Taylor Kitsch shows his action-adventure prowess in a new trailer for “John Carter,” the sci-fi movie based on a novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, of Tarzan fame. This story, however, takes place on Mars.

Kitsch plays the protagonist John Carter, a weary Confederate Civil War captain, who is mysteriously transported to Mars, where he finds a decaying civilization deep in the throes of… you got it, war.

The planet, which the natives call “Barsoom,” is dying as its oceans evaporate and its atmosphere dissipates.

As a result, Barsoom’s inhabitants engage in almost constantly warfare in a fight for survival.

Carter meets leader Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) who is at war against the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins).

The trailer features the planet’s inhabitants, green-skinned barbarians who are 12 feet tall, with four arms and long tusks.

Princess Dejah Thoris is a humanoid Red Martian.

Carter realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands and decides to save their civilization, which is on the brink of collapse.

In the process, he rediscovers, in an alien world, the humanity that he lost on his home planet, according to Disney.

“John Carter” is largely based on the book “A Princess of Mars,” the first novel in the series to feature the character.

Burroughs wrote an 11-volume series on Barsoom, so expect to see sequels if the film flies.

It’s being shot in 3-D and IMAX 3-D with Andrew Stanton directing and Stanton, Mark Andrews and Michael Chabon handling script duties.

Stanton previous worked on Pixar animated films “Finding Nemo” and “WALL-E.” Both were hits.

The $250 million Disney production is one of a number science fiction films in the works.

The genre is undergoing a bit of a renaissance since the unqualified success of James Cameron’s “Avatar.”

Director Ridley Scott has jumped back into the mix with “Prometheus” a science fiction thriller starring Charlize Theron.

Scott directed the classic 1979 sci-fi horror film “Alien,” with Sigorney Weaver, which spawned three sequels.

He also directed the 1982 cult classic “Blade Runner,” with Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young and Daryl Hannah.

A sequel, or prequel, is in the works, which Scott has agreed to helm, with production to start no later than 2013.

In the meantime, check out the trailer below: