As a book series that can be made into movies, a tv series, or BOTH, what order do YOU think Narnia will be made and released? The sky's the limit. They can even do a TRUE chronological series with HHB in the middle of LWW if they wanted to.
I personally lean towards a BBC-style TV series, with two to four, 45-60min length episodes per book. I have no idea how they'd break it into series.
I also think they'll go for Chronological order, starting with MN.
I'm not sure about length of series vs. films, but I do think they will do whatever it is in chronological order. Two attempts that most people remember have been made in publication order so a different order would probably be more interesting for casual viewers. I'm not sure about HHB though. It's a lot like Farmer Boy in the Little House books in that it goes where it does chronologically but it also doesn't really fit in terms of consistency.
If I thought that sticking HHB in the middle of LWW wouldn't mess up the atmosphere of LWW's ending, I would totally have them do that. I would definitely like for HHB to follow LWW, though. I think it makes the most sense tonally, and I also think it helps establish all that has been lost by the time that PC rolls around because the viewer gets a good picture of what the Golden Age of Narnia was like.
I think there's a good chance that Netflix will go chronological, just because it's less confusing and MN will give the audiences something newer and more intriguing than a LWW remake. And surprisingly, I'm fine with this... if I felt like a lot of people were going to be "spoiled" by MN preceding LWW, I'd have more of an issue, but Walden's LWW was so popular and I think most people who watch the Netflix films/series won't be surprised by the entrance into Narnia, who Aslan is, et cetera.
They can even do a TRUE chronological series with HHB in the middle of LWW if they wanted to.
I love this idea. I think it would be really cool for them to start with MN, only because i feel they can follow through with the whole story with all seven books. When i read them I like to read them in the original publication order, however I think if they do a series it would be cool to start at the beginning and just go till the end. I think putting HHB in the middle of LWW would be a cool way for old eyes to see it fresh. I think it would be better for a series to follow it that way.
I believe in Christianity as I believe in the sun: not only because I see it, but by it I see everything else. -C.S. Lewis
I feel they would want to do them in chronological order so there is less confusion for new viewers (i.e. individuals who have not read the books) as others have mentioned above. Though I am not sure whether they will add extra storyline between when Lucky, Peter, Edmund, and Susan start ruling to the beginning of HHB.
If it wasn't for the fact they said "series and feature films" I would say a chronological order tv series where at the end of LWW, after the coronation, we somehow transition to the prophecy of Cor (which would likely be around the same time, right?) and his kidnapping. Don't explain it's Shasta (leave that reveal for later), and then in the next season, incorporate more backstory with Edmund, Susan and Rabadash, and Lucy so that you understand this is during their reign and it helps flow from the previous season. Then at the end, when show Edmund and Lucy return to Cair Paravel after the fight at Anvard, they hear about the White Stag upon their arrival, and BOOM! They're back in our world. Narnia collapses. Show the Telmarines invade. And there, we have our setup for Prince Caspian
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If they did do Magician's Nephew first, then there needs to be a clear message attached - this is a story from years before LWW, and it answers some of the questions you might ask when you read or view LWW.
There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.
"...when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards."
I think a BBC serial style would be cool. They could do each book as a "season" if they wanted to go that format.
I'm all for Netflix starting with MN. The Walden LWW film is still very fresh in people's minds and is generally beloved so I think starting with the 1st book in chronological order would be easier for people who just saw that film to get into this remake. Plus, I want to see something we haven't seen before first before getting to the most adapted book in the series.
If both of these books were done as a series, the end scene of the episode for MN could flash forward and show an old Digory contemplating bringing in children from London. At some point, when he asks the names of the children, he is told Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy (or just the Pevensies) and then the episode ends and the next one starts LWW.
I think it's a good business decision to start with MN. Also, the "seven friends of Narnia" angle is the perfect segue between episodes in a series. I'd like to see them start with MN and the origin of the wardrobe, then LWW, and have Digory reveal himself at the end, and introduce them to Polly. Honestly though, it seems a better transition to have MN at this point, after LWW, with Digory and Polly telling their story.
The children tell the professor all about their lives in Narnia; insert HHB here because I just can't wait 5 or 6 movies for them to get to it. Also, putting it here allows for another untold Narnia to be made and provides for a smooth transition between SC and LB later with no doubts of whether to make HHB in between.
The children spend an idyllic summer holiday with the professor doing many of the same things Polly did on the estate, but of course, they have to go back to school. And boom, PC happens. After PC, Ed and Lucy spend a boring summer with Eustace, and VDT happens. I'd like them to make a backstory for the painting. I always imagined that maybe the professor gave it to Eustace's parents. How he got it would be interesting.
After that it would be a very natural progression from SC to LB. It would be a very cool ending to the movie or season or episode of SC to have the Pevinsies introduce Eustace and Jill to Digory and Polly and in the middle of the evening have Tirian show up. No explaination, just a cliffhanger to make everyone want to watch LB.
So basically, MN - LWW - HHB - PC - VDT - SC - LB
I would really like it if they started with MN! It kind of just makes sense to start there, rather than going back and forth all over the place? But I would love it either way they did it, as long as we get all seven books
Another good reason to start with The Magician's Nephew is it sets good precedence for the series. It doesn't have a battle in it (unless they decide to show the fall of Charn, but that's not the climax of the story). I bet one of the reasons they expanded on the Sea Serpent scene in Walden's VDT and made it part of the climax was because LWW and PC had the same.
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This is a bit of expansion on my previous post, but this is what I'd like to see them do:
Season 1 - MN with an expanded Charn backstory, foreshadowing of LWW with Digory growing old and building the wardrobe, and events after Frank and Helen, the death of the tree, the return of Jadis, the prophecy, and an empty Cair Paravel waiting for the Pevinsies.
Season 2 - LWW with HHB either in its chronological place with an expanded glimpse of the golden age, or as told to the professor by the Pevinsies after LWW.
Season 3 - PC and VDT the Caspian story expanded with the Telmarine invasion of Narnia, Caspian's marriage, and the birth of Rillian.
Season 4 - SC and LB, the Jill and Eustace duo.
How do I think Netflix will order the new Narnia adaptations?
Personally, I think a new, untried order would be most interesting (but not chronological). Just start with LWW and end with LB and we all should be fine.
I agree with what many others have said before, that it all depends on what Mark Gordon and Douglas Gresham can tolerate, and what they think would work casting-wise and story-wise.
(Think about it:
The adult actors who play the grown-up Peter, Susan, Edmund & Lucy would be cast in the first 3 adaptations from LWW to HHB.
VDT would occur a few years after PC (and LB a few years after SC) to allow the child actors to grow up a little.
#1 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2020?)
Starting with LWW is so important, regardless of how it’s adapted.
#2 Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia (2021?)
Continuing with PC fulfills it’s purpose as the desired follow to LWW.
#3 The Horse and His Boy (2022?)
After the sad end to Peter & Susan in PC, doing a prequel like HHB would be nice.
#4 The Silver Chair (2023?)
Yes, it’s crazy. But SC works best as a mid-series adventure with new characters.
#5 The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2024?)
VDT could work as a warm prequel that gives Lucy, Caspian, etc a nice sendoff.
#6 The Magician’s Nephew (2025?)
Putting MN before LB and after SC is important in its role as a prequel / prelude.
#7 The Last Battle (2026?)
In LB, I can only hope that all the actors are now old enough to be believable.
It’s crazy, but it would be such an interesting direction if taken.
Sooo.... MN, LWW,HHB, PC, VDT, SC, LB. There.
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