Walt Disney Studios has debuted the first trailer for the upcoming film “John Carter” online. The sci-fi film is directed by Andrew Stanton (best known from his work at Pixar) and is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

The film is an action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). It tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

Video: Trailer for “John Carter”:

It’s expected that more will be revealed from “John Carter” at the upcoming Disney D23 Expo in August. The official “John Carter” web site is also live.

John Carter will hit theaters on March 9, 2012.