hmurchison

Director has been chosen

Do we have any fans here? I read a few of the books growing up but the whole series. I'd love to see what they could do with today's technology. The success of Harry Potter and LotR almost guaranteed a remake of this wonderful series.

The question is. How many movies and how much money would be alloted to do this right?

From Upcomingmovies.com

WETA Digital may be the effects company(good)

goLUCKY

Hmmm..... "Shrek" Director Andrew Adamson To Helm "The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe"

hmurchison

Yeah that's promising having A.A at the Helm.

Given that they want a mid 2004 release they will need to finish the Casting soon.

Jericho

Wow, it's been a long time since I read these books on Narnia. But I think they would be very interesting as movies. Could be a decent franchise, though I wonder if they can do all 7?



Give me my sock back you goat bastard!

William Fuld

Adamson? What's he done other than Shrek? Anything live-action? He seems like an odd choice to direct the launch of a franchise.

Hokeyboy

Animation directors who move on to Live Action generally produce sub-par work (the live-action 101 Dalmation and Stuart Little movies come to mind.)

As always, I will reserve judgement until I see the final product. But beware! If they try to leech out the Christian allegory and mythology from the Narnia series -- and it's one of the most enjoyable series ever written, regardless of your religion -- then I will personally storm the battlements and split their nostrils with a boat-hook.

And Susan got screwed.

William Fuld

According to the upcomingmovies.com link, John Boorman was considered to direct. That would've been something to get excited about. I wonder why he dropped out.

calhoun07

With the recent release of the full series in an audio drama format, I was hoping that they would update this series for theaters today. Now, if we could get the original animated version on DVD, I would be a happy, happy guy. It's one of my earliest memories of one of the first movies that really had an impact on me.

minguy

how was the animated series?

i am anxiously waiting for this series to come to the big screen. the harry potter books are entertaining but I have no interest in the movies. A narnia franchise would very much fill my need for intelligent children's fantasy. If these films are done right.... I envy the kids. They're in for a very special experience. Hopefully.

Charlie Goose

I'm hoping the movie version will stay faithful to the books, not just in action, but in spirit. That means if Chris Rock is hired to do the voice of Aslan, I will cry.

Honk!

HN

I could have sworn I saw a live action series/set of movies on PBS years ago when I was a wee lad (80's?).

Read all the books.

Gonna have to see what WETA can do with it.

--HN

Panda Phil

Yep. The BBC did live action tv versions of all three books in the late 80's. Weren't bad, but the SFX were about what you'd expect from that era.

http://us.imdb.com/Title?0094500

Scot1458

CGI would be a great way to do these, though I agree if they erase the Christian theology from them, dont' even bother.

There was a nice animated version of the first book from the late 70's early 80's, it was very good.

the live action was poor.

atari2600

i remember reading the books as a kid and loving them but i cant remember what they were about.

Jepthah

That seems like a poor choice to me. If WB has the sense to hire someone like Alfonso Cuaron to do the next Harry Potter, why can't this studio get someone of his caliber!? Shrek was crap. The script adaptation will hopefully fare better.

hmurchison

Hehehehe me too. I know I liked it but I just can't remember. Gotta clear out the cobwebs in my brain. All I know is the mere mention of tLtWtW makes me crave Turkish Delight LOL

garmonbozia

Well, if there are plans to do all 7 books (I read these books when I was a kid too).....I wish they would consider doing them in chronological order and not the order that the books were written. I see that box sets of the books you can buy now are numbered in chronological order as was not the case with the books I had when I was a kid (I read them in the chronological order anyway).

If they were making the films in chronological order, they should be starting with The Magician's Nephew which was the sixth book written of the seven books. Also, The Horse and His Boy which was written fifth, takes place chronologically after The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, so is the third book chronologically.

I guess they are starting with The Lion since it is probably the most popular book of the 7.....but if this project works out and they plan on making them all....I just wonder which one will they make next.....and will they just leave Magician's nephew out all together? I mean it is a bit confusing to be doing prequels in a children's film franchise.

FYI...the chronological order of the books, and the years they were published/written:

1. The Magician's Nephew (1955)
2. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (1950)
3. The Horse and His Boy (1954)
4. Prince Caspian (1951)
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
6. The Silver Chair (1953)
7. The Last Battle (1956)

Groucho

I disagree. The books were meant to be read in the order they were written, so they should film the movies in the same order. Having The Magician's Nephew come first complete destroys the wonder and discovery of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, IMHO.

garmonbozia

well, they did 4 of the books (in 3 films).....not "all three" since there are seven books total.

I have never seen the BBC adaptations but have always been really really curious about it. The dvds were a bit pricey so I have always held off on them.....how is the acting and the adaptation?? I don't care too much about the FX as long as Aslan doesn't look like a talking puppet and the story remains faithful to the books........

garmonbozia

Yes, I can see your point of view. When I read the books I had read The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe first in school......and then I bought the set and read them in chronological order on my own. The problem with a film franchise is what do you do with The Magician's Nephew then? I see it just being ignored.

Do you think having The Horse and His Boy come after Lion to be problematic? I think it makes absolutely no sense to read it in the order it was written.....IIRC, and it has been almost 15 years since I have read the books......The Horse and His Boy goes back and deals with characters that have been out of the storyline in previous books, so it is grossly out of place chronologically. Can't see any benefit in reading that one in the order written.....

Yet even the BBC tv prodcution did the first three books written and disregarded A Horse and His Boy...
they just did TLtWatW, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the DT (combined in one film), and The Silver Chair.

Also, according to the review on bn.com, C.S. Lewis himself thought they should be read in chronological order, which probably explains why they are sold in that order now....

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/boo...66238501&itm=1

fumanstan

I actually remember enjoying the one shown on PBS quite a bit when i was little. I still have the books i bought from elementary school, although i'm missing 2 of the 7

Big Boy Laroux

man, the old animated version used to scare the crap out of me when i was younger...

garmonbozia

I didn't know there ever was an animated version made....

I found 2 different listings on IMDB.....which one are people talking about?

This animated series from 1967? http://us.imdb.com/Title?0224907

Or this animated tv film from 1979? http://us.imdb.com/Title?0079474

Big Boy Laroux

i'm talking about the tv movie, not the series. That's as far as my knowledge of narni goes. I never read the books.

but i did laugh like crazy when south park did an Aslan spoof.

Hokeyboy

The BBC productions are relatively faithful adaptations, but not the highest budgeted productions ever done.

I had some problems with the cast, though. They got the singular most hideous young actress to portray Lucy. The total age difference between Peter and Edmund looked to be roughtly about 3 or 4 minutes. The actress who portrayed Jadis/The White Witch hammed it up so much the BBC received complaints from the UJA. And Aslan was a big stuffed animal.

Still, enjoyable in a nicely nostalgic sort of way.

As far as feature films, I say go the CG animated route. I salivate at the thought of watching the creation of Narnia out of the darkness or the Woods between the Worlds from The Magician's Nephew.