20th Century Studios is in early development on a new Master and Commander movie. Based on the novels written by Patrick O'Brian, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World hit theaters in 2003. The sea epic was directed by Patrick Weir and starred Russell Crowe as Captain Jack Aubrey and Paul Bettany as Dr. Stephen Maturin. Master and Commander received mostly positive reviews and received ten Oscar nominations, where it won for Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing.
Even though the movie was generally successful and accumulated many fans, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World proved to be a box office disappointment. It only made $211 million on a budget of $150M. This didn't stop 20th Century and Crowe from continuing to discuss the possibility of making more movies in this universe. O'Brian's novels span 20 completed stories about Aubrey's naval career, giving it plenty of franchise potential if done correctly. Nearly two decades after the original movie's release, it appears 20th Century is ready to take another swing at the property.
According to Deadline, 20th Century Studios is in early development on a new Master and Commander movie. A Monster Calls scribe Patrick Ness has been hired to write a script for a new take on the property. The movie is in the early stages and does not have a director or any stars attached yet. Sources told Deadline that Ness' film is expected to be based around the first book in O'Brian's series, simply titled Master and Commander, and center around a young Aubrey and Maturin, which means new actors will be needed to take on the roles.
The decision to reboot Master and Commander could give 20th Century and Disney a new franchise. Set in the 19th century, the story of O'Brian's first novel follows Aubrey as he's named Master and Commander of a 14-gun ship named Sophie. It contains the meeting of Aubrey and Maturin, and Aubrey's decision to bring Maturin aboard his crew. The book follows both characters as they go on multiple expeditions to find and destroy enemies of the Royal Navy. Aubrey gains a reputation for being one of the best up-and-coming captains in the navy, even though Master and Commander ends with a bit of a failure on his part.
While fans of the original Master and Commander are sure to be excited about the idea of a new movie, many will surely be disappointed that it will come with a reboot instead of a sequel starring Crowe and Bettany again. Crowe is still a big defender of Master and Commander critics, but his days of playing Aubrey appear to be over. He still leaves big shoes to fill for whoever gets cast in the movie, assuming development goes smoothly and it is made at some point. Once the new take does materialize, it will be fascinating to see how it differs from the original and if it can successfully launch a franchise.
Source: Deadline