20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954 film)

1954 film by Richard Fleischer January 2025 March 2012 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 20000leaguesposter.jpg Theatrical release poster Richard Fleischer Walt Disney Earl Felton Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas Jules Verne Kirk Douglas James Mason Paul Lukas Peter Lorre Paul Smith Franz Planer Elmo Williams Walt Disney Productions Buena Vista Distribution 1954 12 23 127 minutes United States English $5 millionhttp://www.archive.org/stream/variety201-1956-01#page/n522/mode/1up Disney's Fiscalities January 11, 1956 5 Variety August 25, 2019 Internet Archive $28.2 millionhttps://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1954/020LE.php Box Office Information for '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' The Numbers April 15, 2013 April 20, 2020 November 9, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131109214216/http://www.the-numbers.com/movies/1954/020LE.php dead 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea is a 1954 American science fiction adventure film from Walt Disney Productions. Adapted from Jules Verne's 1870 novel Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas, the film was directed by Richard Fleischer, from a screenplay by Earl Felton. It stars Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas, and Peter Lorre. Photographed in Technicolor, the film was one of the first feature-length motion pictures to be filmed in CinemaScope. It was Disney's first feature film to be distributed by Buena Vista Distribution. Upon its premiere on December 23, 1954, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was a critical and commercial success, with particular praise going towards Mason's performance as Captain Nemo. At the 27th Academy Awards, the film received three nominations, winning two—Best Art Direction and Best Special Effects. Plot In 1868, rumors spread of a sea monster attacking many ships in the Pacific Ocean. Professor Pierre Aronnax and his assistant, Conseil, are asked to investigate the scene. They board a U.S. Navy frigate with Ned Land, a master harpooner. After months of patrolling, the monster is spotted. The frigate's crew opens fire, but the monster rams the ship. Ned, Conseil, and Aronnax are thrown overboard, while the disabled frigate drifts away. While clinging to wreckage, Aronnax and Conseil come upon a metal vessel, realizing that the monster is a man-made "submerging boat", which appears deserted. Below deck, Aronnax finds a large viewport and witnesses an underwater funeral, while Ned arrives on an overturned longboat from their ship. Spotted by the divers, Ned, Aronnax, and Conseil attempt to leave in the longboat, but they are captured. The vessel's captain introduces himself as Captain Nemo, master of the Nautilus. He returns Ned and Conseil to the deck while offering Aronnax the chance to stay. After Aronnax proves willing to die with his companions as the ship submerges, Nemo allows Ned and Conseil to remain aboard. He explains that he has intentionally withdrawn from civilization, and that the sea provides all he needs. Arronax is amazed by Nemo's discoveries and inventions, including the advanced technology of the Nautilus and the crew's ability to harvest an abundance of sea creatures for food. The Nautilus arrives at a penal colony island, where the prisoners are loading a munitions ship. Nemo, who was once a prisoner there, rams the ship and destroys it. Nemo tells Aronnax that he has just saved thousands from death in war, and that "this hated nation" tortured his wife and son to death while attempting to force him to reveal his discoveries. In Nemo's cabin, Ned and Conseil discover the coordinates of Nemo's secret island base called Vulcania, where the Nautilus is now heading. Hoping to be rescued, Ned loads bottles with the coordinates and throws them overboard. Off the coast of New Guinea, the Nautilus becomes stranded on a reef. Nemo allows Ned to go ashore with Conseil, ostensibly to collect specimens, while admonishing them to stay on the beach. Ned instead goes exploring for avenues of escape, and finds human skulls posted on stakes. Ned runs back to Conseil, and they row away pursued by the cannibals. Aboard the Nautilus, the cannibals are repelled by electrical charges sent through its hull, and Nemo confines Ned for disobeying orders. A warship fires upon the Nautilus, which descends into the depths, attracting a giant squid. After an electric charge fails to repel the creature, Nemo and his men surface to fight it off. Nemo is caught by one of its tentacles, and Ned, having escaped from captivity, fatally harpoons it. He then saves Nemo, who had been pulled into the sea. Having had a change of heart, Nemo decides to make amends with human civilization. The Nautilus enters Vulcania through an underwater passage to avoid the warships that now surround it. Nemo rushes ashore to activate a time bomb, which will destroy all evidence of his discoveries, but he is shot and mortally wounded as he returns onboard. Nemo announces that he will be sinking with the ship, and the crew agrees to accompany him. Aronnax, Conseil, and Ned are confined to their cabins. Refusing to be part of the suicide pact, Ned escapes and brings the submarine to the surface. The Nautilus strikes a reef and begins to flood. Nemo dies while viewing his beloved undersea domain through the hull's viewport. Aronnax tries to retrieve his journal, but the urgency of their escape obliges Ned to knock him unconscious and carry him