You are referring to the panel below the Wood between the Worlds and above the bell, Undomiel? I think that one is supposed to be the city of Charn.

And on more thought, I agree a CGI George wouldn't be the best idea. If there is to be a flashback-thing, I'd rather see Eustace and an older Lucy than try and set it during LWW. That way there could also be a SC reference.

Thanks, I had an Idea it might be Charn or the Valley of Narnia, but I couldn't quite tell.

Hi guys,

ok, i have just finished reading The Magicians Nephew for the first time. Whilst i quite enjoyed the book, here are my immediate thoughts on transition to film

1. The delay in a official greenlight may well be down to trying to get Tilda Swinton & Jim Broadbent to reprise their roles. I think its really important they get both these actors back in. Having Jimmy Broadbent chopping down the apple tree and building the wardrobe at the end of the film will tie in beautifuly with TLTWW.

2. Jadis story of the downfall of charn should be the darksest scene in the film. It really should push the boundary as far as they can go on a kids film. (The imagery really should depict charn like hell)

3. The story is very character driven. The whole back story of Digory and his mum, the emotional dilemma set between his mission by Aslan and the witch should make for very compelling emotional drama.

4. But, (getting ready to duck the rotten tomatoes) whilst the book is nice & interesting, its not "movie spectacle" material. And, its working off the back of the last three flims, with giant sea serpents, dragons, mighty armies waging war...it WILL need some sort of major set peice in the film. something that will get bums on seats in the theater. You can keep the main elements and themes in the book intact, but the Witch alone is not a strong enough atagonist. There needs to be some sort of dilemma on epic proportions, which matches the strength of the emotional dilemma digory faces. Question is, what would that be??

Anyway, just my thoughts. Right, im gonna go read the Silver chair next...

Have fun, give my regards to Puddleglum.

Now there are a couple of implied action scenes from the book that might work in a movie, for example a magical show down between Jadis and her sister, culminating in her saying the deplorable word (although audiences shouldn't be able to hear it loud), then cut to the look of horror on her sister's face before all of the creatures in their universe are sucked into oblivion, or vanished into thin air, or whatever it is creatures do when deplorable stuff goes down.

Then there's the scene where Jadis terrorizes London. However, neither of those scenes can serve as the climax of the movie, because they happen too early on. If they stuff random action into, say, the Narnia part of the movie it will seem weird and out of place.

I don't think an action scene or epic climax is at all necessary. The last film tried that and it didn't go so well. I think the climax should be the showdown in the garden between Jadis and Digory. They could spice it up a little. They might expand on Polly's involvement, or...something. Jadis might make another pass at getting the rings, perhaps by force...I don't know. Anything but an all-out action scene. That would wreck the whole plot, because providing the means for an 'epic' conflict (getting an army, setting up a battle, etc.) would take a good deal of time that needs to be spent on canon endeavors.

And, I hate to say this, but I think the scene with the Deplorable word might be cut. The history of Charn really doesn't have a bunch to do with the overall plot; I think we all need to prepare ourselves for the reality that we might not see it in the final film. I would love for it to be filmed (because I, too, love that part of the book), but IF it is, it'll probably be regulated to a deleted scene. And let's face it, it would be a very expensive deleted scene to make. So, I'm thinking filmmakers probably won't.

I hope MN is driven not by action or adventure or cheesy moral taglines, but by the characters. Digory's struggle with his mother's illness should really be emphasised as he goes through the story. As for Polly, she gets duped and then dragged through the whole thing, kind of like Susan in LWW, but unlike Susan, Polly is out for adventure (at first), and then to make things right. She's quite mature in that sense, and I hope she isn't portrayed as just a selfish little eleven-year-old because 'kids need to relate to her', or whatever.

So many things that could go wrong...I really hope they try on this one, not just to make money, but to make a good movie. Isn't that what Walden Media used to be about?

I think the scene with the Deplorable word might be cut.

