Posted on 12/13/2005 6:33:36 AM PST by AD from SpringBay
According to a source at Disney who requested anonymity Prince Caspian, the second story in the Chronicles of Narnia, has been greenlit for a December 2007 theatrical release. Disney was hoping for a $60 million opening weekend for The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and since the film’s opening exceeded their expectation they are moving forward.
Don’t expect an official announcement until later in the week or possibly as late as January. Adamson hasn’t decided whether he will direct the new film, but most think he will be back. The script is very nearly finished, and the general feeling is that with a lot of the tech in place for the picture (e.g. Aslan) they could start the shoot on New Zealand’s South Island as early as this summer.
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That's exactly why I made sure to go opening weekend.
I was wondering how they might do this.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is (in Narnian time) actually the second book in the series.
The first book, the Magician's Nephew, is the story of the creation of Narnia. Its protaganist is the Professor from the Lion story, as a young boy. That is why he talks to Lucy at the end of the movie about how he had tried to use the wardrobe to get back to Narnia.
Many of the books are quite politically incorrect. For example, the third book in the series, the Horse and his Boy, is the tale of how an orphaned Narnian escapes from the evil Southerners (read Arabs) who worship a vulture God, instead of the true God Aslan. Somehow, I didn't see Disney making that story line into a movie.
Prince Caspian, on the other hand, is simply a tale of a journey into the uttermost west, in search of the land of Aslan himself. Only Reepicheep, the mouse, and the smallest and bravest of the travelers, succeeds in finding Aslan. Its pretty easy to see how this could be turned into a PC movie.
In the final book of the series, the four protaganists from the Lion are killed in a train accident, transported to Narnia, witness its final destruction and the last judgment of Aslan, and ascend with Aslan into heaven. It is filled with Christian eschatological iconography. That is another of the books you won't see Disney making into a movie anytime soon.
Seems pretty normal for a film sequel. LotR had all three shot simultaneously, but that was a unique set-up. Heck, we waited a lot longer for most Star Wars sequels.
you're thinking voyage of the dawn treader where reep makes it to the end of the world.
caspian is the battle to put a narnian supporter on the throne against his uncle who is a usuper.
It makes sense to have The Magician's Nephew as a flashback, which is the way Lewis wrote these novels and continued to publish them. The first book draws children into the world of Narnia from our ordinary world, through the wardrobe, then the story expands from there.
The essential thing if they make more movies is that Disney should not be allowed to de-Christianize and Hollywoodize these movies. Disney did not have artistic control over the first movie while it was being produced, as I understand it. I hope they will be willing to stand back and let the director do things properly.
Nit pick. In the last book of the series, it isnt the four protagonists who go back. The elder sister Susan doesnt get to go back to Narnia as she is no longer a "Friend of Narnia" having lost her faith.
Well I certainly enjoyed Narnia last Friday. Gosh, I hate to wait two years, maybe Disney will bump up the schedule. JK Rowling has gotten rich on Potter, I do hope the descendents of CS Lewis are benefitting from this new popularity of his 50 year old work.
Susan doesn't return to Narnia as when she grew up she departed from her faith and was "no longer a friend of Narnia". That injected a profound sense of sadness into an otherwise joyous reunion.
Good point. I was getting a bit confused for a moment as I was thinking of the Silver Chair when I saw the title Prince Caspian. The Silver Chair features Caspian's son (Prince Rilian I believe) as the young prince who must be rescued by the Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve.
I agree. I've seen some collections that place The Magician's Nephew (Book 6) as the first book to sequence the story in Narnian time, but I like it better as a flashback after seeing the other stories (LWW, Prince Caspian, Horse and His Boy, Dawn Treader, and Silver Chair) unfold and setting the stage for the climactic Final Battle.
I think we'll have a real test of the viewing public's ability to follow a story and a plot. These books are more than special effects and cleavage. They'll require acting and story telling - something a lot of movies don't have much of. I think 'Wardrobe' has an advantage because it's so well known.
Yes, this is exactly the right movie to make next. The drama is just like LWW and Lord of the Rings.
I agree, that some of the books will be difficult, but I am hoping they find out they are making too much money and the inertia will, and the C.S. Lewis Foundation, help them to carry through.
I do hope they have been working on it already as children tend to age so fast. It's best these days, to make a series with children all at once, like a pipeline. But the good news is that Lewis introduced different characters along the way and, if I remember rightly, the characters have aged at least a year in Price Caspian.
My prayers are that the next movies will be as faithful to the books as was the LWW. It was a Superb Movie in all respects!
all the books involving the children are spaced about one year apart, releasing the movies 1 year apart would be perfect, 2 would likely be ok.
however 5 and 7 will be SO un-pc that they may not make it out.
That's why I am saying that I hope they are doing several in a pipeline. These can take more than a year each and the children's aging can almost make them unrecognizable. Ron Weasley was just about too old in Potter 4. So the technology for children's movies, just about, has to be a pipeline.
I'm hoping they make all seven movies. Then maybe they can look at his Science Fiction Trilogy as well.
I don't remember that part at all. I'll have to go back and look at that. Pretty profound question - can the saved be lost. Also interesting in the last book, a Calamorene makes it into heaven. Disney could use this as a hook to make the story more palatable to secular audiences.</p>
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