John Carter director Andrew Stanton has revealed he hopes the sci-fi epic could become like the Bond franchise, and continue for decades, UKPA reported.

The film, starring Taylor Kitsch as the Virginia cowboy who is accidentally transported to Mars where he becomes a superhuman hero, is based on the first of 11 books by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Andrew said he hopes all the books will be adapted now he has brought the Burroughs fantasy world to the big screen. He said: "I don't think I could live that long but I was always hoping it could be like a Bond series, whether it goes on to other actors, other directors, the stories will keep going on Mars."

He hailed Taylor as the superhero, saying: "He's beyond what I hoped for, he's just iconic. And this character is so mythic, and it needed real grounding, real personality and that's what Taylor brought to it."

Taylor is already signed up for two more movies, but is not sure he could make ten more.

Lynn Collins, who plays Princess Dejah, and Willem Dafoe, who plays alien warrior Tars Tarkas, are also signed up for two more films.

Rome star James Purefoy plays warrior Kantos Kan in the film, and revealed he is already looking forward to returning in the sequels.