I seriously, seriously doubt that will happen. The Charn scene is different to other battles yes, but it still provides one of the few action scenes in the book. They're not going to remove it.

And, I hate to say this, but I think the scene with the Deplorable word might be cut. The history of Charn really doesn't have a bunch to do with the overall plot; I think we all need to prepare ourselves for the reality that we might not see it in the final film. I would love for it to be filmed (because I, too, love that part of the book), but IF it is, it'll probably be regulated to a deleted scene. And let's face it, it would be a very expensive deleted scene to make. So, I'm thinking filmmakers probably won't.

Please explain why this scene would more expensive than the creation of Narnia. I don't understand why this scene would be expense at all.

I think the scene with the Deplorable word might be cut.

I seriously, seriously doubt that will happen. The Charn scene is different to other battles yes, but it still provides one of the few action scenes in the book. They're not going to remove it.

Not only that, but it contributes so much to the idea that Charn was not a good or happy place. It's called mis en place or something. Everything, including the changing expressions on the faces of the seated statues, should contribute to a sense of real menace in Charn, even if it is a virtually dead place. The climax of this scene should be the awakening of Jadis, and her confirmation of the dreadfulness of the place when she does. Quick historic vignettes, plus a demo of the deplorable word in action would also show so much about Jadis' character, herself, and why the fear of her would linger up until PC and beyond. We need to see that she is a really ruthless monster, and the deludedness of Uncle Andrew despite his terror of her.

The children should really need to escape, not only Charn, but from Jadis, herself, to understand their subsequent adventures, their determination to get Jadis out of London, and how they got into Narnia.

Excellent point there Wagga. The Charn scenes really do add to and explain Jadis' truly evil, otherworldy character. Not to mention, they're some of the most fascinating scenes in the book.

Don't get me wrong. I love the scenes in Charn, and I'd love to see a flashback, too. But I'm thinking about what will happen, not necessarily what I want to happen. I think the most we'll get is one or two lines from Jadis about destroying the whole world, before the script moves on to other things.

A flashback would be expensive because you'd have to hire an actress for Jadis' sister, and a whole bunch of extras for the armies. Plus you'd have to armour and costume them all, and then CG in a whole bunch; part of the armies, part of the city, etc. Add the cost of the film, the extra days on the Charn set, and all the other minimal costs...it'd add up to a big fat expense of a scene they don't really need to film. I don't know about it being more expensive than the creation of Narnia, but the creation of Narnia is a pretty important scene.

Unless, of course, they do make it more relevant to the full plot. And I'd hate to see that done....

*bites nails and imagines the worst*

Clu and young Kevin Flynn in Tron: Legacy was pretty good, I thought. (in response to earlier comments about CGI) However, I think it would be a rather expensive shot for a scene that's not really that crucial and rather small. I like the idea of showing older Digory at the end cutting the tree though... A little tie in, nothing major, and nothing that expensive... Maybe if they showed him setting up the wardrobe in his house, then when he leaves the room the door opens and Aslan Roars like he did in LWW... or show a close-up of the panels.

A flashback would be expensive because you'd have to hire an actress for Jadis' sister, and a whole bunch of extras for the armies. Plus [...] CG in a whole bunch; part of the armies, part of the city, etc. Add the cost of the film, the extra days on the Charn set [...] it'd add up to a big fat expense of a scene they don't really need to film.

That's a good point, but it's very possible that from the director/producer point of view any canonical action scene does really need to be filmed! It saves making up a new one.
Also, they wouldn't need so many extras necessarily - I imagine a shot beginning high over Charn, moving down and in to fly quickly over battle raging in the streets, and then zoom up to where Jadis' sister is just arriving to confront her. Everything but the two women and the people in their immediate vicinity could be CGI. It's still a cost, yes. Probably a large one. But it saves on extras, costumes, sets. I could see it being included.

It'd add up to a big fat expense of a scene they don't really need to film. Unless, of course, they do make it more relevant to the full plot. And I'd hate to see that done....

