Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsJohn Carter never became the start of a film trilogy, but director and co-writer Andrew Stanton had mapped out two sequels before the first movie reached theaters. His 2022 account gives a detailed picture of the planned second film, Gods of Mars. The reported third film, Warlord of Mars, is known through a less detailed secondary account. Neither sequel was made, and the plans described here are not completed scripts.
What would John Carter 2 have been about?
Stanton called the second film Gods of Mars. He described its story in a 2022 interview with TheWrap, including a prologue, the abduction of Dejah Thoris and John Carter’s son, and Carter’s search for Dejah.
A prologue narrated by Dejah
Stanton envisioned each film opening with a different character narrating a prologue. In the first film, Willem Dafoe’s Tars Tarkas tells the story; for the sequel, Dejah would have taken over. As Stanton put it, “The second one’s prologue narration was going to be Dejah.” She would recount the earlier events to her baby, Carthoris, while believing that the child would never know his father.
Carthoris is taken, and Carter returns
The prologue would reveal that the baby was Carthoris, the son of Dejah and John Carter. Matai Shang, disguised as Tardos Mors, would take him. After the credits, Carter would awaken in a desert wearing a funeral suit. Kantos Kan would find him and bring him back, but Dejah would be gone. Carter’s search for her would drive the next part of the story.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
#1 Best Overall
A hidden world beneath the surface
The search would lead Carter underground to an advanced civilization unknown to the people on the surface. Stanton said it controlled Barsoom’s air, water and other systems, keeping the planet functioning. He described the reveal as a “third world” beneath the surface, with the first world hidden inside. Stanton compared the discovery’s role in the story to Beneath the Planet of the Apes. The plot would therefore shift from a family rescue to a mystery about who secretly operated the world.
What was planned for John Carter 3?
Secondary coverage identifies the third film as John Carter 3: Warlord of Mars and reports a final conflict with the Therns. In that account, the Therns would use shapeshifting and impersonation to manipulate Martian leaders and provoke a larger war, drawing Carter and his family into the confrontation. The reported outline is much less firmly documented than Stanton’s first-sequel account: it should be treated as a reported story plan, not as a completed screenplay. The title and plot details appear in CBR’s coverage.
Why did the sequels stop?
Coverage links the end of franchise plans to the first film’s box-office performance, but the reported budget figures differ by source. Box Office Mojo lists a $250 million production budget and a worldwide gross of $284,139,100; its listing does not establish that one figure alone determined the studio’s decision. Kino.de also reports a $250 million budget and approximately $284 million worldwide gross in its film listing. TheWrap, by contrast, described the production as a $307 million epic in its 2022 interview.
Those budget accounts should remain attributed rather than collapsed into a single settled production-cost figure. The available coverage supports saying that the film’s financial performance halted plans; it does not establish that a particular gross or budget number was the sole cause.
What is known—and what is not
| Plan | What the sources establish | Evidence level |
|---|---|---|
| Gods of Mars | Dejah’s prologue; Carthoris’ abduction by Matai Shang disguised as Tardos Mors; Carter’s return and search for Dejah; discovery of the underground civilization. | Detailed account from director and co-writer Andrew Stanton in a 2022 interview with TheWrap. |
| Warlord of Mars | A reported final struggle involving Carter’s family and Therns who impersonate others to manipulate Martian leaders and incite war. | Secondary reporting; less detailed and less firmly documented than the second-film account. |
Neither sequel was released. The available accounts do not establish a release date, a production-ready third-film script, or a current revival. Stanton’s interview is the strongest source for what Gods of Mars might have contained; the third film’s title and conflict remain a more limited report.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
