"Race To Save Planet X" ..A Witch Mountain Based Replacement For HISTA?

[Ride Warrior]

Dwayne Johnson: All About Dwayne Johnson - Moviefone

Dwayne Johnson Filmography


While reading filmography information on Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), I recently stumbled across a curious upcoming Disney film that is being referred to on several movie sites as "Untitled Tomorrowland Project". Fandango, Moviefone, MTV Netflix and IMDb (the Internet Movie Database) each list Johnson as starring in this future project said to be released January 1, 2010. Screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore are said to be scripting the picture. It is described as an action adventure fantasy sci-fi flic set in space, and inspired by the Tomorrowland section in Disney parks. Note: Jon Lucus is also scripting Snow and the Seven.

The producers are said to be Mark Clardi and Gordon Gray. Other details include Buena Vista as the distributor and Mayhem Pictures as the production company. Based on all of this information, it is not unreasonable to draw the conclusion that the movie might be for a Tomorrowland attraction. We can safely rule out StarTours as George Lucas is not mentioned as being associated with it, and Dwaine Johnson has nothing to do with the franchise ..and definitely would not take the leading role in it.

By process of deduction, the only film-based Tomorrowland attraction left to consider is Honey, I Shrunk The Audience. The 4-D adventure exists at Disneyland's Tomorrowland, TDL's Tomorrowland (as Micro Adventure), DLP's Discoveryland equivalent to Tomorrowland, and will likely be added to HKDL's Tomorrowland when that park's expansion takes place. It is doubtful though not out of the question that WDW may one day move it's StarTours (especially a new version) to the Magic Kingdom's Tomorrowland.

How exciting a Race To Witch Mountain based 4-D experince would be! A brief recap of the film for those that did not see it. Johnson plays the part of Jack Bruno, a misfit ex-con cab driver shuddling passengers to and from a UFO convention held at Planet Hollywood. He meets Dr. Alex Friedman (Carla Gugino), a gifted but discredited outcast scientist that specializes in UFO's and astophisics. Two humanlike child aliens from a distant planet inlist the help of Jack and Dr. Friedman in an effort to save their world and ours from militant killer Siphons ..monsterous creatures created for the purpose of destroying targetted victims. The kids have telekinetic and mindreading powers.

A Siphon assasin is after the two children in order to prevent them from finding an object that contains their scientist parents' results from a research experiment having to do with Earth's atmosphere. The kids find it, but require Jack and Alex to protect them from the alien monster as they race to find their crashed and confescated (by medling U.S. government authorities) spaceship. As a result, Jack, Alex and the kids end up battling the Siphon, as well as rogue government agents and associated military forces.

For the purposes of telling how I think the movie leads into the Tomorrowland replacement attraction for HISTA, it is necessary to reveal how the movie ends. However, I will discretely wrap this in a spoiler.

Spoiler

The spaceship is found and the children are able to travel safely back to their planet, with the research in their hands. Prior to leaving, they give Jack and Alex an intergalactic homing mechanism that allows the children to contact them whenever needed. They also enhance Jack's cerebral cortex in order for him to have mindreading capacity, as they do.

That said, one can see that the story is set to continue in the form of a movie-based replacement for HISTA. The new plot could envolve the children contacting Jack and Alex in order to bring them to their planet to help them battle Siphons, and likely other enemies as well. Somehow, our heroes would be provided with a spaceship in order to race to the aide of the childen on their Planet X.

If you read, the spoiler, you will be able to see the logic in the title I postulated and gave as a name for the attraction. If I am correct about Witch Mountain being the basis for the HISTA replacement, the name of the actual attraction would likely be something completely different. However, if the home planet that the children came from becomes a part of the potential attraction's title, then Disney would likely give the planet a name other than Planet X.

In the meantime, Race To Save Planet X makes good logical sense to me. Nevertheless, my main idea or projection is that HISTA will be replaced by a space film of some sort, starring Dwaine Johnson ..likely an attraction that is based on Race To Witch Mountain. January 1, 2010 is a ways away, but still seems like a quick turnover. Still, the HISTA theater should lend itself to the instillation of another 3-D film fairly quickly.

Of further consideration is the fact that release dates can always be set back. I would suspect a new film and other show elements could easily be installed and ready to go at some point during 2010 or 2011. In line with the Tomorrowland renovation, something will definitely be done with HISTA during that time line.

[migy21]

sounds interesting...

[Sosai X]

An interesting premise.. they should take it even further.. add in the Alien Encounter technology from WDW..

