I'm kinda wary of the word " fairy tale". If you mean it the same way Lewis meant it, then I'm with you 100%. But there is a tendency to think of fairy tales as rather silly, charming stories for small children- something I believe the BBC series was guilty of. I don't want to see a corny, weak adaptation, and I'm afraid if you asked the new filmmakers for a fairy tale, this is what you might get. Remember, Netflix is looking for more family friendly content. I think that's great, but it can be overdone. And I don't want that to happen to Narnia.

I'm kinda wary of the word " fairy tale". If you mean it the same way Lewis meant it, then I'm with you 100%. But there is a tendency to think of fairy tales as rather silly, charming stories for small children- something I believe the BBC series was guilty of. I don't want to see a corny, weak adaptation, and I'm afraid if you asked the new filmmakers for a fairy tale, this is what you might get. Remember, Netflix is looking for more family friendly content. I think that's great, but it can be overdone. And I don't want that to happen to Narnia.

It's a tricky balance to strike. There is an undeniable sense of childlike innocence to the Narnia stories - at least until you get to LB - that I associate with classic fairy tales. I think that some people would have a hard time getting into the Narnia books because of that, but it's also part of what attracts some us to them and I don't want the makers of the new Netflix movies/series to be afraid of that. That's one of the issues I had with PC. It felt like it was trying too hard to be a teen movie. We just need creators who take the subject material seriously and don't think the Narnia books are just silly stories for kids and so can be turned into a silly Netflix series for kids. I think that whoever makes a Narnia adaptation should share Lewis's idea of what makes a good children's story i.e. a story that can be enjoyed by children, but can also stand the test of time as you grow older.

Liberty, I totally agree with you there were many, many things the Walden films got right, but I also believe there's always room for improvement. I'm from the BBC generation, I'm one of those who actually love those productions low-budget though they are. There was a lot of stuff they got spot on in there, but I love many parts of the Walden movies too, especially LWW. I'm sure that the same will be true for the Netflix version. There will be parts I love and parts I hate. That's simply the nature of filmmaking.

And so this thread is for discussing how to improve and separate from the other films so the new round can have it's own identity. Totally different does not equate to totally bad because the others were good.

I really think that anything they try to do will fall short of what anyone really thinks they want to see. Netflix has the rights to all of the books, which means they will probably be making LWW again. Is that what anyone really wants? I don't think so.

I think for the Walden movie generation like yourself, perhaps. But when they announced Silver Chair a couple years ago and that it was going to be a separate entity from Walden, the bulk of the comments were "Why don't they just start over again?" I would be included in that group. What I want is a full set of consistent, GOOD films from LWW (or MN if we're talking chronological) to LB. Narnia deserves that.

I am weary of remakes and reboots. poor Narnia can't seem to just be able to get made. To me, the Walden films are for Narnia was the original The Lord of the Rings movie are for the LOTR fandom: the perfect films. I don't have any room in my heart for a new re-launch of Narnia. the BBC Narnia series was filmed before I was born, but I was raised on those episodes, and I liked them when I was little, but the instant I saw the teaser for Walden's LWW, I left BBC Narnia behind because finally someone had made Narnia as it should be!
Starting over so soon is just an awful idea. There are so many half-baked remakes and sequels and things lately, it seems that Netlfix is just hopping on board the remake train just because it's what is selling right now.
The idea of Narnia being made without the people who made the Walden films is just too much for me. The fact that everyone's done with Walden's Narnia so fast.....the way they are throwing it away like last seasons' fashion is just depressing and disturbing to me. Whatever happens with Netflix isn't going to be the same. They will have to start from the ground up only a few years after Walden's Narnia ingrained in the minds of tons of people.
This whole topic makes me upset. I don't want more films if they are going to be like this. I don't want more films without the team that made the first 3 films.

Something I definitely want to see in the new adaptation is the Greek characters in PC... their presence is a wonderful oddity that is so quintessentially Narnian to me. Just Greek influence in Narnia in general, in the form of the nature spirits and maybe some of the architecture, would be great. I didn't see much of that in the Walden movies at all. Let Narnia be the mythological hodgepodge it was meant to be!

I think that whoever makes a Narnia adaptation should share Lewis's idea of what makes a good children's story i.e. a story that can be enjoyed by children, but can also stand the test of time as you grow older.

I think a clue for filmmakers is in the dedication to Lucy Barfield at the beginning of LWW. Lewis literally describes the following story as a fairy tale there, while also including the idea that his goddaughter may be too old for it now, but perhaps will one day be old enough to enjoy it. That's not to say that teens or young adults can't love Narnia, but I don't think the filmmakers should change or rearrange the stories to appeal to people who would be embarrassed to be seen reading LWW, or dismissive of the series as just kids' stuff. Don't try to make it "cool" for mainstream audiences, and don't prioritize battles over the wondrous and childlike scenes. This happened a number of times in the Walden Trilogy, especially in PC (which, as you said, felt too much like a teen movie).