out. Aboard a skiff, the three companions witness Vulcania explode. As the Nautilus sinks, Nemo's last words to Aronnax echo: "There is hope for the future. And when the world is ready for a new and better life, all this will someday come to pass ... in God's good time." Cast thumb|Dinner aboard the Nautilus. From left to right: James Mason, Kirk Douglas, Peter Lorre, and Paul Lukas. Kirk Douglas as Ned Land James Mason as Captain Nemo Paul Lukas as Professor Pierre Aronnax Peter Lorre as Conseil Robert J. Wilke as Nautilus First Mate Ted de Corsia as Captain Farragut Carleton Young as John Howard J. M. Kerrigan as Billy Percy Helton as Coach driver Ted Cooper as Abraham Lincoln First Mate Fred Graham as Casey (uncredited stuntman)Freese Gene Scott Hollywood Stunt Performers, 1910s–1970s: A Biographical Dictionary Second 2014 978-0-786-47643-5 111 Jefferson, North Carolina McFarland & Company Laurie Mitchell as Hooker (uncredited debut)https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/laurie-mitchell-obit-8476488/ Laurie Mitchell, Villainess in 'Queen of Outer Space,' Dies at 90 Billboard 24 September 2018 Production Walt Disney first expressed interest in an adaptation of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas after seeing some marine footage and storyboards created by Harper Goff during the production of the True-Life Adventures series. At the time, the film rights were owned by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and King Brothers Productions. The film was originally conceived as an animated feature.20,000 Leagues Under the Sea https://catalog.afi.com/Film/51389-20000-LEAGUESUNDERTHESEA?sid=6d02b02d-d0ae-4e42-bdf6-c4af98dbe8f4&sr=14.847143&cp=1&pos=0 2022-02-09 AFI Catalog of Feature Films American Film Institute In November 1950, film producer Sid Rogell announced he had acquired the screen rights to the novel, as well as a film adaptation prepared by Robert L. Lippert's production company. He had planned to start filming within a year at the General Service Studios.Brady Thomas F. https://www.nytimes.com/1950/11/25/archives/court-dismisses-film-unions-suit-47000000-antitrust-action-against.html Court Dismisses Film Unions' Work subscription The New York Times 11 November 25, 1950 In December 1951, it was reported that Disney had purchased the film rights from Rogell.Schallert Edwin https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/381065575/ Neff Picked for 'Snows;' Caron, Angeli To Team; Disney to do Verne Film Los Angeles Times Part I, p. 13 December 28, 1951 Newspapers.com subscription Goff's storyboards and art designs formed the film's basis. 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was filmed at locations in The Bahamas and Jamaica, with the cave scenes filmed beneath what is now the Xtabi Resort on the cliffs of Negril. Other scenes were photographed in Nassau, Lyford Cay (where the 1916 version was filmed), and Death Valley. Filming took place between January 11 and June 19, 1954.Smith Dave Dave Smith (archivist) In a league of its own http://d23.disney.go.com/articles/120309_NF_FEAT_20000LeaguesDaveSmithD23.html D23 December 3, 2009 January 9, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20100906042231/http://d23.disney.go.com/articles/120309_NF_FEAT_20000LeaguesDaveSmithD23.html September 6, 2010 dead According to the two-disc DVD documentary, the scenes in San Francisco at the beginning were filmed at Universal Studios while most of the modeling shots were done at 20th Century Fox.Pf_acgvdKmE Sunset Squid Fight– 20,000 Leagues – unused monster sequenceFootage of the original, rejected giant squid attack sequence shows details of the filming. Note Some of the location filming sequences were so complex that they required a technical crew of more than 400 people. The production presented many other challenges. The famous giant squid attack sequence had to be entirely re-shot, as it was originally filmed as taking place at dusk and in a calm sea.Footage of the original, rejected giant squid attack sequence shows details of the filming. Note The sequence was filmed again, this time taking place at night and during a humongous thunderstorm, both to increase the drama and to better hide the cables and other mechanical workings of the animatronic squid.Bourne, Mark. "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Special Edition DVD." The DVD Journal, 2003. Retrieved: January 9, 2015. The film's total production cost has been reported as $5 million and $9 million respectively but,"The Reel Thing XXVII: Program Abstracts" Reel Thing, July 8, 2011. Retrieved: April 4, 2018. either way, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was the most expensive and ambitious feature film production mounted by Disney up to that time. Differences between novel and film The film was praised as faithfully adapting the novel. James W. Maertens writes that while this is true, "Close comparison of the novel and film reveals many changes, omissions, even reversals, which affect the story's fundamental concern (besides scientific education), a representation of class and gender, specifically masculinity, in the industrial age." Originally battery-powered in the novel, Captain Nemo (James Mason)'s submarine the Nautilus, is powered by atomic energy in the film. The novel's submarine is also a "streamlined, cigar shaped sub" while the film's is "a more ornate vessel". The film's director and screenwriter extracted "the most memorable scenes from the novel and freely reordered them under the assumption that viewers would not remember the novel's