Can a Pixar Whiz Conquer Live Action?

In the new Walt Disney film John Carter, a Civil War veteran transported to Mars fights giant saber-toothed apes and four-armed, sword-wielding aliens. Things are only a little less scary here on earth, where the pricey picture—researcher Box Office Mojo pegs its cost at about $250 million, not counting marketing—is already battling bad buzz, reports of cost overruns, and criticism of Disney’s early marketing.

Hollywood studios in recent years have made fewer, more expensive films that can spawn sequels and become long-lived franchises. When it works, the payoff is big: The Harry Potter string of eight films has brought in $7.7 billion at the box office. But for every Toy Story, there’s a The Adventures of Pluto Nash, which made back less than a 10th its estimated $100 million budget through ticket sales.