Posted on 11/17/2008 2:49:09 PM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
On Friday, Walden Media announced that Co-CEO and co-founder Cary Granat was exiting the company. One thing we noticed in the press release, however, was that The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has not yet gotten the green light:
Cary Granat, Co-CEO and co-founder of Walden Media, will transition from his Walden position to a consultant for the company effective December 1. Granat will be Walden's creative consultant on the third installment in "The Chronicles of Narnia" franchise – "Voyage of the Dawn Treader"- which the company hopes to greenlight soon. He will also provide consulting services for an initiative with AEG Live, the concert and promotion company owned by Phil Anschutz who also owns Walden.
"This was a mutual decision," said David Weil, CEO of Anschutz Film Group, Walden’s parent company. "Cary and we both felt this was the right way to formalize the change in the company's creative direction that will now be overseen by Michael Bostick who was brought in as Co-CEO of Walden earlier this year. We all owe Cary a great debt of gratitude for co-founding the company and guiding the Walden brand to its preeminent place in family entertainment today."
"I'm extremely proud of what we've accomplished in my seven years at Walden. We have been very fortunate, with the unparalleled support of Phil Anschutz, David Weil and the entire team here to create family entertainment that will last for generations. It's time for me to hit the recharge button and take on a new challenge, but I'll always look back fondly on my time at Walden."
Granat will not be replaced and his responsibilities at Walden will now be handled by Weil and Bostick. Granat expects to announce additional future plans shortly.
Disney was targeting a May 7, 2010 release date for the third installment.
I didn’t think the last one was so hot.
Cost $200 million, did $141 million domestic. Not surprising that Disney’s not eager to pony up the cash for another one.
I never thought Prince Caspian was the coolest of the Narnia stories. I think Dawn Treader, if done right, could be.
That’s great news! ;) Thanks!
It wasn't terrible. I've seen worse. Looking forward to the new Star Trek did you see the new trailer?
Looks good. But then again, so was the Max Payne trailer...
Treader is going to totally dependant on the actor who plays Eustace because the book is about his transformation from a nasty boy who learns to be a man of honor from a mouse!
My favorite has always been A Horse and His Boy, though.
Most of you are aware that there has been some uproar of late regarding whether or not The Voyage of the Dawn Treader has been officially greenlit. We don’t have any information other than what is publicly available at this time, but we thought that Jim Hill’s recent blog was a good discussion of the situation. At the end, Hill sums up, "You see, Disney’s reportedly waiting for the numbers on that first week of "Prince Caspian" DVD sales before it then locks in "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" ’s production budget. And the more money that that "Narnia" disc makes ... Well, the better "Dawn Treader" will wind up looking. Which hopefully will have some sort of impact on the third installment of the "Chronicles of Narnia" ’s chances of box office success." Keep in mind, however, that this is just one person’s perspective on the situation and is not an official statement from any of the companies involved in the Narnia productions. We’ll keep you posted as further developments occur.
Yeah, but I'm still somewhat "iffy" on the whole Kirk-and-Spock-in-their-babyfat-years concept. (My Trekkie wife, on the other hand...!) ;)
I hear you. I like the Eustace character, and I think CS Lewis did too. I love the stories so much that I even enjoyed watching the dismally horrible BBC production of Silver Chair. So I too am looking forward to seeing VDT, and hoping it does well enough at the box office for Silver Chair to be made in short order.
At least you don't have to hide your inner Trekkie from your loved ones like the rest of us.
Prince caspian seemed like the “left overs” of the first movie’s good parts.
We have an agreement, of long standing: she doesn’t mock TNG, and I don’t make fun of TOS. It’s served us well, for a great many years. ;)
The Magicians Nephew would be a great movie.
How could anyone mock TNG??? Then again how could anyone mock TOS? Mock Voyager, DS9, Enterprise all you want but TNG and TOS are the Ronald Reagan of Star Trek.
And you and your wife are the David Brooks and Kathleen Parker of Star Trek for mocking it.
After the derivative Golden Compass tanked I’m not suprised there’s hesitation to pull the trigger.
Two words: "William" and "Shatner." ;)
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