Thank you, CorazonBandido55, for I agree with everything you're saying. William Moseley was way older than Peter in PC, but I don't think that ever became an issue among us. Ben Barnes was way into his 20's when he was in PC, and wasn't he nearly 30 around VDT? Will Poulter is 18 now, but I doubt we'll end up feeling like he's that much older than Eustace should be.

I don't think they would ever consider replacing Will, either. It makes no sense to me for anyone of the movie makers to think of that. Will is a great actor, and I think it would be nearly impossible to find someone who could out do him. Pretty much everyone wants him back, so I can't imagine he'll ever be replaced for now.

Do I think we have a right to worry about this? Yes, a little bit, because Will is a great actor who can play Eustace perfectly. But I think we shouldn't overeact about this yet until we get actual news of what happens to Will. And as far as I know, he wants to come back for SC, so I hope he won't lose that desire if he has to wait a few more years. I can't wait to see you again, Will, no matter how much you've changed!

I don't disagree at all! This is nearly exactly what I'd been thinking of it. Besides, there's the contradiction in LB and in the time-line as to when it occurs -- according to the time-line, it is seven years between SC and LB, but in the book, Eustace says that he and Jill were last in Narnia "over a year ago by our time." This had always given me the impression that it was a year-and-a-half or something like that.

I don't see the problem in having an older Eustace in SC than there should be -- it just means that VDT was longer ago than a few months.

I would have an issue if Will Poulter was recast.

Edit: I was writing my post when you posted, Shastafan.

Why would you have an issue if will poulter were to recast?

First, it would not be good at all for continuity with VDT, and second, he did such a good job as Eustace that I really wouldn't want to see him replaced.

I agree with you. thank you for explaining.

Okay, there are really three different subjects here:

1. Will Poulters' aging from here on out: In my opinion this is a non-issue. Guys really don't age that much between 18 and 20. I know the guys I knew freshman year of college didn't look any different when we got to Junior year. If he's young enough to be in SC now, he'll still be young enough two years down the road. Since it won't make a difference in his appearance in SC, it shouldn't make a significant difference in his aging between SC and LB. If 20 to 24 is a reasonable gap, then 18 to 24 should be just as reasonable. Basically, for purposes of keeping Will, it doesn't matter whether SC is next or the one after.

2. Eustace (the character) dropping completely out of the movie-goers' consciousness between films: Now, this is an important point, and I hadn't thought of it until bandido brought it up. Nevertheless, there are other ways of dealing with it besides putting SC in the middle . . . [Anhun concocts a wicked scheme to throw Eustace into random movies] . . . I have already mentioned that, if MN comes next (in spite of what EtJ says, that report doesn't actually confirm MN as Narnia 4, it only says it's more likely) the Professor should narrate the events to wide-eyed Lucy and Eustace. I think, if MN comes after SC, he can do the same, or they could add Jill to the mix. Either way, we only have to go one movie without Eustace.

3. Is Will P already too old to play Eustace in SC?: Yes and no. I think he's already to old to play the decidedly pre-adolescent Eustace described in the book. However, with some key changes to Eustace's dialog and dynamics, they could turn the character into a teenager, which Will P would be able to play. They'd have to be very clever about it though.

If they do end up making SC after MN I want to see Poulter as Eustace. It would have to be the last option to drop him not only because he was fantastic in VDT but I cringe at the idea of changing actors for continuity's sake. Like you have all said William Moseley and Ben Barnes were far older than the characters they were portraying. I think the make up and costume they use can make him look young enough as well. So although the age issue of Will Poluter has me prefering if they did SC now, I am sure it can be managed if the put it off a few years.

I am very torn on this issue and I haven't decided which is the lesser of two 'evils':

1. Recasting Eustace.

or

2. Having a too-old Eustace.

Just to re-state, the reason I think a too-old Eustace is a problem because a) the Experiment House sequence will have to be re-imagined as something other than the nightmare elementary school and b) the film-makers will most likely justify Jillstace as a "natural occurance".