I'm with you there! *cringes*

Don't get me wrong. I love the scenes in Charn, and I'd love to see a flashback, too. But I'm thinking about what will happen, not necessarily what I want to happen. I think the most we'll get is one or two lines from Jadis about destroying the whole world, before the script moves on to other things.

A flashback would be expensive because you'd have to hire an actress for Jadis' sister, and a whole bunch of extras for the armies. Plus you'd have to armour and costume them all, and then CG in a whole bunch; part of the armies, part of the city, etc. Add the cost of the film, the extra days on the Charn set, and all the other minimal costs...it'd add up to a big fat expense of a scene they don't really need to film. I don't know about it being more expensive than the creation of Narnia, but the creation of Narnia is a pretty important scene.

Unless, of course, they do make it more relevant to the full plot. And I'd hate to see that done....

*bites nails and imagines the worst*

I don't see why doing Charn properly should be so expensive. You have to look at the movie holistically and Charn is needed, firstly because that is where Jadis is at, and subsequently, because from the point that Digory so foolishly rings the bell, he can't get rid of her. Without Digory and Polly's experiences of Jadis in dying Charn there isn't a story. They were trying to escape from her in Charn, but she caught hold of them. Although weakened in the wood between the worlds, she still kept hold of them, following them into London, where she creates more havoc. Then when Digory and Polly returned her to the Wood between the worlds, they all went on to Narnia.

As dreamy and important as Narnia's creation is, and yes, this must be one of the main attractions to the movie, it isn't the creation per se that is as important as Jadis' arrival in it to ruin a brand new creation. Jadis is the reason they are there, and it is because of Jadis' presence that Aslan sends Digory to get the golden apple. Also, don't forget the hurt Digory did to Polly when she tried to stop him from ringing the bell, a misdeed which Aslan also queried.

Getting back to how Charn could be pictured, I like the idea of pictures along the Hall of Ancestors coming to life. Or maybe one of the statues getting up and walking into a scene of dead people slumped around a great dining table, when Jadis mentions it. Or a sign showing a prisoner being taken to the torture chambers. Perhaps memories could be done in animation, something like the Tale of the Three Brothers in HPDH1 last Christmas.

I agree that you might have to have an actress to play Jadis' sister, though it is such a bit part it needn't be anyone too expensive to hire. All she really has to do is to mount a terrace of steps at the head of some supporters, with a wickedly triumphant grin on her face.

I don't consider it necessary to have more than a handful of differingly dressed high-ranking officers with their more lowly dressed aides, to follow Jadis' sister up the terrace stairs. Maybe ten or twelve extras at most. Perhaps only the two women and maybe a couple of the sister's henchmen would be all that is necessary. You don't really need to see an actual army. Just a lot of small camp fires in the twilight, maybe the outline of tents or houses, with enough people to create shadows around them, giving the impression of movement and fighting in the streets, a lot of yelling and screaming, and that there are considerably more people awaiting Jadis' sister than is the case. Adeona's idea would be good also.

You see Jadis doing to her sister what she did to the heavy palace doors, there is a whoosh, all the palace doors fly open and then collapse, the screen blacks out, then resumes amid disastrously sad music with a finality to it. We are shown Jadis, Polly, and Digory standing on the terrace beyond those ruined heavy wooden doors, overlooking a desolate, uninhabited city. Everyone is gone. It is also important that Polly and the audience see Jadis as the tyrant she really is. It is only because Polly talks back to Jadis, that Jadis lets go of Digory long enough for him to try the rings to get away.

I agree with ChristProclamer that an epic battle scene wouldn't fit. I think a great way to show what happened in the past would be picures on the wall. For example Digory and Polly are walking up the stairs and there are paintings there of what happened (kinda like the paintings In Aslan's How in PC). Of course then there is the question of who drew the painting...but that's just an idea.
And about the Deplorable word, I wonder if we are going to have the first (and most likely last) Narnian swear word