Mark Strong - Mark Strong: John Carter looked dated

Mark Strong: John Carter looked dated

Mark Strong thinks 'John Carter' flopped because it looked dated.

The actor, who played the leader of a White Martian race called the Therns in last year's action-adventure, thinks critics were very ''harsh'' on the film, which grossed just under $210 million worldwide, despite a budget of $250 million.

Speaking on 'Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo's Film Review' on BBC 5 Live, he said: ''I really liked it, and I thought people were really harsh on it. It suffered from the fact that we have seen everything in it before.

''It was written at the turn of last century, and everything - 'Star Wars', 'Star Trek', even 'Tarzan' - all comes from it really. The idea of science fiction, Edgar Rice Burroughs was the granddaddy of it all.

''So there was nothing in there that really surprised anyone, and it looked a bit dated. I really enjoyed it, my kids enjoyed it, and people I know enjoyed it.''

The movie's director, Andrew Stanton, recently admitted he felt the project - which starred Taylor Kitsch as an American Civil War veteran transported to Mars - was ''doomed to fail'' even while filming was still ongoing.

He said: ''There was this weird air the summer before of Schadenfreude, of doomed to fail.

''It isn't a nice atmosphere to be in, but what can you do about it?''