Experiment House can be a K-12 school easily. And bullying happens at all ages and stages. So that can still be possible for it to work while Eustace and Jill are in senior high school.

I am more concerned with the storyline continuity breaking if they showed MN before SC.

I may be incorrct in saying this, but I think the problem does not necessarily lie with Narniawebbers worrying that Will will look to old, but it's more that we are concerned that Walden won't share the same views, and will feel the need to replace him. just a thought.

2. Eustace (the character) dropping completely out of the movie-goers' consciousness between films: Now, this is an important point, and I hadn't thought of it until bandido brought it up. Nevertheless, there are other ways of dealing with it besides putting SC in the middle . . . [Anhun concocts a wicked scheme to throw Eustace into random movies] . . . I have already mentioned that, if MN comes next (in spite of what EtJ says, that report doesn't actually confirm MN as Narnia 4, it only says it's more likely) the Professor should narrate the events to wide-eyed Lucy and Eustace. I think, if MN comes after SC, he can do the same, or they could add Jill to the mix. Either way, we only have to go one movie without Eustace....

So Will Poulter and Georgie can do a "White Witch" and reappear in movies where they shouldn't? That's brilliant! That would probably tide me over for SC if they did MN first and Will and Georgie showed up in a prologue/epilogue type of scene (maybe tide me over....).

Also agree with Trufflehunter--us all worrying about what Walden and Fox actually think should be done with Will. I vaguely remember reading or seeing an interview somewhere with Mark Johnson being quoted as saying do we make Magician's Nephew (or was it HHB?) next and allow our Eustace to age? (My memory actually recalls reading the gist of that somewhere...I'll have to see if I can find that interview...).

Another thing also is all of the pre-production they do before filming and scriptwriting. Since this franchise has the reputation of taking so long to do things and having interruptions (not solely their fault)....who's to say that's not going to happen again and they won't take eons to release another movie? Maybe I'm being pessimistic.

Edited to add: I found the Examiner.com interview with Mark Johnson.
Link: http://www.examiner.com/celebrity-q-a-i ... wn-treader

To save scrolling all the way down, here's the pertinent excerpt:

Which book do you think fans want to see more as the fourth "Narnia" movie: "The Silver Chair" or "The Magician’s Nephew"?

Johnson: That’s a really good question. I couldn’t tell you. We should put it to the fans [to decide]. I know we have to do "The Magician’s Nephew." I love that book! The question is: "Do we do it now and let our Eustace grow older? Or do we do ‘The Silver Chair’ and then do ‘The Magician’s Nephew’?"

They did set up a reasonable reason for an age gap in VDT if you think about it. Edmund and Lucy were told they were staying with their aunt and uncle for several more months if I remember right and at the end of the movie, didn't it say something about them staying until the end of the war or at least quite a bit of time (I've forgotten the exact amount of time)? So they could use that as the reasoning behind an older than the book Eustace in SC. It would also cover the aging just a bit. Not saying it's perfect reasoning, but it would at least offer a bit of a cover.

Experiment House can be a K-12 school easily. And bullying happens at all ages and stages. So that can still be possible for it to work while Eustace and Jill are in senior high school.

I am more concerned with the storyline continuity breaking if they showed MN before SC.

Experiment House might work as a K-12 school like you suggested and I actually think it would be for the best if Will Poulter could return somehow without ramifications.

However! If that was the case Experiment House would have to be re-imagined. It's true that bullying happens with every age group, but I can't see the type of bullying described in the book working with high school-aged kids (being chased). The re-imagination could be good but it could also be bad and it makes me nervous
because the film-makers could mess up Lewis' ingenious descriptions of the school.

Basically I'm right in the middle. I wouldn't rejoice either way, because either way makes me nervous. We'll see.

We talked the reimagining for an older Eustace and Jill in SC pretty much to death in the "Your Thoughts About SC the Movie" thread.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2462&start=192

Having them as high schoolers would work. But it's still really preferable to me that they do SC next.