unlikely choice. It just doesn’t feel like the kind of project he would take on, but beyond that I don’t know as his small, albeit muscular, frame is ideal for swinging on vines through the jungle. But hey, if Shia LaBeouf can make it work I guess Hardy can too.
The other three all feel like safer bets if only because they’re lower profile actors that can only be helped by a risky project like this. It’s not like Taylor Kitsch’s career crashed and burned after his big budget Burroughs bomb.
Who do you think would make the ideal Tarzan?