In short... don't be a Miraz, filmmakers. ("At your age you ought to be thinking of battles and adventures, not fairy tales"!)

This whole topic makes me upset. I don't want more films if they are going to be like this. I don't want more films without the team that made the first 3 films.

I'm sorry this is an unhappy discussion for you. You're very welcome to start another thread about what shouldn't be different from the Walden Trilogy in the Netflix adaptations, or a thread about why you don't like the idea of a reboot. This thread, however, is for talking about things that we do want to be different in the upcoming adaptation.

One of the things that has often struck me in LWW is that when the Pevensies meet Aslan there aren't really any plans for war. Instead, a lot of the Narnians are gathering around Aslan and the atmosphere is much more joyful instead of anticipatory. I would like to see more of that sort of thing. Perhaps in contrast they could have Narnians join Aslan and Peter's discussion about the battle plan later.

On fairy tales, I think the Disney-esque sort of story has changed the idea of what a fairy tale is in most people's minds. Cute animals, musical numbers, always a happy ending sort of thing. I do like that sort of story, but it isn't Narnia. I would instead like the idea of fairy tales in terms of Narnia adaptation be more like the sort C.S. Lewis himself might have read. George MacDonald's The Light Princess comes to mind. Or classic ones like Tam Lin. I wouldn't necessarily want Narnia to get as dark as Tam Lin, but I think that sort of atmosphere would be nice.The idea that there is more to the world than what we see and maintaining a sense of wonder about that idea is one of the things that has always drawn me to C.S. Lewis' works.

I think the biggest thing for me is to not think of the Narnia stories as an epic fantasy series, but as a collection of fairy tales. I hope that distinction makes sense.

With the same qualifier that Cleander gave before, this sums up a lot of what I want out of the new Narnia adaptations, too. The Narnia books draw me in with the imaginative world, great characters, and a sense of adventure - the epic battles and the fact that Narnia is often saved in the process are really secondary to me. I did think the Walden movies relied too heavily on the action scenes and attempts to make it an "epic fantasy", when... that's just not what Narnia is, at least not to me.

Another thing that I would like to see more of is genuine camaraderie between characters. In all three Walden movies, I can much more easily bring to mind examples of the characters arguing or being angry/distrustful of each other than I can examples of playful banter, bonding, or the like. That's not to say such moments don't exist, but it felt like many of them were swept away in the name of creating more drama - or to make room for more action sequences. For example, I really like the relationship Caspian and Drinian have in VDT the book, but in the movie I can barely remember any dialogue they share that's not strictly plot-driven. (Granted, I haven't seen VDT the movie recently.) Similarly, in PC (the movie), I don't think Trumpkin had any time to bond with any of the children - including Caspian - except perhaps Lucy.

The books strike a great balance of having the characters form close friendships that make you, as the reader, feel attached to both parties as well, and when they inevitably do start arguing or snapping at each other, it's a contrast, and the reader has a stake in it. Especially if the Netflix adaptations end up being miniseries instead of individual movies, I hope they devote more time to developing the family relationships and friendships.

EDIT: Edited to add a very important "not".

The Narnia books draw me in with the imaginative world, great characters, and a sense of adventure - the epic battles and the fact that Narnia is often saved in the process are really secondary to me. I did think the Walden movies relied too heavily on the action scenes and attempts to make it an "epic fantasy", when... that's just what Narnia is, at least not to me.

Yes! Narnia is not "epic" but intimate and detailed. I agree with the idea of Narnia as a fairytale, along the lines of The Light Princess, or a happier sort of Tam Lin atmosphere. There are magical creatures who don't stand out but are an integral part of the world, hidden in the "normal" as it were. There are many many little normal details which serve to make the story & world real and home-like. Like the Beavers' home, and the dwarves frying bacon in HHB. The Walden LWW movie pulled this off (mothballs and bluebottle in the first wardrobe scene for instance), but PC and VoDT had less success in this area and definitely were going for the epic!! feel. To me, Narnia is much closer to cozy (on good days at least ). It should lean towards cheerful and homey, not astounding and awe-inspiring (though Aslan obviously is an exception).

Obviously, Netflix will to have to throw away the old continuity.

I was thinking different landscapes. Even the atmosphere could look different in Netflix than the Walden did.

I think Cair Paravel could look different. I'd be fine if Cair Paravel looked different in The Silver Chair than it does in The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe and even The Horse And His Boy (if they were to go in chronological order). It was rebuilt between Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

I would like Netflix to keep in the tone of the books. I mean, I expect changes to be made. Please do not add the Green Mist in Voyage of the Dawn Treader and The Silver Chair. It was intended to be a set up for the Lady of the Green Kirtle. Another I just thought about is that since in the Walden movie, some slaves were being sacrificed to the Green Mist. It could have been a set up for Tash as well since Calormenes had the ritual of human sacrifices. So please do not add the Green Mist in The Last Battle as well. We don't need to tie it to Tash; having to tie it to the Green Lady was bad enough.