order of events." Goff and Disney based the Nautilus's design in the film on the interior of the Forth Bridge. In the novel, Nemo orders parts from various industries, secretly shipping them to an island for assembly, whom Maertens labeled "a logistical genius at manipulating Industrial Age manufacturing".Maertens James W. Brains, Brawn, and Masculine Desire in Walt Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Brode Douglas Brode Shea T. 2016 Debating Disney: Pedagogical Perspectives on Commercial Cinema Rowman & Littlefield 978-1-4422-6609-4 19–32 Music Rather than an authentic soundtrack recording of the film's score or dialogue, two vinyl studio cast record albums were released to coincide with the film's first two releases in 1954 and 1963. Both albums contained condensed and heavily altered versions of the film's script, without the usage of any of the film's cast for character voices. Both albums were narrated by Ned Land as opposed to Pierre Aronnax, who narrated the film and the original novel. Neither album mentioned Nemo as actually being "cracked" (i.e. insane), as the film does, and considerably sanitized the character by omitting any mention of him killing anyone. The albums had Nemo surviving at the end and releasing Ned, Arronax, and Conseil out of gratitude for their saving his life.ex89G23PnbM In this version, Ned, Aronnax and Conseil were not shipwrecked because the Nautilus rammed the ship they were on, but because a hurricane came up."More Golden Age Classics: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Kidde Records, July 15, 2011. Retrieved: May 31, 2013. The first album was issued in 1954 in conjunction with the film's original release, and starred William Redfield as the voice of Ned. This album, a book-and-record set, was issued as part of RCA Victor's Little Nipper series on two 45-RPM records."Walt Disney's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (Little Nipper Story Book Album)." Amazon. Retrieved: January 9, 2015.October 2018 The second album, released by Disneyland Records in 1963 in conjunction with the film's first re-release,"Label: Disneyland Records." Rate Your Music. Retrieved: January 9, 2015.y November 2024 was issued on one 331 3 RPM 12-inch LP with no accompanying booklet and no liner notes – the usual practice with most Disneyland label albums. It contained much more of the film's plot, but with many of the same alterations as the first album, so this recording was technically a remake of the earlier one. The cast for the 1963 album was uncredited. Neither album listed the film's credits or made any mention of the film's cast. A Whale of a TaleA single for the film's most memorable song "A Whale of a Tale", written by Norman Gimbel and Al Hoffman and sung by Kirk Douglas, was released in 1954 under the Decca Children's Series label. According to Douglas, the recording was "very popular at the time".Douglas Kirk https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780470376171 Let's Face It: 90 Years of Living, Loving, and Learning John Wiley & Sons 2007 9780470376171 Hoboke, New Jersey 89 en A Whale of a Tale The song "And the Moon Grew Brighter and Brighter", which Douglas had sung in the movie Man Without a Star, written by Lou Singer and Jimmy Kennedy, was the B-side. Both songs can be found on the 2008 digital release of the film's soundtrack."Soundtrack Details: '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'." Soundtrack Collector. Retrieved: January 9, 2015. Douglas also performed the song on The Ed Sullivan Show on December 5, 1954.10 Apr 2026 Kirk Douglas "A Whale Of A Tale" on The Ed Sullivan Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miut4MlKQAY live 28 Apr 2026 The Ed Sullivan Show YouTube Channel In the film, Johann Sebastian Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor is played by Nemo on the Nautilus's organ, but James Mason's playing is actually dubbed by an anonymous organist. Official soundtrack In January 2008, Walt Disney Records released a 26-track digital album containing the music of Paul Smith's original soundtrack score to 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, plus both sides of the "A Whale of a Tale" single, and a digital booklet companion that explores the music of the film. This was the first official release of the film score and was initially available only through the iTunes Store."Soundtrack: '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' by Various Artists." iTunes Store. Retrieved: January 9, 2015. Intrada released the same soundtrack on CD in 2011."Soundtrack Details: '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'." Intrada. Retrieved: January 9, 2015. The music for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was composed by Paul Smith, with Joseph Dubin acting as the orchestrator. Release On September 15, 1954, Variety reported that Disney and RKO Pictures had begun discussions on the distribution plans for 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.https://archive.org/details/variety195-1954-09/page/n170/mode/1up 'Leagues' Distrib Selling Plans To Be Set This Week Variety 5 September 15, 1954 May 22, 2024 Internet Archive A week later, it was reported that Disney decided to end his 17-year association with RKO, choosing instead to release the film through his newly formed distribution arm, Buena Vista Distribution. Overseas, the film was distributed by Walt Disney British Films Ltd, a studio-owned subsidiary in the UK, and other local distributors in international territories.https://archive.org/details/variety195-1954-09/page/n238/mode/1up