Update, October 2026: This article was first published in January 2023 and has been updated with the cast’s latest credits, new fact-checks and the latest news on the franchise.
John Carter is an adaptation of Edgar Rice Burroughs’s novels (beginning with A Princess of Mars) and tells the titular hero’s story. This Civil War veteran is somehow transported to Mars. There, he finds a civilisation in need of saving from a war with another society on the planet and also finds love. Although the film started with a great concept, the movie differed from the success that Disney hoped for (it holds a 52% Tomatometer score and a 60% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes). Despite this, there have been whispers about a John Carter part 2 to continue what Disney had started with their hopeful trilogy that never quite happened. Disney let the screen rights revert to the Burroughs estate in 2014, and the estate announced an animated series, John Carter of Mars, at San Diego Comic-Con in 2025. If a second film were made, would any of the original cast members of Disney’s John Carter reprise their roles, and if so, where are they now?
With the animated series announced and the film’s 15th anniversary arriving on March 9, 2027, now is a good time to check in on the original cast. For more on whether the franchise could ever return, see our look at a possible John Carter 2.
The John Carter cast at a glance
| Actor | Role in John Carter | Since then |
| Willem Dafoe | Tars Tarkas | Poor Things (2023), Nosferatu (2024) |
| Mark Strong | Matai Shang | The Penguin (2024), Dune: Prophecy (2024) |
| Thomas Haden Church | Tal Hajus | Tires (2025), Wake Up Dead Man (2025) |
| Taylor Kitsch | John Carter | American Primeval (2025), The Terminal List: Dark Wolf (2025) |
| Lynn Collins | Dejah Thoris | Someone Like You (2024) |
| Bryan Cranston | Colonel Powell | Sneaky Pete (2015–2019), Your Honor (2020–2023) |
| Dominic West | Sab Than | The Crown (2022–2023), Brassic (since 2019) |
| James Purefoy | Kantos Kan | Marie Antoinette (2022), Masters of the Universe (2026) |
| Samantha Morton | Sola | The Serpent Queen (2022–2024) |
| Ciarán Hinds | Tardos Mors | Treason (2022) |
| Daryl Sabara | Edgar Rice Burroughs | Ben 10 (voice, 2016–2021) |
Willem Dafoe Now: Where Is Tars Tarkas From John Carter Today?
Willem Dafoe was cast as Tars Tarkas, the Jeddak or chieftain of the Tharks and the father of Sola, in 2012’s John Carter. Tars Tarkas eventually becomes a close ally of John Carter. Although he has a great capacity for compassion and care, he has to hide it to act in his expected role as a tough and strong leader who shuns any weakness, as is the way of their people. However, he is quickly overthrown and demoralised after letting Carter, Dejah, and Sola escape.
Dafoe has since starred in Poor Things (2023) as Dr Godwin Baxter and in Nosferatu (2024). See his full filmography.
Mark Strong Now: Where Is John Carter Villain Matai Shang Today?
Mark Strong starred as the main antagonist of the film, Matai Shang. Shang is the Hekkador of the Therns, their holy leader. The Therns are a race of interstellar travellers who organise and feed off planets’ destruction, manipulating the planets’ civilisations. Their race has been doing this for billions of years.
Shang allies himself with Zodanga, the war-ravaged kingdom at war with Helium. It was actually one of the Thern medallions that sent John Carter to Mars in the first place, and Shang uses one to send him back to Earth again.
Mark Strong starred in the 2022 movie Nocebo as Felix, the husband of the main character Christine. She is a fashion designer suffering from a mysterious illness that her doctors haven’t figured out and plagues her. Suddenly, a Filipino carer arrives to help her and uses traditional folk healing, which reveals a horrifying truth. He has since played Carmine Falcone in HBO’s The Penguin (2024) and appeared in Dune: Prophecy (2024).
Thomas Haden Church Now: What Happened to Tal Hajus in John Carter?
Thomas Haden Church starred as Tal Hajus, the Thark who overthrows Tars Tarkas after his apparent show of weakness, accusing Tars Tarkas of betraying their clan when he lets the prisoners escape. He is eventually killed by John Carter, who challenges him.
Church starred in the 2022 drama/sci-fi film Acidman as Lloyd, an estranged and reclusive man who has been found by his forgotten daughter, who is trying to make contact with him. He later played Phil in season two of Tires (2025) and appeared in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025).
Taylor Kitsch Now: What Happened to the Star of John Carter?
Taylor Kitsch starred in John Carter as the titular protagonist, an American Civil War veteran. Transported to Mars, called Barsoom by those living there, he becomes a great warrior. Eventually, Carter marries the princess of the civilised empire of Helium. On Mars, because of his more muscular bone density and his body being used to the gravity of Earth, he is a great warrior who can leap incredibly high.
In 2025, Kitsch starred in Netflix’s Western miniseries American Primeval. It focused on the birth of the American West and explores the history of the desperate men and women who journey to a lawless, hostile land as they try to shape it to their wills. He also starred in The Terminal List: Dark Wolf (2025).
Lynn Collins Now: Where Is Dejah Thoris From John Carter Today?