I would like The Horse And His Boy to be all about Shasta making a discovery about himself, making a journey to where he truly belongs. It should not be about, "Oh, we get to save Narnia and Archenland from the Calormenes."

The real drama in The Last Battle comes from are their loyalties with Aslan or Tash or do they only care about "the reward the Tisroc may give them when Narnia is a Calormene province" (whatever reward could that be). It shouldn't be about, "Oh, we got to save Narnia from the invading Calormenes." Plus, the world of Narnia comes to an end, so what would be the point of the plot being about saving the world?

I'd want to make future adaptations more character driven. There'd be less temptation to add in extra, unnecessary action scenes if each character is given a deeper focus and time to develop.  Of course, we'd want the characterization to be faithful to the source materials, but I think it would go a long way to make these versions of the characters at least somewhat original as well. 

Maybe if Narnia were to be made on the big screen again, I'd be open to whichever order (publication or chronological). If they went in chronological order, at least we would get to see The Magician's Nephew on the big screen, because we haven't seen it.

I was just picturing in my head what the trailers would sound like for each movie.

The Magician's Nephew- "The beginning of Narnia"... "before the wardrobe"... "How it all started"

The Horse And His Boy- "The golden age of Narnia"... "In Calormen and Archenland"... "to Narnia and the North"

The Last Battle- "The conclusion to the saga"... "All words come to an end"... "Further up and further!"

@jasmine_tarkheena 

I wonder if a trailer for a film or TV series showing a wardrobe or the creation of Narnia would work better to interest people in the series.  I always thought that when people think of Narnia their first thoughts are of the wardrobe and the world behind it. For many that is the best introduction to the series.

@narnian78 

I haven't thought of that. I've just heard in the Talking Beasts Podcasts that the Wood Between The Worlds would work as start of a trailer.

I'm bringing this thread back to everyone's attention because I remembered something from the book that the movies didn't really try to capture. That something is the books devote a lot of attention to food and contain many memorable descriptions of it. It'd be nice if the new movies tried to keep that emphasis. That would definitely be a way they'd feel more like the source material than previous visual adaptations.

However, from what I understand film lights tend to make food spoil with their heat, so there are practical reasons for not showing characters eating in movies and television much. Still, it's a thought. 

In my honest opinion, I don’t believe any past or future adaptation of LWW will ever top the Walden adaptation. It’s perfect in my mind. But we shall see. 

@Col Klink Since I’m rereading the books at the moment all I could picture was the banquet Father Christmas gave to the fellow Narnian before Jadis turned the poor animals to stone. But I remember fairly well the other food scenes in LWW being present. Same with VDT Walden adaptation in a couple of scenes but I will admit I was looking forward to the table of food at Coriakin’s mansion but never saw it. Hopefully Netflix will do a better job at adapting VDT if they get to it. There were so many other details missed and too much unnecessary ideas added.

Theres only a couple of things in the PC adaptation that I hope are left out. I still like the film in its respective, but adding plots that won’t get a character or storyline anywhere I believe is redundant.

@daughterofthestar what I meant wasn't so much that the movie cut scenes from the book of the characters eating as that it didn't focus on making the food appetizing. Tumnus may give Lucy toast and tea in the cinematic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but we don't see how her enjoying them much. The movie also changes the delicious sounding meal the beavers give the Pevensies to something less tasty solely for the sake of a pun. 

We also don't get this bit from Prince Caspian. 

Everyone began eating, and whatever hothouses your people may have, you have never tasted such grapes. Really good grapes, firm and tight on the outside, but bursting into cool sweetness when you put them into your mouth, were one of the things the girls had never had quite enough of before.

Neither do we get this memorable bit though I can understand the pacing reasons behind that. 

But for the tree people different fare was provided. When Lucy saw Clodsley Shovel and his moles scuffling up the turf in various places (which Bacchus had pointed out to them) and realized that the trees were going to eat earth it gave her rather a shudder. But when she saw the earths that were actually brought to them she felt quite different. They began with a rich brown loam that looked almost exactly like chocolate; so like chocolate, in fact, that Edmund tried a piece of it,but he did not find it at all nice. When the rich loam had taken the edge off their hunger, the trees turned to an earth of the kind you see in Somerset, which is almost pink. They said it was lighter and sweeter. At the cheese stage they had a chalky soil, and then went on to delicate confections of the finest gravels powdered with choice silver sand. They drank very little wine, and it made the Hollies very talkative: for the most part they quenched their thirst with deep draughts of mingled dew and rain, flavoured with forest flowers and the airy taste of the thinnest cloud.