First Tolkien Movies, Now This...

Post by **jwa1107** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:00 am

LOS ANGELES, California (Hollywood Reporter) -- Following collaborations on "Holes," "Ghosts of the Abyss" and the upcoming "Around the World in 80 Days," the Walt Disney Co. has struck a deal with Denver billionaire Philip Anschutz' Walden Media to co-finance and distribute "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."

Budgeted at more than $100 million, according to sources, the film is scheduled to begin shooting in the summer, with "Shrek" director Andrew Adamson at the helm.

The film, the first installment of Walden's "Chronicles of Narnia" franchise based on the series of children's fantasy books by C.S. Lewis, will be released at Christmas 2005 by Walt Disney Pictures. Under the deal, which includes worldwide distribution rights, merchandising and all ancillary rights, Disney retains the option to release future films in the series, Walt Disney Studios chairman Dick Cook said.

"It's a very, very ambitious production and one that we believe could be very important to the studio," Cook said. "The story and the characters are so inviting that audiences around the world will be excited for the franchise." Cook said the studio is still "digesting" the deal and that it's too early to talk about the timetable for the production of future installments.

The story of Narnia revolves around the Pevensie siblings -- Lucy, Susan, Edmund and Peter -- who go through a magic wardrobe and enter the world of Narnia, a once peaceful land of talking beasts, dwarfs and giants that has since become frozen by the evil White Witch. The four children then help the lion Aslan break the witch's spell.

Ann Peacock wrote the first draft of the script, with revisions by Adamson and Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely.

" 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' has many fantasy elements," Walden Media CEO Cary Granat said. "It is a film that has unbelievably great scenes for families, with four kids who leave a world consumed by war that they have no control over only to enter a world where a war is raging in which their actions are crucial to the outcome. It says a lot about empowerment and fractured families coming together."

Said Adamson: " 'The Chronicles of Narnia' were an important part of my childhood, just as they are to millions of fans around the world. I hope to bring to the screen a movie that is as real to the audience as Narnia was to me as a child."

Lewis launched the series in 1950 with "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and followed it up with the prequel "The Magician's Nephew" and the sequels "The Horse and His Boy," "Prince Caspian," "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," "The Silver Chair" and "The Last Battle."

I think that LOTR trilogy plus the huge box office for Passion of The Christ have made this a viable film. I still worry though - hopefully Aslan will be as excellent a CG character as Gollum.

Post by **superlion** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:21 am

this will throw my friend who doesn't watch Disney movies "becase [he has] moral convictions" for a loop...

Post by **Kielo91** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:42 am

I'm not sure if I would like to see that movie. I've read the book, and I'm not very fond of it. It may be just me though. LOTR and Passion of The Christ are really big movies. I also see "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" being a feasible successful film, even though I didn't care for the book.. But I doubt any other movie could overthrow both LOTR or Passion of The Christ in the box office. They're doing excellent so far. Who knows, maybe this upcoming movie may be a good movie to see. *shrugs*

professorpaul · Post by **professorpaul** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 10:45 am

The BBC made a very good series over quite a few years from the books.As they all said LOTR couldn't be made as a film & it was,I hope they can do the books justice.

As long as the dont Disney-fy them.

phantom · Post by **phantom** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 11:20 am

LOTR is excellent and I enjoyed The Passion of the Christ. I love the Chronicles of Narnia but my concern is Disney always seems to screw these things up. hopefully they do a good job here. I think the Chronicles are very good books and I enjoy reading them all the time and thus look forward to seeing this movie despite a long wait for it.

Post by **Luna Manar** » Tue Mar 02, 2004 5:41 pm

I agree--as long as they stay true to the original and don't "Disney-fy" it, I'd be interested...but if they turn Aslan into some sort of Simba, count me out. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, indeed all the Chronicles of Narnia, is not a story to be treated as a kids' show. It is very deep and if they try to censor its content, they'll detract from the whole point of the tale.

kamikaziroo · Post by **kamikaziroo** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 5:56 pm

My father ,(dec), used to read a few pages of 'a lion,witch&wardrobe' to me every night about 28 yrs ago. I was about 7 or 8.
It would be great to see this in film if not for me then for my kids.

Wouldnt like to see disney do it though (sorry walt), if it has to be animated my choice would be pixar.

Robbieb · Post by **Robbieb** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 6:11 pm

i think this movie will be a dud although i rember hearing it in the library in school when i was younger and enjoyed it i dont think it will be a overly pouplar movie

Post by **superlion** » Wed Mar 03, 2004 7:09 pm

Not all Disney movies are animated... have we heard if this one is or not?

Post by **jwa1107** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 10:43 am

this will be live action humans with WETA doing cg...

phantom · Post by **phantom** » Fri Mar 05, 2004 12:06 pm

With WETA doing the Cgs it should be pretty good then. I look forward to seeing it despite a long wait.