A Master and Commander prequel may be in the works, according to 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell, who said he’s “trying so hard” to get one to happen.
What do we know about a Master and Commander prequel?
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Asbell was asked about a ton of different movies the company has planned in the pipeline. One of those, a prequel to the 2003 period drama, was brought up, to which Asbell said he was hoping to get one to happen at some point and that a script for the project is even ready.
“I’m trying so hard. It’s the first movie I worked on at Fox twenty years ago,” said Asbell. “We have a great script. It just needs the right director.”
Originally released in 2003, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World was directed by Peter Weir and starred Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany. The film told the story of the captain of a Royal Navy vessel and a surgeon who sailed alongside him. It was praised at the time for its epic battle sequences and use of practical filming, having actually filmed on the open sea in replica ships.
The movie was adapted from three novels in author Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey-Maturin series, which covers the story of Jack Aubrey and Dr. Stephen Maturin. While it’s unclear exactly what a prequel film would look like, there is tons of source material to cover. Aubrey-Maturin’s series stretches across 21 different novels, the latest of which is The Final Unfinished Voyage of Jack Aubrey, released in 2004.
(Source: The Hollywood Reporter)
