Is the Rock McG’s Captain Nemo? (Update: No, Says McG.)

Word from Production Weekly (via CHUD) is that The Rock has landed the lead role of Captain Nemo in “Terminator Salvation” director McG’s upcoming live-action take on the franchise, to be called “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo”. Originally, McG had been talking up Will Smith in the lead, perhaps as a way to gauge the actor’s interest. Apparently Big Willy isn’t all that interested, because The Rock’s name has since been attached to the leading role.

I still don’t know anything about Captain Nemo or “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, having neither seen the original films based on the story, or read the actual stories. Yes, I hate to admit it, but I’m pretty my a troglodyte when it comes to the classics of literature.

My only exposure to Nemo was when he showed up in Stephen Norrington’s 2003 adaptation of Alan Moore’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen” played by Naseeruddin Shah, who was appropriately Indian. The character, I believe, is also Indian, though that will probably change for the movie. Or at least, become ethnic-confused.

Justin Marks is currently re-writing the script, and production on the big-budget adventure is set to begin Down Under in Australia later this year.

Update: McG has denied reports to SciFiWire that The Rock has signed on as his film’s leading man. He states:

I don’t know where that came from. I’ve never spoken to Dwayne Johnson. You can be the first to report that I have no idea where that came from. I wish him every success, but I never spoke to Dwayne about this.

McG then reiterates that he still wants Will Smith as his Captain Nemo.

Below: Yeah, but will those biceps fit in the submarine?