skiblet

I looked and looked on google, but couldnt find anything on this subject-


I am sure that that they have plans for making all of these films, but . . .


are they doing it like lord of the rings? Basically the studio took a GIGANTIC risk with peter jackson and let him make all 3 at the same time for a very very large budget of money. If it would have tanked, then they would have been SOL.

So is disney doing that? Or are going to make the first one and see how it goes? I hope and pray they dont F this up - it really has the potential to be one of the best fantasy story-made-movies in years. Plus, 7 of them! One to look forward to a year, or however they do it - Just think how great that could be. I remember with lord of the rings, they staggered it just right so that it continually stirred the excitement with waiting for the next one, and that excitement just built up to an agonizing climax until your finally sitting in the theatre seat, and the movie starts - You cant beat that.

Cameron

i remember when they initially announced that the films were being made that it would be all seven over the course of twenty years. Never heard more about it though

skiblet

20 years!?

that wouldnt make any sense at all, from a production and business standpoint. Hopefully it will be done a lot faster than that. thats an average of one only 3 years, or so.



hmmm.

Cameron

it worked for star wars, alien, james bond, etc.

skiblet

im not sure i totally agree. I cant knock the movies you listed, because they are timeless classics, but - thats the problem. The are done so far apart that there are glaring continuity problems due to the technology and budget that was available during the early years. They are ALL great, but each in their own unique flavor and style.

But if you look at Lord of the Rings - its one long humongous epic movie, chopped into 3 equal parts. Thats why i love it. Perfect continuity of style, effects, budget, actors, and flavor/overall look.

Can you imagine how much it would SUCK if peter jackson did the first one, and then some other schmuck came along and did a half assed or poor job on the 2nd one or third one?

for example - ALiens series. The first 1 and 2nd one are awesome, the 3 and 4th one BLOW.

Cameron

you just missed the perfect chance to also mention how bad AVP Sucked...

skiblet

actually, and it pains me to say this, but there countless examples of the first movie being a stunning triumph, and follow ups and sequals that some half-ass director trys to do are a hopeless steaming pile of monkey feces.

Like:

Jaws series, Hellraiser series (well 2 was good), Friday the 13th series, Terminator , etc etc.

I really REALLY like uniformity, and a cohesive and consistant look and feel for a series of movies. Like LOTR, band of brothers, back to the future (even though it has plot holes), ec. etc..

Shannon Nutt

Unlike Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings it's going to be hard for DISNEY to keep the interest and box office numbers up over the course of seven films, simply because the books jump back and forth in time (the children in the first book aren't even in some of the latter books) and some of the middle stories aren't as good as the early ones.

I think The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe is the best book of the seven, so if this film doesn't "work", chances are the others wouldn't either. It would be nice to see DISNEY make it all the way to The Last Battle, if only to see how they would handle all the overtly Christian metaphors in it. Of course, there's an obvious metaphor between Jesus and the lion Aslan in The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe - so we'll see how they handle that.

skiblet

I could not disagree with you more. I think it could be a potential goldmine for them if the films and marketing and merchandise are done right. For instance with lord of the rings, they took a really long-winded boring book, and turned it into one of most visually stunning and epic masterpieces of all time. (thats just my opinion). I really dont think it matters if the films have a non-linear timeline, but that each one is a unique but cohesive part of a set of films.

I havent read the narnia books in 20 years, so i dont remember that much about it, and really dont care. I go to the movies for entertainment, and I read books to learn something.

paradicelost

Well being disney i'm sure they will figure out a way to destroy those part of the novels. Which just pisses me off since they have overtly Christian metaphors in them because, from what i've read about C.S. Lewis, they were written to be Christian novels. And just like any book to film adaption, I hope they stay true to the source material. And the Christian metaphors are a very important part of the Narnia stories.
Ok, i'm off my soapbox, please be gentle.

Numanoid

Hopefully they'll eliminate any trace of allusion to Christ. That Jesus sure is a poor role model.

TheMadMonk

Not to start this debate here, but imho, with Lord of the Rings, they took an epic novel rich in history/background, language, ancestry and story, and condensed it down to a level that the average person could stomach.

It's not like Peter Jackson took some big chance by making a movie out of some obscure work that nobody liked in its written form.

Granted, the movies were still pretty good.