Disney 100% Out of RKO Variety 7 September 22, 1954 May 22, 2024 Internet Archive On December 23, 1954, the film premiered at the Astor Theatre. It was released in 65 key cities across the United States two days later, on Christmas Day.https://archive.org/details/variety196-1954-12/page/n17/mode/1up 'League' Hits 65 Keys for Holiday Variety 18 December 1, 1954 May 22, 2024 Internet Archive The film was re-released in theaters in 1963 and 1971. Home media In September 1980, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea was made available for purchase or rental on videocassette, among other Disney films.Movies: Disney on cassettes https://www.newspapers.com/clip/76873031/the-philadelphia-inquirer/ The Philadelphia Inquirer 2-C June 24, 1980 May 22, 2024 Newspapers.com In 1992, Scott MacQueen, then-senior manager of Disney's library restoration, did an extensive digital restoration for the film's videocassette release. In May 2003, the film was released on a two-disc DVD set with supplemental features, including an audio commentary, deleted scenes (including the original squid fight albeit without sound), and an extensive making-of documentary. On the same day, the film was screened at the El Capitan Theatre, with Richard Fleischer introducing the film.King Susan https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-may-20-et-king20-story.html '20,000 Leagues' resurfaces on DVD Los Angeles Times May 20, 2003 May 22, 2024 limited A 1080p HD version from a 4K restoration was released on iTunes in 2014.http://notonbluray.com/blog/20000-leagues-under-the-sea-itunes-hd-review/ 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea – iTunes HD Review Not on Blu-ray March 17, 2014 In 2019, the film was released on Blu-ray via the Disney Movie Club. The film was made available to stream on Disney+ when the service launched in November 2019.https://attractionsmagazine.com/disney-plus-day-one-list/ Every Disney movie, TV show available day one on Disney+ 14 October 2019 Attractions Magazine Reception Box office During its opening weekend, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea opened in second place at the box office behind There's No Business Like Show Business (1954).National Boxoffice Survey December 29, 1954 3 https://archive.org/details/variety196-1954-12/page/n282/mode/1up Variety May 22, 2024 Internet Archive On its third weekend, the film became the number-one box office film in the United States, displacing Vera Cruz (1954).National Boxoffice Survey January 12, 1955 3 https://archive.org/details/variety197-1955-01-12/page/n2/mode/1up Variety May 22, 2024 Internet Archive.org It was dethroned by Vera Cruz on its fourth weekend, but the film reclaimed the number-one position on its fifth weekend.National Boxoffice Survey January 26, 1955 3 https://archive.org/details/variety197-1955-01-26/page/n2/mode/1up Variety May 22, 2024 Internet Archive By January 1956, the film had earned $8 million in distributor rentals at the box office from the United States and Canada,https://archive.org/details/variety201-1956-01/page/n83/mode/2up/ All Time Top Money Films Variety January 4, 1956 84 Internet Archive becoming the third highest-grossing film of 1954. Another account put its initial rentals in the US and Canada at $6,607,000.Variety https://archive.org/details/variety221-1961-01/page/n360/mode/1up? $16,700,000 Invested in Disney's Line up 3 18 January 1961 9 August 2024 Critical reaction Bosley Crowther of The New York Times stated that, "As fabulous and fantastic as anything he has ever done in cartoons is Walt Disney's 'live action' movie made from Jules Verne's 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Turned out in CinemaScope and color, it is as broad, fictitiously, as it is long (128 minutes), and should prove a sensation—at least with the kids."Crowther Bosley https://www.nytimes.com/1954/12/24/archives/the-screen-in-review-20000-leagues-in-128-fantastic-minutes.html The Screen in Review; '20,000 Leagues' in 128 Fantastic Minutes The New York Times 7 December 24, 1954 Pauline Kael wondered if the film would have been such a success had Kirk Douglas not been there to "destroy the illusion of the nineteenth century".The Age of Movies: Selected Writings of Pauline Kael (paperback) https://www.loa.org/books/348-the-age-of-movies-selected-writings-of-pauline-kael-paperback/ 2025-10-04 Library of America en-US Gene Arneel of Variety praised the film as "a special kind of picture making, combining photographic ingenuity, imaginative story telling and fiscal daring". He felt "Richard Fleischer's direction keeps the Disney epic moving at a smart clip, picking up interest right from the start and deftly developing each of the many tense moments ... Earl Felton's screenplay looks to be a combination of the best in the Verne original and new material to suit the screen form. It's a fine job of writing stimulating pic fare. Technical credits — underline the water photography — are excellent."Arneel Gene https://archive.org/details/variety196-1954-12/page/n149/mode/1up Film Reviews: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Variety 6 December 15, 1954 June 13, 2020 Internet Archive Kate Cameron of the New York Daily News praised the film as a "thrilling and absorbing adaptation"; she further wrote: "Richard Fleischer handled the direction of the film with vivid imagination. The underwater scenes are fascinating in their eerie beauty and the interesting glimpses they contain of marine life."Cameron Kate https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-kate-camerons-review-of-20/147889373/ 20,000 Leagues On Screen at Astor Theatre New York Daily News 13C December 24, 1954 May 22, 2024 Newspapers.com Philip K. Scheuer, reviewing for the Los Angeles Times, wrote: "Technically the film is a marvel itself, with actual underwater shot made in the Bahamas alternating with surface scale models that defy detection as such." He also praised Mason's performance, claiming "he lends depth and dimension to the stock figure of the 'mad genius.' The proof: he sometimes seems more pitied than scorned."Scheuer Philip K. