I actually do know one of the reasons, and hopefully it's ok that I'm sharing this, but a big factor is that MN is the second best selling Narnia book in the series. (LWW is obviously number one.) Whereas SC is the second worst selling book in the series. They're hoping that the box office numbers will follow book sales and bring a boost to the series.

Providing it doesn't cause any ructions, could you please rank all the Narnia books in order of popularity? It would be useful to know where each book stands.

I'm wondering if another reason for not doing SC at this point might be the ending of the BBC series at Silver Chair? Oddly enough this was the best done of all the BBC Narnia television productions. And yet, though BBC canned attempting to televise other three books, the BBC has earned heaps from first videocassette then DVD reproductions of the four books it did do.

If the next movie is MN, and it sells well, then there is less angst about the series ending with a SC film, just like the BBC series did.

I bet the first time I see Tilda in a MN trailer, I will instinctively groan...and then remember "oh yeah, she's in this book."

Sadly, I think I am kind of tired of seeing Tilda. The coolness of the character has worn off after seeing her shoe-horned into PC and VDT.

In terms of story-telling, making SC next doesn't make sense. It is a 100% commercially driven decision, not a creative one.

glumPuddle...I think you meant to put MN in place of SC in that sentence? Is that a typo?

Corrected, thanks!

The Narnia films seem to be going down further in quality, depth, etc. with each movie. The more that come out, the worse they seem to get.

In terms of quality and depth, I think LWW and PC are comparable. The major jump came with VDT, which dropped FAR below LWW and PC. I was totally caught off guard by the poor quality of all areas of VDT.

I hope they get someone else to play Jadis. Tilda is a formidable actress BUT I'm a bit sick of seeing her in the movies where she doesn't belong (not her fault). I'm mostly okay with her appearance in PC (it's there in the book, more or less) but in VDT as well? That's just silly and the idea is hugely underdeveloped. Also, Tilda doesn't look seductive. Her acting speaks volumes about the character (again she's brilliant in the role in LWW and she's equally enticing and dangerous) but I've always pictured Jadis as much younger and unearthly in her beauty. I never felt that about Tilda. And lets be honest, blood-red lips and black hair would be super-sensual (keeping everything at a PG-level of course). Just something to think about.

I hope they get someone else to play Jadis.

I highly doubt that will happen. Tilda's probably half the reason they're making MN in the first place. She won an Oscar after all! The filmmakers are assuming she's the awesome villian everyone wants to see. (Hence her appearance in PC and MN.)

No, I haven't exactly gotten over a blond WW, but changing her actress would really throw people off.

Providing it doesn't cause any ructions, could you please rank all the Narnia books in order of popularity?

I would love to, but unfortunately I don't know. If I find I out I promise I will pass the information on.

I hope they get someone else to play Jadis.

I highly doubt that will happen. Tilda's probably half the reason they're making MN in the first place. She won an Oscar after all! The filmmakers are assuming she's the awesome villian everyone wants to see. (Hence her appearance in PC and MN.)

No, I haven't exactly gotten over a blond WW, but changing her actress would really throw people off.

I don't think that Tilda is half the reason, although she may be A reason. I suspect fantasia kitty is right that they're going on book sales. Now I know a number of people who think of MN as one of their favorite books in the series, but it's still nowhere near as well read as LWW. A majority of casual fans won't have heard of it, and it'll be coming out 7 years after LWW, long enough for the magic of that movie to have worn off, if you're not a book-reading narniac. So, the commercial value of tying in with LWW is doubtful. It may bring in some audiences, but not enough to justify a big budget, especially if the finished product isn't a good movie.

Why don't they just re-title it "The White Witch Begins" and get it over with?

BTW I was researching online how to get the publication statistics of the best-selling Narnia books...but apparently one of the links was a special research service that charges large fees for the information (I didn't subscribe to it). Not sure if that info is available for free online anywhere.

Why don't they just re-title it "The White Witch Begins" and get it over with?

You laugh now, but in 2012/13 we'll be seeing posters dominated by a shadowy Tilda Swinton . . .