That's just my opinion.

skiblet

That is exactly correct. Thats why it was overwhelmingly successful i think. The novels are a daunting task to make through all 3. I mean they are LONG and wordy and super-uber detailed. He even created languages and writing of all the races, shee wiz !. The movies are 12 hours of eye-watering breathtaking beauty. So, take your pic I guess -

I really really do hope that the Chronics of Narnia: LWW turns out really good. If its even HALF as good as LOTR then it will rock.

pezboy

Good question. Leave it to Cinescape to archive the geek details...

Walden Media, headed by producer Cary Granat, bought the big screen rights to the entire NARNIA series in December 2001 with an eye towards bringing it to the big screen much like the LORD OF THE RINGS series.


And then this,

Scoop Feedback:
March 2, 2004... Walt Disney Pictures has entered into another partnership with Walden Media, this time to share some of the production cost and also to distribute the upcoming film adaptation of THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE. Budgeted at around $100 million, the adaptation of C.S. Lewis' childrens fantasy book is slated to commence filming this summer.

Disney and Walden worked a similar deal out for the release of HOLES and GHOSTS OF THE ABYSS, but the NARNIA contract calls for Disney to have the rights to distribute all future NARNIA sequels should they occur. SHREK director Andrew Adamson will helm the first NARNIA movie. A Christmas 2005 release date is being eyed. [The Hollywood Reporter.]


Seems like more will come from the same studio(s) if this goes well. Which it should. Very much. It will make Passion money.

riley_dude

If it makes money....

jaeufraser

But you said it makes no sense production or financially...this has nothing to do with either. Production wise and commercially speaking, it benefits to spread them out...particularly in terms of production demands. Making a film back to back the way they did LoTR is a majorly daunting task and not one the studios take lightly. While it offers some benefits financially, it also offers up a larger risk. Unless you're talking sequels, like Matrix and Pirates, what happens if part 1 flops? You've got two, very expensive sequels to a film that wasn't well received.

It's a gamble. Hindsight makes it seem like LoTR was just easy money, but it wasn't. PJ did a fantastic job, as did New Line with the marketing and production but I could easily envision that project going a completely different way.

With Narnia though...I imagine they'll make them like Harry Potter as opposed to LoTR. Potter is produced rather quickly, almost on a yearly basis, but is not one continued production. Considering the Narnia films won't have the same actor constraints that Potter does though (the lead characters change, as opposed to them being the same) therefore age and growth aren't quite the problem it is on Potter. I can see them spreading them and making the sequels based upon the previous films performances.

WallyOPD

That's what she said!

I've never read the Narnia books but I'm a big fan of the fantasy and Sci-Fi genre and a fan of well-done movie series, so I certainly hope they make all 7 and that they're well done. It was a great ride there for a couple of years with Star Wars, LotR, The Matrix, and Harry Potter.

dolphinboy

If they're worried about making money and keeping interest, just insert "The Passion of" before each title.

The Passion of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe

The Passion of Prince Caspian

The Passion of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The Passion of The Silver Chair

The Passion of The Horse and His Boy

The Passion of The Magician's Nephew

The Passion of The Last Batte.


The box office numbers would be bigger than God.

Cusm

Would they have to make all 7? They could skip The Magician's Nephew and The Horse and his Boy, and stick to the stories with the main kids (Peter, Ed, Su, Lucy and Eustice) involved to be able to tie all the movies together better.

DGibFen

For the record, Walden Media is the production company, and they are responsible for all artistic decisions. Disney is distributing/promoting it.

From a Christianity Today interview with Walden Media President Micheal Flaherty:

neocheddar02

Here's an interesting article about the director possibly returning for the 2nd movie

IGN Link Here

It looks like Magician's Nephew might be the next film(?). Not a official studio press release, but the director mentions it, unless I'm misinterpreting this.

Jay G.

I think you are misinterpreting the interview. He mentions Magician's Nephew, but only in terms of scope and character while making Lion...., the same way Peter Jackson refered to The Silmarillion while making LOTR. He does mention making "the next one," but there's nothing indicating Magician's Nephew will be the next one, although his comments indicate he imagines it may be made further down the line.

garmonbozia

personally I hope that they do 7 films, one for each book, and I also think that The Magician's Nephew would be an excellent choice for the 2nd film to be made.

neocheddar02

Just found this over at IGN regarding Prince Caspian:
http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/662/662776p1.html

Cameron

thats a lot of cash to make back....factor in dvd sales and overseas pull and it should easily make 300 million