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-philip-k-scheuer/147888492/ '20,000 Leagues' Top Adventure Film of the Year December 27, 1954 Los Angeles Times Part III, p. 9 Newspapers.com Harrison's Reports wrote: "Expertly utilizing the CinemaScope medium and Technicolor photography, he [Walt Disney] and his staff have fashioned a picture that is not only a masterpiece from the production point of view but also a great entertainment, the kind that should go over in a big way with all types of audiences."https://archive.org/details/harrisonsreports00harr_2/page/n237/mode/2up/ '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' with Kirk Douglas, James Mason, Paul Lukas and Peter Lorre Harrison's Reports 203 December 18, 1954 June 13, 2020 Internet Archive A review in the Chicago Tribune wrote, "Produced with care, in handsome color and peppered with humor, it's a nicely balanced dose of old supposition and modern fact."https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune/147888957/ Disney Puts Lots of Verve in Verne Tale Chicago Daily Tribune Part 2, p. 5 December 30, 1954 May 22, 2024 Newspapers.com Contemporary film critic Steve Biodrowski said that the film is "far superior to the majority of genre efforts from the period (or any period, for that matter), with production design and technical effects that have dated hardly at all." Biodrowski also added that the film "may occasionally succumb to some of the problems inherent in the source material (the episodic nature does slow the pace), but the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses, making this one of the greatest science-fiction films ever made."Biodrowski Steve http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2007/08/25/hollywood-gothique-captain-nemo-double-bill/ https://web.archive.org/web/20071025195455/http://cinefantastiqueonline.com/2007/08/25/hollywood-gothique-captain-nemo-double-bill/ Hollywood Gothique: Captain Nemo Double Bill Cinefantastique October 25, 2007 August 25, 2007 One reviewer gave the film five out of five, praising the film for its "story, dialogue, acting and overall bonhomie".https://film-authority.com/2020/03/28/20000-leagues-under-the-sea-1954/ 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea 1954 Film-authority.com March 28, 2020 August 10, 2026 Mark Bourne praised "its elaborate special effects and art direction, the faultless performances (especially Mason's), and unbeatable deep-sea adventure storytelling" However, he thought the portrayals of the natives to be "stereotypical".The DVD Journal 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Special Edition https://www.dvdjournal.com/reviews/00/20000leagues.shtml 2026-01-18 www.dvdjournal.com Jason Seiver praised the film's story, setting, and visuals but criticized the humor.https://dvdizzy.com/20000leagues.html 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea DVD Review Dvdizzy.com August 10, 2026 On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 91% based on 32 reviews, with an average rating of 7.70/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "One of Disney's finest live-action adventures, 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea brings Jules Verne's classic sci-fi tale to vivid life, and features an awesome giant squid."https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1000079-20000_leagues_under_the_sea/ 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (1954) Rotten Tomatoes March 25, 2024 Accolades Award Category Recipients Result27th Academy Awardshttp://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/1955 The 27th Academy Awards (1955) Nominees and Winners June 13, 2020 oscars.org October 4, 2014 Best Art Direction – Color John Meehan, Emile Kuri rowspan="2" Best Special Effects John Hench, Joshua Meador Best Film Editing Elmo Williams National Board of Review Awards 1954http://nationalboardofreview.org/award-names/top-films/ Top Films Archives National Board of Review June 13, 2020 Top Ten Films 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Saturn Awardshttp://www.saturnawards.org/past.html Past Saturn Awards Saturn Awards.org May 7, 2008 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20080914184217/http://www.saturnawards.org/past.html September 14, 2008 mdy Best DVD Classic Film Release Online Film & Television Association Awardshttp://www.oftaawards.com/film-hall-of-fame/film-hall-of-fame-productions/ Film Hall of Fame Productions Online Film & Television Association May 15, 2021 Hall of Fame – Motion Picture Inducted The film's primary art director Harper Goff, who designed the fictitious Nautilus submarine, was not a member of the Art Directors Union. Therefore, under a bylaw within the Academy of Motion Pictures, he was unable to receive his Academy Award for Art Direction."Spotlight: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved: January 9, 2015. Legacy Parodies August 2026 Saturday Night Live performed a parody of the film during the 17th episode of the 19th season, with