Toy Story 5 Director Finally Weighs In on His Biggest Disney Flop’s Cult Comeback

Every few years, some Hollywood orphan gets adopted by the internet. Right now, it is John Carter. And the guy who made it, Andrew Stanton — yes, the one steering Toy Story 5 — is clocking the shift.

Stanton on John Carter's second life

In a recent interview, the 60-year-old filmmaker was told that chatter about his 2012 sci-fi epic keeps bubbling up online. His first reaction was pure, amused disbelief:

"Has it?"

Then he admitted this happens to him on sets all the time.

"This always happens at least once on every set. We’ll be about to roll, and a grip will whisper to me, 'John Carter.' And I always say to them, 'You don’t have to whisper anymore.'

As for the delayed appreciation, Stanton sounded more zen than bitter. He figures the audience was always there — the release just didn’t line up with the people who would actually love it.

"I firmly believe there was always that audience. We just didn’t understand that, and we didn’t cater to them [in whatever way]; it got overlooked. But it’s nice to know there was an audience for it, and that it’s founded."

He also dropped a thought that should be stitched on every filmmaker’s tote bag:

"The nice thing about finishing a piece of creative work — whether it’s a book or an album or a movie — is that it’s there for people to find for the rest of time. Unless it’s banned, it can’t be stopped."

The quick refresher

• John Carter hit theaters on March 9, 2012.
• Directed by Andrew Stanton, it stars Taylor Kitsch in the title role.
• It landed with a thud at the box office, then slowly picked up fans who now won’t shut up about it online.

Call it a cult comeback, call it a correction — either way, Stanton sees it, hears it on set, and seems genuinely happy the movie finally found its people.