Very disappointed with this, because it looks so cheap. Seriously, it isn't that much of a stretch to see this in a dollar store. Aslan's eyes look wrong, the minotaur looks fake (I'm sure the real one doesn't look that bad, because I have faith in Howard Berger) and three minor (although major in previous films) characters?!

The trailer better kick tail, because I don't think the marketing is helping at all. It screams, "We made a mistake in Prince Caspian. This one's gonna be much mor magical!! Please, please see it." And it's a shame because, at least from what I've seen it should be a good movie.

First of all, I am glad that there is a poster in movie theaters fo VDT. It doesn't matter what movie people go to see, the display/poster is letting all who see it know that another Narnia film is on its way.

Secondly, it is obvious that the producers consider the White Witch to be a major draw from LWW and are milking her character/image for all that its worth for as long as they can.

Thirdly, I don't mind having Peter and Susan as I always thought a cameo or small appearance would be appropriate based on reading the book and for some continuity for non-Narnia moviegoers.

And finally, I agree with glumPuddle that it is somewhat misleading...
But I don't mind the overall look nor how Edmund, Lucy, Caspian, Coriakin, and Ramandu's daughter are shown. It looks pretty good if one just looks at it without thinking too much or concern about the story if one knows it well. (IMHO)
(And I think that is how most moviegoers will look at it; "interesting even if I don't exactly know what the story is about.")

I am in absolute disbelief about the fact that we are going to have to relive the White Witch controversy for the next six months. Whatever the studio or anyone says, we are going to be talking about this until the movie comes out. This is going to be one of the major issues...again.

Deja vu. (Yeah, it was the same black cat)

I wonder if, for every movie, we'll be saying "I wonder how they'll manage to squeeze in Tilda this time?" This could easily become comical.

Honestly, this poster looks like one of those dreadful Velvet Elvis pictures. I thought the Cannes banner was pretty ugly, but this is far worse. And it's a shame they've sunken to plastering Peter, Susan, and the WW on the display to try to trick people into thinking they play a major part in the movie. Also irritates me that they're doing the Eowyn thing with Ramandu's Daughter. She's a tiny little presence on the poster while characters who are barely in the movie dominate it.

To be completely truthful, I don't like this poster at all. I have to agree with Bookwyrm on this.

Why in the world is Susan, Peter, and WW doing on this poster and why of all them and the minotuar and faun have to be bigger then Ramandu's Daughter? I do find it rather dominating considering she is Caspian's true love in this and Peter and Susan will only appear for a few seconds in the film. And no offense to Susan lovers but I am at my last straw with the character of Susan, I lost complete respect for her after I saw PC. I didn't want to see her at all on any Narnian poster until HHB is made. I really dont see a purpose of any of them being on the poster at all except, Caspian, Reep, Lucy, Edmund, Eustace, RD and Cheif Dufflepud.

I mean where is Drinian, Rynelf, Rhince, Gumpas or even a dragon in all of this. They shure would have been more useful in the poster space

I hope the actual last and main poster does not have these three characters on it. Out of all of them Susan really irks me to death. I hate how she has to be bigger then RD. That is not right. Not right at all.

This poster completely defeats the purpose of the magical story of VDT. I am not pleased.

The only good thing about this poster being in theaters is that the trailer is indeed closer now. I can't wait!

A few comments after reading everyone else's:

1. The Jadis/LOTGK topic was banned not because it couldn't be answered, but because a small number of people wouldn't accept the answer - even though we mods had gone to the estate to ask for a ruling! Some people kept arguing back in an unfriendly manner, and we sighed and said "enough".

2. This is a cinema [standing?] poster, I understand, and it's so early that there will surely be better ones following it. It certainly tries to please everyone but in doing so it fails to get things right. Well, we shall see. In the meantime Steven Rooke gets equal billing to Anna and Will M. (not Mr Tumnus, sillies, he's been dead 1303 years).

Dear Walden Media,

If the next Narnia film gets made, I implore you to please hire NarniaWebbers to handle the marketing.

Sincerely,
mm1991

----------

There is really nothing I can say that hasn't already been said. This display is confusing and misleading. And...seriously folks, Aslan does NOT need to be on every poster.

Ummm.

Well. It's alright. I prefer the placement of Lucy, Edmund & Eustace here than in the Cannes banner. I like the ship and Aslan, etc.

I pretty much like it except ... what are Peter and Susan doing there?? Seriously. I remained unconvinced that that's the White Witch, I may just be in denial, I'm happier here. I agree with Bookwyrm, it seems to be a attempt to remind people of the old films, rather than advertising the new one.

*sigh*

lets lighten up, folks! lets just be glad this new studio picked it up! be grateful!