host Kelsey Grammer playing Captain Nemo.Saturday Night Live Kelsey Grammer/Dwight Yoakam https://watch.plex.tv/show/saturday-night-live/season/19/episode/17 Plex Sketches include "Hillary Clinton's Investment Tips," "Majestic Caribbean Cruise Line," "Inhibited Dance Party USA," "The Giulianis at Opening Day," "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea," "CBS Sunday Morning," "Something Smells Good in Stinkville" (three parts), "Captain Jim & Pedro at Footlocker," "Captain Jim & Pedro Books," and "I Am A Man." September 1, 2025Saturday Night Live Kelsey Grammer/Dwight Yoakam Connections https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0694633/movieconnections/?ref_=tt_dyk_cnn IMDb September 1, 2025 Phil Hartman acted as Ned Land, Mike Myers as Professor Aronnax, and Rob Schneider as Conseil. The conceit is that Land and the other crew don't understand that the leagues refer to horizontal distance, not vertical depth. Rather than hunting sea monsters or visiting islands, Nemo spends the trip trying to educate them about distance measurements, using a globe, the depth meter, and drawings on a blackboard. Aronnax decides they are on a journey to the center of the Earth. A giant squid attacks the vessel and seizes Nemo. Land exclaims that it is so big, it must be 20,000 leagues long. Nemo is delighted that he has finally been understood before being dragged away. Land delivers a voice-over for the conclusion: "The entire crew of the Nautilus, all 20,000 leagues of them, searched for Captain Nemo for over 20,000 leagues and nights. 20,000 leagues later, they still hadn't found a trace of Captain Nemo, the man they called 'Old 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'." Nemo's voice is heard yelling, "Noooooo..."April 9, 1994 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea SNL Skit https://www.tiktok.com/@disney20kluts/video/7268520321496501546?lang=en disney20kluts on TikTok September 1, 2025 In Disney resorts thumb|20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage at Walt Disney World in 1979 Disneyland used the original sets as a walk-through attraction from 1955 to 1966. Walt Disney World Resort's Magic Kingdom also had a dark ride named 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Submarine Voyage from 1971 to 1994 which consisted of a submarine ride, complete with the giant squid attack, and an arrangement of the main theme from the 1954 film playing on Captain Nemo's organ in the background. For this ride, voice artist Peter Renaday stood in for James Mason in the role of Captain Nemo.http://www.20kride.com/photos_below.html 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. 20K Ride January 9, 2015 In 1994, a walkthrough attraction opened at Disneyland Paris, named Les Mystères du Nautilus.http://www.photosmagiques.com/gallery/disneyland-park/discoveryland/les-mysteres-du-nautilus/ Les Mystères du Nautilus. Photos Magiques September 29, 2011 January 9, 2015 In 2001, a dark ride was created at Tokyo DisneySea.Wilson Shellie http://notcraft.craftgossip.com/review-tokyo-disneyland-and-disneysea-part-2-tokyo-disneysea/2012/06/10/ Review: Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea – Part 2: Tokyo DisneySea. Craft Gossip June 10, 2012 January 9, 2015 The exterior to The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Undersea Adventure contains a silhouette of the Nautilus in a rock wall.https://touringplans.com/blog/2016/04/20/walt-disney-world-relics-tributes-magic-kingdom/ Walt Disney World Relics and Tributes: The Magic Kingdom Savannah Sanders TouringPlans.com April 20, 2016 24 February 2019 The tiki bar Trader Sam's Grog Grotto at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort serves a cocktail called the "Nautilus"https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/dining/polynesian-resort/trader-sams-grog-grotto/menus/ Trader Sam's Grog Grotto menu 24 February 2019 Disney World Disney which is served in a stylized drinking vessel resembling the submarine,https://secure.cdn1.wdpromedia.com/resize/mwImage/1/640/360/75/dam/wdpro-assets/gallery/dining/resort-dining/polynesian-resort/trader-sams-grog-grotto/trader-sams-grog-grotto-gallery05.jpg Trader Sam's Nautilus cocktail vessel secure.cdn1.wdpromedia.com and features a dive helmet and a mechanical squid tentacle that pours liquor behind the bar.https://cflas.org/2015/03/29/trader-sams-grog-grotto-a-true-dive-bar/ Trader Sam's Grog Grotto: Drinking You 20,000 Leagues Under The Table Travis Fillmen Central Florida Aquarium Society March 29, 2015 24 February 2019 Comic book adaptation Dell Four Color #614 (February 1955)12145 Dell Four Color #614issue 193573 Dell Four Color #614 Remake and prequel In January 2009, Variety reported that a live-action remake titled 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea: Captain Nemo was being planned with McG attached to direct. The film served as an origin story for Captain Nemo, as he builds his warship, the Nautilus.Fleming Michael https://variety.com/2009/film/news/mcg-to-direct-disney-s-leagues-1117998080/ McG to direct Disney's 'Leagues' Variety January 6, 2009 January 9, 2015 McG had remarked that it would be "much more in keeping with the spirit of the novel" than Richard Fleischer's film, in which it would reveal "what Aronnax is up to and the becoming of Captain Nemo, and how the man became at war with war itself". It was written by Bill Marsilli, with Justin Marks and Randall Wallace brought in to do rewrites.https://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=56966 Randall Wallace to Rewrite 