Lynn Collins joined the John Carter cast as Dejah Thoris, the princess of the Martian empire of Helium on Barsoom. She is the regent of the Royal Academy of Science. Dejah is on the verge of discovering the Ninth Ray, a power their enemy Zodanga wields, but her research is sabotaged. She is John Carter’s love interest, and the two become married near the end.
In 2025, Collins was set to star in a play titled Lucy, which was to be featured at the Minetta Lane Theatre in New York City. The play is about a mother who hires Collins’ character Ashling, a nanny, to look after her daughter, Lucy. Ashling seems like the perfect nanny, but things begin to feel slightly different. Is Ashling everything that she appears? Collins also appeared in the 2024 film Someone Like You.
Bryan Cranston Now: What Happened to Colonel Powell From John Carter?
Of the entire John Carter cast, Bryan Cranston (who played Powell) has probably gone on to have the most successful career. There’s probably no need to mention all his accolades here. Powell is the Union colonel who arrests Carter in the film’s Arizona flashback. Still, the headline credits are hard to skip: Cranston won four Emmys for playing Walter White in Breaking Bad (2008–2013), then starred in Sneaky Pete (2015–2019) and Your Honor (2020–2023).
Dominic West Now: Where Is Sab Than From John Carter Today?
Dominic West starred as Sab Than, the Red Martian Jeddak of Zodanga. He is an impulsive, arrogant and aggressive king who eagerly accepts the help of the Therns to overthrow Helium to rule over the whole of Barsoom. Sab Than promotes war and conquest to his people.
West has appeared since 2019 in Brassic as Dr Chris Cox, a comedy. While he doesn’t often appear in comedies, the change was well-received by many of his fans. He also played Prince Charles in the Netflix drama The Crown (2022–2023), a role that earned him Golden Globe and Emmy nominations.
James Purefoy Now: What Happened to Kantos Kan in John Carter?
James Purefoy starred as Kantos Kan, an Odwar, or captain, on Mars. He served as part of the Heliumetic navy. Kantos Kan goes undercover and becomes an air scout in Zodanga to find princess Dejah. He becomes one of John Carter’s best friends in the process.
Purefoy starred in Marie Antoinette (2022) as Louis XV. As you can imagine, this TV series tells the notorious story of one of France’s last queens before the French Revolution. He also plays King Randor in Masters of the Universe (2026).
Samantha Morton Now: What Has Sola From John Carter Been Doing?
Samantha Morton plays the gentle and caring Sola, a member of the stoic and primitive Thark society. She has often been punished for her delicate nature, proven by the numerous scars that mar her back. She is eventually cast out of her society and becomes one of John Carter and Dejah’s companions. She is actually the one who teaches Carter to understand the language of those on Mars. She is unknowingly the daughter of Tars Tarkas, the king of her people.
Morton starred as Catherine de Medici in The Serpent Queen. This Starz series, which ran for two seasons from 2022 to 2024 before it was cancelled, is based on Leonie Frieda’s book Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France.
Ciarán Hinds Now: What Has Tardos Mors From John Carter Done Since?
Ciarán Hinds starred as Tardos Mors, the Jeddak, or king, of Helium and Dejah Thoris’ father. In 2022, he starred in Treason, the Netflix TV miniseries about the elusive MI6 as Sir Martin Angelis.
Daryl Sabara Now: Where Is John Carter’s Edgar Rice Burroughs Today?
Daryl Sabara starred as Edgar Rice Burroughs. This was a well-loved nod to fans of the books that inspired John Carter because Burroughs is actually the author of the original novels. In the film, he is the nephew of John Carter, and he receives a telegram that his uncle needs him urgently. Upon arrival at Carter’s mansion, he learns he is dead and finds Carter’s journals. The film’s story is actually told from the perspective of Carter’s journals, which are read by Edgar.
Daryl Sabara has yet to star in anything recently, not since voice acting for Ben 10 from 2016 to 2021. However, he is happily married to musician Meghan Trainor and has since appeared in some music videos.
We are still waiting to hear confirmation on whether there will be a live-action second film, let alone a completion of the initially planned trilogy. Still, fans of the books and the film fans can continue to hope.
Where to watch John Carter: John Carter is streaming on Disney+ in the US, and you can also rent or buy it from Apple TV, Amazon Video and Fandango At Home.
RELATED: John Carter 2: Could Disney’s Biggest Failure Get A Sequel On Disney+?
John Carter |
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Transported to Barsoom, a Civil War vet discovers a barren planet seemingly inhabited by 12-foot tall barbarians. Finding himself prisoner of these creatures, he escapes, only to encounter Woola and a princess in desperate need of a savior. |
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| Studio: Walt Disney Studios |
| Running Time: 132 minutes |
| Release Date: March 9, 2012 |
| Cast: Taylor Kitsch, Lynn Collins, Samantha Morton, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church, Mark Strong, Ciarán Hinds, Dominic West, Bryan Cranston |
| Director: Andrew Stanton |
| Writers: Andrew Stanton, Mark Andrews, Michael Chabon |
| Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi |
| Box Office: $284.1 million |
