Oooh. I suppose I'll wait for further updates on this before I feel properly optimistic (it could yet be pushed back, and will any IMAX convenient to me still be open! etc.). 

I do have some uncertainty over LWW being the first film. It would pull the most people in by familiarity, but there might be some thinking, 'but didn't we only have a successful LWW film just a few years ago?' Of course it's longer ago than that, but it was successful enough to still be there in people's minds.

The Magician's Nephew would be so exciting for us as it hasn't had its own cinematic outing or prominent TV series and could really look a treat on screen if handled right. However, many aren't aware of it. If it is indeed made first, I really hope people give it a fair chance and the advertisement for is good. Gerwig's involvement and recent successes should really help with that.

Posted by: @courtenay

 

I haven't seen Gerwig's Little Women or read the original book, so I can't comment on that. However, as far as we've seen, all her comments on Narnia itself, and on C.S. Lewis as a writer and thinker, have been very positive and respectful. Certainly nothing that's been clanging any alarm bells, so far.

 

I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt and see what she comes up with — it could be absolutely excellent, utterly dreadful, or anywhere in between. Or like previous adaptations, there could be some Narnia fans who love it and some who can't stand it!

 

At least now we have a date for when we'll all finally find out for sure...

I think Greta Gerwig's Little Women is unique and enjoyable but as someone who has literally read the book dozens of times I don't think it is really any better of an adaptation than the Walden The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. They both made choices that drive me absolutely crazy but that said I do own both movies as well as their soundtracks and watch them on a fairly regular basis. I just always rant about them afterwards. 🤭 

I am looking forward to seeing what her vision of Narnia is and think she is definitely the best choice of all the directors whose work I am aware of.

Since it keeps being mentioned in this thread, I thought I'd say that while Carithewriter is of the opinion that the faith element is what made the book Little Women special, there are other fans of the book who would disagree. That doesn't mean those fans are right and Cari is wrong. It just means that the fandom isn't single minded and adaptations that appeal to some fans and not others are inevitable. 

(There are even some Little Women fans who would say the Christian references in the book were put there to appeal to Christian readers, not as a reflection of the author's own beliefs. But those fans may very well be dealing with their own biases. I'm generally cynical about people who say authors only wrote things with which they disagree because of the time periods in which those authors lived and that if they lived now, they'd agree with them.) 

What I wrote above about different fans having different takes on what makes the work special and adaptations therefore appealing to some fans and not others could apply to Narnia as well. I feel like it applies less though because Little Women is a fairly thick book and each Narnia books is fairly slender, so there's less that's debatable. Still, there must be some stuff to debate, or we likely wouldn't have this forum.  

It's finally happening! Although getting a potential release date before the first casting announcements does seem odd. Conceptually I love the idea of Narnia on an IMAX screen, but practically the closest IMAX to me is at the children's museum and the seats are very uncomfortable so I'm not looking forward to that. A Thanksgiving release usually means some tough competition at the box office though. mid November to early December is when the Disney Princess and other musicals tend to happen. Hopefully this means that Netflix has confidence in Greta Gerwig because I'm pretty sure Thanksgiving 2026 will be the live action Moana.

I'm shocking myself, as I have hardly ever posted in GMD. But with this news, I had to! Honestly, I am not a big movie person, so have not given much thought to future Narnia films, but now that this is a reality, there is a sense of hesitant anticipation growing in me. We do not have—and never will have—Netflix, but I am hoping the film will be shown in a theatre within a reasonable driving distance.

Hoping this story will be one of the Chronicles that has not yet been filmed, I am, nevertheless, feeling rather cautious. My greatest fear is that another beloved Narnia Chronicle will be spoiled on the screen. But two quotes from fantasia on the previous page echo my sentiments best:

Looking forward to riding the pre-movie ride with everyone again!

I accept that there will be things I don't like, and things that I do like, and just hope that the latter outweighs the former.

Hear-hear!  

And now, I will slip back to my comfy Spare Oom (while keeping up with the posts here).  

I think there is no way this is going to be a better movie than the Walden ones and LWW wasn't perfect, VDT was terrible and PC had some major flaws. I just think movies are so bad now. They don't know how to write basic plot anymore.  No one that is in the movie industry right now even understands the basics of good and evil, so movies just aren't good anymore.

I mean MN plot is probably the nature of family, doing what is right and not just what ambition will lead you too, a fallen world, 100 years of winters, the talking beast don't even know that Uncle Andrew is a human being. There is no way anyone is getting the nature of evil in MN.

I am glad i get to see it in the movie theater, but that means it is even less likely to be good. It will be even more commercial. The movie makers of today just think different things are good and evil than the things i think are good and evil and nothing the director has made or said makes me think she gets that even a little bit.