Actually, I had no problem whatsoever with their use of Tilda in PC. We only caught a glimpse of her in the commercials, and her partial resurrection worked in the context of the movie. In the book, they argue about the danger of bringing her back, whereas in the movie the danger is visualized with her physical presence. It was a change, but it made sense.

I couldn't stand the way they tried to milk her star power in VDT, though. Just seemed like a lame marketing ploy.

There is one good thing about MN: Should it succeed, then there is no problem afterwards about having Jadis, the White Witch or Tilda Swinton in any future productions. MN wraps her character up nicely, and for good.

SC doesn't have her, and should the movies get that far, neither does HHB nor LB.

By the way, I strongly doubt that Michael Apted would be directing MN, if it gets greenlit soon, because he will be engaged elsewhere.

Nothing wrong with Tilda.

I have no complaints about the quality of VDT. I like the fact that it was shorter. It covered all the major points (with the possible exception of showing Caspian and Lilliandil together at the end) while not dwelling too much on them. And visual and soundtrackwise it was good.

Just as long as there is another Narnia movie coming out I am excited here! I can't wait to hear more movie news and get hyper again!

Providing it doesn't cause any ructions, could you please rank all the Narnia books in order of popularity?

I would love to, but unfortunately I don't know. If I find I out I promise I will pass the information on.

Thank you, I should have said so earlier, but I guess I got too carried away with the discussion.

I would prefer they not make anymore Narnia films, but if I had to choose the next one, I'd pick SC. Two reasons:

1) Puddleglum..... So even if they destroyed the SC story, I bet they'd do a fair job on my favorite character.

2) LotGK. BBC's money-saving decision to cast Barbara Kellerman as both the WW and LotGK caused confusion that somehow spread to some fans' perception of the books. Perhaps this silly mis-understanding could be reversed if Walden cast a different actress.

I'd agree with your reasoning about Puddleglum and LOTGK, however the mere existence of the BBC version of SC might give the filmmakers pause. Considerable pause, one reason being the one about LOTGK you listed. On the wider Internet I have found that some people can't really believe that LOTGK and the White Witch aren't the same person and have got quite upset by the idea they aren't. On the other hand, Douglas Gresham in an interview almost confirmed they wouldn't have Tilda Swinson as LOTGK.

The trouble with Puddleglum as a character is that Tom Baker's performance in that character has to be one of the strengths of that series. This former Dr Who deserves much more acclaim than he probably ever got. And I suspect it will be difficult to replicate his sterling performance as Puddleglum in the Walden version.

Then there is BBC's decision not to do any more Narnia television productions after Silver Chair. So far the Walden series of films has done Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and both were compared to the BBC versions as one would expect. Sometimes to the Walden version's detriment. Already Disney pulled the plug after PC: Walden might be a little nervous about Fox doing the same after SC when BBC did that also.

Then why not do MN when it is a stand-alone, and when the BBC, which stopped at Silver Chair, never did MN and therefore the two versions won't be comparable? I bet this is a considerable part of the reasoning behind doing MN.

Another thing that I noticed when looking up Wikipedia is that Michael Apted has other commitments for late 2011 and early 2012, so it is likely that a new director will be needed for MN if it is greenlit.

There is one good thing about MN: Should it succeed, then there is no problem afterwards about having Jadis, the White Witch or Tilda Swinton in any future productions. MN wraps her character up nicely, and for good.

SC doesn't have her, and should the movies get that far, neither does HHB nor LB.

The book VDT, on the other hand, had her spirit haunting Edmund . . .

The fact that her origins are explained in MN, and that she isn't in the three remaining books, doesn't guarantee that they won't try to squeeze her in.
In fact, I wouldn't be at all surprised if they have a flashback sequence in SC explaining the Green Lady's connection to Jadis.

Bringing back the White Witch in all these stories is annoying me a little bit too. Prince Caspian was acceptable but VDT was quite enough of her. I do wonder how they'll bring her into Horse and Boy, Silver Chair and last Battle. i think that both the fans and public are tired of her. I just hope people will give her a chance in Magician's Nephew since this should be the very last time she is ever shown in a Narnia film.