Disney executives and director Robert Zemeckis look set to embark on a 3D remake of Yellow Submarine, the psychedelic 1968 musical starring the cartoon Beatles. The upgraded version is to use the performance capture techniques that Zemeckis employed on The Polar Express, Beowulf and his upcoming adaptation of A Christmas Carol.
The studio has already pencilled in a tentative release date of summer 2012. However, Variety suggests that the project could yet be scuppered if lawyers are unable to secure rights to the 16 original Beatles songs, including All You Need is Love and Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds.
Directed by George Durning, Yellow Submarine plays out in an underwater paradise that finds itself menaced by the music-hating "Blue Meanies". The Beatles' own contribution was limited. The group only agreed to the film as a means of fulfilling their movie contract and their characters were voiced by other actors. However, upon seeing the finished version, the Beatles agreed to appear as themselves in a live-action final scene.
Zemeckis's A Christmas Carol, which stars Jim Carrey as Scrooge, is released in the UK on November 6.