'Captain Nemo' ComingSoon.net July 8, 2009 January 9, 2015 September 30, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120930194857/http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=56966 dead The film was to be produced by Sean Bailey with McG's Wonderland Sound and Vision.Graser Marc https://variety.com/2009/film/news/justin-marks-rewriting-nemo-1118000058/ Justin Marks rewriting 'Nemo' Variety February 11, 2009 January 9, 2015 McG once suggested that he wanted Will Smith as Captain Nemo, but he reportedly turned down the part.Vejvoda Jim http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/945/945281p1.html Finding McG's Nemo https://web.archive.org/web/20090221090207/http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/945/945281p1.html dead February 21, 2009 IGN January 15, 2009 January 9, 2015Morris Clint http://www.moviehole.net/200920432-exclusive-sam-on-nemo Exclusive: Sam downplays 'Nemo' https://web.archive.org/web/20100626010420/http://www.moviehole.net/200920432-exclusive-sam-on-nemo dead June 26, 2010 Moviehole.net August 21, 2009 January 9, 2015 As a second possible choice, McG had mentioned Sam Worthington, with whom he worked on Terminator Salvation (2009), though they did not hold serious discussions. In November 2009, the project was shelved by then-Walt Disney Pictures chairman Rich Ross, after $10 million had been spent on pre-production work. Prior to the announcement, McG and Bailey had been notified of the project's cancellation.Eller Claudia Chimelewksi Dawn C. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-nov-18-et-nemo18-story.html Disney sinks 'Captain Nemo' Los Angeles Times November 18, 2009 June 2, 2020 During the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, director David Fincher announced plans of directing 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea for Walt Disney Pictures based on a script by Scott Z. Burns.Rosenberg Adam http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/07/28/exclusive-david-fincher-confirms-that-work-continues-on-20000-leagues-under-the-sea/ Exclusive: David Fincher Confirms That Work Continues On '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea' MTV Movies Blog dead July 28, 2010 September 9, 2015 January 9, 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150909035751/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2010/07/28/exclusive-david-fincher-confirms-that-work-continues-on-20000-leagues-under-the-sea/ While Fincher was wrapping up The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), it was speculated that 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea would enter principal photography by late 2012.Davis Edward http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/sony-officially-planning-to-make-dragon-tattoo-sequels-but-david-fincher-is-looking-to-direct-20-000-leagues-instead Sony Officially Plans To Make 'Dragon Tattoo' Sequels, But David Fincher Is Looking To Direct '20,000 Leagues' Instead https://web.archive.org/web/20130605141056/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/sony-officially-planning-to-make-dragon-tattoo-sequels-but-david-fincher-is-looking-to-direct-20-000-leagues-instead dead June 5, 2013 IndieWire January 9, 2012 January 9, 2015 In the meantime, Fincher began courting Brad Pitt to play the role of Ned Land while the film was kept on hold.Sneider Jeff https://variety.com/2012/film/news/fincher-scopes-out-brad-pitt-for-20-000-leagues-1118060967/ Director courts frequent collaborator for role of harpoonist Ned Land. Variety October 18, 2012 January 9, 2015 In February 2013, it was announced that Pitt had officially turned down the role.Dibdin Emma http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/news/a460011/brad-pitt-turns-down-david-finchers-20000-leagues-under-the-sea.html Brad Pitt 'turns down David Fincher's '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Digital Spy February 12, 2013 January 9, 2015 In April 2013, it was announced that the Australian government would provide a one-off incentive of $20 million in order to secure the production.Bullbeck Pip https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-s-20000-leagues-under-432259 Disney's '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' Confirmed For Australia Shoot' The Hollywood Reporter April 2, 2013 January 9, 2015 Despite this, the film was put on hold again the following month due to complications in casting a lead.Child Ben https://www.theguardian.com/film/2013/may/20/brad-pitt-passes-20000-leagues-under-the-sea 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea remake put on hold The Guardian May 20, 2013 January 9, 2015 In July 2013, Fincher dropped out to direct the film adaptation of Gone Girl.Davis Edward http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/exclusive-andrew-kevin-walker-rewriting-dragon-tattoo-sequel-david-finchers-20-000-leagues-is-dead-20130717 Exclusive: Andrew Kevin Walker Rewriting 'Dragon Tattoo' Sequel; David Fincher's '20,000 Leagues' Is Dead dead https://web.archive.org/web/20130720030024/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/exclusive-andrew-kevin-walker-rewriting-dragon-tattoo-sequel-david-finchers-20-000-leagues-is-dead-20130717 July 20, 2013 IndieWire July 17, 2013 January 9, 2015 Fincher revealed in an interview that he left the film because he wanted Channing Tatum for Ned Land, but Disney wanted Chris Hemsworth for the role.Jagernauth Kevin http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/david-fincher-says-differences-over-casting-and-disneys-corporate-culture-stalled-20-000-leagues-under-the-sea-20140915 