[Renovatio430]

Hate to break it to ya but that film isn't going to be a replacement attraction as cool as it sounds. It will be in fact a feature film by Disney that just so happens to have its working title be "Tomorrowland"

Disney Turning Tomorrowland Into a Feature Film, Too?! FirstShowing.net

The article further goes on to say that the film might not even be based on the land itself or even end up being titled Tomorrowland.

[Ride Warrior]

Originally Posted by Renovatio430

Hate to break it to ya but that film isn't going to be a replacement attraction as cool as it sounds. It will be in fact a feature film by Disney that just so happens to have its working title be "Tomorrowland"

Disney Turning Tomorrowland Into a Feature Film, Too?! FirstShowing.net

The article further goes on to say that the film might not even be based on the land itself or even end up being titled Tomorrowland.

Yes. I read this article prior to creating this thread and postulating my idea. This article itself is nothing more than speculation ..interesting as it is. Not going to say that the film will not be realeased in theaters, but Disney is not acknowledging anything about the film and how it will be used.

So for the time being, my notion as to how the film might be used is as valid a projection as those that wrote the article you posted here. Besides, it would be totally bizarre and silly creating a theatrical feature film about Tomorrowland ..especially when the land is in such disarray (and with major attractions based on different film franchises). It would be far more logical to make an attraction film starring Dwaine Johnson. They've got a winning combination between him and Race To Witch Mountain.

[daragez]

looks interesting!....nice info!...

[Ride Warrior]

Originally Posted by Sosai X

An interesting premise.. they should take it even further.. add in the Alien Encounter technology from WDW..

Great idea! Imagine that Alien Encounter technology would fit the current HISTA theater without too any problems. Doesn't have to remain the same type of 4-D attraction that has forever. I say, on with the future!

[Ride Warrior]

Originally Posted by migy21

sounds interesting...

Cool.

Originally Posted by daragez

looks interesting!....nice info!...

Very much appreciate the acknowledgement.

[queenJ]

Originally Posted by Ride Warrior

Yes. I read this article prior to creating this thread and postulating my idea. This article itself is nothing more than speculation ..interesting as it is. Not going to say that the film will not be realeased in theaters, but Disney is not acknowledging anything about the film and how it will be used.

That is not surprising! they will probably rename it or come up with a different thing. In the meantime they would like to get feedbacks on the concept. Very smart.

[PhantomBoy]

Well with my side of the view Isn't Escape To Witch Mountain was a classic disney movie so why like do it now when it was a classic movie can someone please help me with it.
Anyway i find it really intesting when i heard about it im really confused lol.

[Ride Warrior]

Originally Posted by queenJ

That is not surprising! they will probably rename it or come up with a different thing. In the meantime they would like to get feedbacks on the concept. Very smart.

When it comes to gaging public opinion, the folks at Disney are pretty darned sly.

If the film is to become a new film having to do Tomorrowland, it wouldn't be on the entire land. That would include a hodge podge of other movie thenes ..Toy Story, StarWars, Finding Nemo. It would be rediculous. The only thing that would make commercial sense would be to make Space Mountain a new movie franchise, like Pirates.

Still, the film very well could be intended as part of a HISTA replacement.

[stevo505]

Originally Posted by Ride Warrior

Wheb it comes to gaging public opinion, the folks at Disney are pretty darned sly.

If the film being is to become a new film having to do Tomorrowland, it wouldn't be on the entire land. That would include a hodge podge of other movie thenes ..Toy Story, StarWars, Finding Nemo. it would be rediculous. The only thing that would make commercial sense would be to make Space Mountain a new movie franchise, like Pirates.

Still, the film very well could be intended as part of a HISTA replacement.

Isn't the next ride-based movie going to be Jungle Cruise?

[Ride Warrior]

Originally Posted by PhantomBoy

Well with my side of the view Isn't Escape To Witch Mountain was a classic disney movie so why like do it now when it was a classic movie can someone please help me with it.
Anyway i find it really intesting when i heard about it im really confused lol.

Disney played off the popular name of Witch Mountain in order to get more people to see it. The game plan worked, I might add. Rather than being a sequel, Race To Witch Mountain is a re-imagining of the classic film. In name, Witch Mountain actually has little to do with this film.

Disney could have called the mountain anything they chose, and it wouldn't have compromised the theme of the movie. However, the characters of the boy and girl from the original reappeared as adults during the tavern scenes.

[Ride Warrior]

Originally Posted by stevo505

Isn't the next ride-based movie going to be Jungle Cruise?

Very good point. Disney has leaked to the press that it has current plans to make Jungle Cruise into a feature film. Thanks for bringing this up stevo. This adds credance to my idea that the new space themed film would most likely be for a HISTA replacement ..and quite possibly based on Race To Witch Mountain.

[bigwavedave]

Just wondering how old is HISTA, and is there any real chatter out there of any real change.