@courtenay AS for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, I may be biased for Walden Media because I watched it when I was 12. Younger me had never seen a Narnia adaptation and was in complete awe. I should give it a rewatch now that I'm older. I tolerated Prince Caspian, appreciating its cinematic value but forcing myself not to yell out, "WELL THAT WASN'T IN THE BOOK! WHY'D THEY CHANGE IT?!" Dawn Treader? The best part was Eustace. Everything else wasn't worth it. No hate on the actors. I blame the director and scriptwriter. 

I definitely am excited to see her take. A lot of people I know like the newer Little Women, so we'll see.

Posted by: @decarus

I just think movies are so bad now. They don't know how to write basic plot anymore.  No one that is in the movie industry right now even understands the basics of good and evil, so movies just aren't good anymore.

.... The movie makers of today just think different things are good and evil than the things i think are good and evil and nothing the director has made or said makes me think she gets that even a little bit.

You are of course entitled to your own opinion on the matter, but i might suggest that either maybe you aren't watching enough recent movies? or perhaps you haven't watched enough old movies?

Film making has always been an incredibly broad spectrum of different tastes, values, and moral positions.... and it has always resulted in movies of incredibly varying quality and success. To say that all modern films are one way, and all old films are another way just doesn't really stand up to scrutiny.

Apologies if that sounds too rude or condescending, i just think its important to make sure we aren't reaching for excessive hyperbole, when in reality things are much more complex and nuanced.

Posted by: @coracle

Posted by: @fantasia

Is it bad that my first reaction to this news was excitement that I don't have to resubscribe to Netflix now?  

Unfortunately I  don't think there are any Imax cinemas in my country. 

However, there is an Events movie Imax cinema in Darling Harbour, Sydney. Today's movies are: Wolfman; Interstellar & Deep Sky. But I have other plans for today, Saturday, 18th January. 

It is interesting that a Narnian film is finally official. And when it was announced at 11.00 pm, on 16th January, or so it seems, it was almost on my birthday as well. Thanksgiving in USA, is a long time away, but if it does come out on Imax, it might be something to plan for, that is, if you are able to get to Sydney from "Middle Earth", which, I agree, is a fair distance to see a show, & if nothing horrible happens, meanwhile.  

Posted by: @waggawerewolf27

Posted by: @coracle

Unfortunately I  don't think there are any Imax cinemas in my country. 

However, there is an Events movie Imax cinema in Darling Harbour, Sydney... Thanksgiving in USA, is a long time away, but if it does come out on Imax, it might be something to plan for, that is, if you are able to get to Sydney from "Middle Earth", which, I agree, is a fair distance to see a show, & if nothing horrible happens, meanwhile.    

And just so you know, we do also have an IMAX cinema in Melbourne. In fact, it's even bigger than the one in Sydney.  

The advantage of going to Sydney's Darling Harbour, for me, is that it would be "doable" to get to, providing the trains aren't on strike, or there isn't track maintenance to do. I don't even have to worry about my own accommodation, after the show. I've heard they have the same sort of troubles down in Melbourne, on Vic Rail, along with the mere problem of getting there from Sydney to Tullamarine Airport. But, I agree, that it would probably be a more convenient destination for someone coming from New Zealand, especially if there were to be a group of us like-minded Southern Hemisphere Narnia Webbers.  

From the looks of it, New Zealand does have IMAX screens... And proper full-frame 70mm projection IMAX screens at that.

It's anyone has interested, someone has compiled a handy list of all the proper IMAX format screens for each continent:

https://imax.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_IMAX_venues

There are of course plenty of other IMAX branded, digital format screens available elsewhere as well.

It will be a good movie, guys. It just will be! She hasn't made a bad one yet.

Whether she makes one that we all LIKE, is another matter! Whether she reimagines Narnia in a way that is reflective of Lewis' themes/style and matches the picture in our heads- well we'll have to wait an see. We still don't even know which book(s) she's adapting from!

I'm hopeful, though. I don't think it will be a thrown together mess like VDT. Like @gp has said on TB... it'll be 'deliberate'. It will be a decent, well crafted movie.

I think I'll like it - but even if I hate it, I'll be fascinated in why/how she's chosen to do it.

I'm buzzing for a full IMAX screening too! 677 days...

Posted by: @whitestag

It will be a good movie, guys. It just will be! She hasn't made a bad one yet.

Whether she makes one that we all LIKE, is another matter!

I love this sentiment. And I think it is spot on!

Posted by: @icarus

It's anyone has interested, someone has compiled a handy list of all the proper IMAX format screens for each continent:

https://imax.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_IMAX_venues

Interesting. My closest IMAX isn't on there. Especially since its sister IMAX is listed. 

Posted by: @icarus

From the looks of it, New Zealand does have IMAX screens... And proper full-frame 70mm projection IMAX screens at that.

It's anyone has interested, someone has compiled a handy list of all the proper IMAX format screens for each continent:

https://imax.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_IMAX_venues

There are of course plenty of other IMAX branded, digital format screens available elsewhere as well.

Very interesting. It is just possible that I could visit someone who lives near the second one listed for New Zealand, and see the film. It would involve flying and taking two trains.