David Fincher Says Differences Over Casting And Disney's Corporate Culture Stalled '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea' https://web.archive.org/web/20140918195018/http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/david-fincher-says-differences-over-casting-and-disneys-corporate-culture-stalled-20-000-leagues-under-the-sea-20140915 September 18, 2014 Indie Wire September 15, 2014 January 9, 2015 Additionally, the money originally allocated for the production of this film was redirected towards Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017).Child Ben https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/sep/01/pirates-of-the-caribbean-5-shoot-australia/ Pirates of the Caribbean 5 gets green light to shoot in Australia The Guardian September 1, 2014 January 9, 2015 In February 2016, Disney announced that it was planning a live-action film titled Captain Nemo, with James Mangold directing.February 25, 2016 Ford Rebecca https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wolverine-helmer-james-mangold-direct-869705 'Wolverine' Helmer James Mangold to Direct Disney's 'Captain Nemo' The Hollywood Reporter Mangold left the project to instead direct Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023).29 August 2021 Williams Jordan Why Disney's 20,000 Leagues Adaptation Has Taken So Long: Every Failed Version https://screenrant.com/20000-leagues-under-sea-disney-movie-show-delays-cancelled/ ScreenRant In August 2021, it was announced that a ten-episode miniseries titled Nautilus was in development. The series will be an origin story about Captain Nemo and will be written by James Dormer, who will co-produce with Johanna Devereaux.23 August 2021 Ritman Alex Disney+ Orders 'Nautilus' Series Based on Jules Verne Classic '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/disney-nautilus-20000-leagues-under-sea-adaptation-1235001471/ The Hollywood Reporter In November 2021, Shazad Latif was cast in the lead role while Michael Matthews will direct the series.https://deadline.com/2021/11/shazad-latif-captain-nemo-disney-nautilus-michael-matthews-1234872277/ Shazad Latif Tapped To Play Captain Nemo In Disney+ Series 'Nautilus', Michael Matthews On Board To Direct Deadline Kroll Justin November 12, 2021 November 12, 2021 In August 2023, Disney pulled out from the project due to its cost-reduction strategy to its streaming platforms.Andreeva Nellie August 27, 2023 Disney+ Not Going Forward With 'Nautilus' UK Series As Part Of Cost-Cutting Content Removal https://deadline.com/2023/08/nautilus-canceled-disney-plus-uk-series-cost-cutting-content-removal-1235529143/ May 22, 2024 Deadline en-US In October 2023, the AMC television channel acquired the series and began airing it on June 29, 2025.White Peter https://deadline.com/2023/10/nautilus-amc-disney-1235587237/ Captain Nemo Series 'Nautilus' Docks At AMC After Disney+ UK Cancelation Deadline October 30, 2023 May 22, 2024 See also List of underwater science fiction works Mysterious Island, a 1961 film by Columbia Pictures, based on Verne's 1874 novel The Mysterious Island, which was a sequel to two of Verne's earlier novels: In Search of the Castaways (also known as Captain Grant's Children) (1867) and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas (1870) In Search of the Castaways, a 1962 Disney film based on Verne's 1867 novel In Search of the Castaways (a.k.a. Captain Grant's Children) Atlantis: The Lost Empire, a 2001 Disney animated film that would share much of the same design language as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Notes Note References Bibliography Douglas Kirk The Ragman's Son: An Autobiography https://archive.org/details/ragmanssonaut00doug_0/ 1989 New York Pocket Books 0-671-63718-5 registration Schickel Richard Richard Schickel The Disney Version: The Life, Times, Art and Commerce of Walt Disney https://archive.org/details/disneyversionlif00schi_0 Chicago Ivan R. Dee 1968 1997 Third 978-1-56663-158-7 registration Warren Bill Bill Warren (film historian and critic) Keep Watching the Skies: American Science Fiction Films of the Fifties https://archive.org/details/keepwatchingskie00iiwarr 21st Century Jefferson, North Carolina McFarland & Company 1982 2009 978-0-89950-032-4 registration External links 0046672 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea at DBCult Film Institute 20642 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea at YouTube Category:1954 films Category:1954 children's films Category:1950s science fiction adventure films Category:American science fiction adventure films Category:1954 English-language films Category:Films adapted into comics Category:Films based on Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas Category:Films based on science fiction novels Category:Films directed by Richard Fleischer Category:Films produced by Walt Disney Category:Films scored by Paul Smith (composer) Category:Films set in San Francisco Category:Films set in the Pacific Ocean Category:Films set in 1868 Category:Films shot in Jamaica Category:Films shot in the Bahamas Category:Films that won the Best Visual Effects Academy Award Category:Films whose production designer won the Best Production Design Academy Award Category:Sea adventure films Category:Underwater civilizations in fiction Category:Walt Disney Pictures films Category:American CinemaScope films Category:Films set in New Guinea Category:1954 American films Category:English-language science fiction adventure films Category:1954 science fiction films