Merrick here...

The guys over at Latino Review had a chance to talk to McG recently about his 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA project, and learned that director McG wants Will Smith to ride on something that's long and hard and full of seamen.

'Man I’m trying to get Will Smith to do it, been trying to get a hold of him. I've been wanting to work with him for a long time already. That guy's great"

...says McG in THIS REPORT at Latino Review.

I remember Ben Cross' tragically tepid Captain Nemo in 1997's TV adaptation of the same material, and it's difficult to imagine Smith being any worse (presuming McG's talking about casting Smith as Nemo - as opposed to 'Ned', the heroic lead). And if Smith were to play 'Ned' the heroic lead? Frankly, this feels like the wrong universe for Will.

Alas, no matter what McG & Co. do, they'll never equal this Captain Nemo project from 1978:

Yowza. I have that movie on disc somewhere; gotta dig it out and watch it now. Need to reinforce whatever standards I'm holding McG to...