Well, obviously, when I saw the poster this morning there was some surprise indeed at the inclusion of Peter, Susan, and Jadis, but I think that I am overall more concerned about the misleading nature of the poster than them (except for perhaps Jadis) being on the poster itself. It doesn't seem very honourable to use characters that will or may have only very small cameos in this film to draw people in- they'll go in expecting to see them in major roles and be sorely disappointed when they find out they're not, hence probable more disappointment with the actual movie. In addition, it is not as if the poster designers and film makers actually needed to have Peter, Susan, and Jadis there to draw audiences in to see the movie, as if that was the only way to make things work. I'm sure they would have just as much success with making some of the other characters more prominent for advertising.

That being said, I did like the inclusion of the young lady in white down in the right hand lower corner.

I.. honestly don't know. I like seeing all the characters on there, but it's not exactly the best poster in the world.

At first when I saw Peter, Susan and THE WHITE WITCH?! I freaked out. Now I'm sort of calmed down, but I do agree that it's incredibly misleading for all those people out there that haven't read the books and actually think those characters are going to have major parts. We know Peter and Susan won't, and this:

Don't know if this will clear anything up for anyone else, but it did for me:

Paul Martin on Narniafans wrote:
That is Tilda Swinton on the right side, appearing again as The White Witch. I can tell you right now: do not be alarmed. It’s not a big deal. She doesn’t appear for very long. I’m not sure the screentime but it’s likely to be shorter than in Prince Caspian. It’s for a dream sequence and nothing more.

makes me feel a whole lot better about the White Witch. If it is, as some people have suggested, for Edmund's dream or something, I would actually love to see it.
She looks seriously not at all like the White Witch in this picture, though.

Also, am I completely imagining things, or does the knife that the Dufflepud is holding look like the White Witch's Stone Knife? I'm pretty sure it's not but that's what I thought of when I first saw it.

I didn't recognize RD at all. She looks like a 10 year old girl - I thought she was the MLG at first.

Lucy and Edmund still look weird.. they'd better not look like this in the actual movie.

lets lighten up, folks! lets just be glad this new studio picked it up! be grateful!

With that being said, welcome aboard NarniaWeb!

The community forum members do not lack a passionate feeling for how Narnia is portrayed on the movie screen. We all thought it absolutely terrific that Fox and Walden Media are making VDT. Yet it can be tough watching a cherished and beloved story being made into a movie. While a small change from the book to the movie may seem insignificant to most people of the world, it can be totally gut-wrenching to some folks here.

I am not saying it is good or bad, right or wrong. Its just how things roll.

Come on in. Join the discussions. I offer chocolate filled jelly donuts and ice cream to those folks badly stressed - chocolate has a mild sedative effect.

Now back to our current topic ...

I like this movie standee. Then again, I am the most unflappable member here.

Deep breath all...

I remember the release of the first LWW stand. http://www.narniaweb.com/2004/11/exclusive-narnia-movie-poster-stand/ There was a similar mixed reaction.

Keep in mind that in advertising, the first thing to do is to grab the passer by's attention. Advertising typically isn't aimed at those who know the product, but those who have never seen it.

Things in it's favor:

a) a lot of color
b) Focus on the characters
c) a light touchstone to the previous films
d) a hint at what's to come
e) it's size
f) the focus of the entire piece is on the giant lion head

The one thing that does bother me is the apparent recycling of some images from the previous film, but it doesn't bug me much as that usually happens at this stage in the advertising game. We won't hear any music from the movie in the upcoming trailer. It'll all be stuff from other movies. Images from previous movies get recycled on still advertising.

So all in all, I think it is a solid piece of advertising. Some fans may have issues because we know the story, but think about it from a young person's point of view who has never read the book...

It is definitely eye catching and that's the point.

Okiedokes . . .

Actually, after reading a few more comments/arguments, I am much less 'arrrggghh' then my initial reaction.

So, it is the White Witch. After checking out what Paul Martin had to say, I'm not so bothered. I quite like to idea of Jadis as Edmund's Dark Island nightmare. Overkill does come to mind, but neither this or the PC cameo was out of line with the books at all, so I'd be happy with it.

The stand is eye catching. Sure, not the best pictures in the world, but I'll live. Yes, having Peter/Susan/WW is a bit of a deception, but this is a battle to win over the audience. As we know - Battles are ugly affairs. If this is how Fox is playing it, a slight tricking of the public isn't so bad.

The stand is more a cross section of what Narnia was, is and will be. I reserve the right to change my mind.

The composition reminds me of a lot of the LOTR promotional material, so it doesn't bug me that much. But the textures are just bad.

On to the characters-

I honestly wasn't sure it was Tilda at first, but now that I'm reasonably convinced that it's her I'm still not bothered. She probably appears on Dark Island, and while it's fatiguing (The White Witch is dead. Gone. Why do we keep resurrecting her?) it's not the end of the world.

The recurring appearances of Peter and Su are more welcome. Of course, they'll only have small roles, (Anna has so far denied even being in the film, and we're fairly sure Peter will have just a cameo) but they were popular characters and will attract audiences if they're featured in a few advertisements.

And who is the character directly above Jadis? A dufflepud? That's exciting!