It would be hard to reboot Narnia, because there is not much you can make different based on the books and still be a good adaptation. I don't think I would want a new LWW because it's my favorite of all the movies and I think it was a really good movie and a really good adaptation. Not to mention the fact that William, Anna, Skandar, and Georgie will always be the Pevensies to me, especially Georgie. I really can't see anyone else as Lucy. But I was so disappointed in VDT. It's a representation of the books and they ruined it. How could they ruin the movie by changing it so much, making it a bad adaptation and a bad movie itself? I wouldn't mind if they re did PC or VDT, but I wouldn't want another LWW. But I suppose if I want a reboot, I'll have to take the new LWW along with it...

Here's how you handle the religious symbolism: Don't handle it. Just tell the story.

Don't include the symbols for the sake of including them. Include them because they work for the story.

Ah! So true! Thank you for putting it so clearly. If Narnia were to be rebooted, that is definitely how whoever did the reboot should approach it. They should film it because they recognize that the story is truly amazing in and of itself. They should love it for that reason, and try to capture the story as best as they can.

Reading through the different posts, it seems most people suggest that the way to change a possible rebooted series is to actually be faithful to the books. I find that ironic yet kind of sad at the same time. I wouldn't mind seeing a reboot. The only thing I would miss from the current series would be Skandar Keynes (who was a very good Edmund) and Mr. Tumnus. I loved how they did Mr. Tumnus

If the series was rebooted, it would have to be several years from now. I think it would be confusing for audiences to have a whole new set of Narnia films coming out three years later. Even if it were rebooted five years down the road, I think it might still be confusing. For that reason I think they should start with Magician's Nephew so that it would be very clear that it was a whole new Narnia series. It would be interesting to see the films done in chronological order. I think if they were done that way, there would be more of a guarantee that the whole series would be filmed. Like most other people here, I think the best way to make them different from the other series would be to be much more faithful to the stories than Walden/Disney/Fox were. I would love to see a seasoned director who loved the stories too much to change them drastically get a hold of the series.

I wouldn't like to see it in animation because an animated Aslan would look horrible and would never capture his depth of character or majesty. Unless they did it how Spielberg and Jackson did Tintin, which might possibly be able to capture Aslan well. But I think that the depth and beauty and drama of the story and the characters would be lost in animation. I would like to see them keep the characters of the children (of all the children) a little bit older than the books like Walden did. Frankly, its because I never imagined the children to be as young as they are suppose to be. I think it was because I first heard and read the books at such a young age that I always imagined children having such grand adventures must be a lot older than myself. But also I think you would get better performances and become more involved with their stories if they a slightly older than in the books.

Some people were saying they'd like to see a rebooted series darker than the first. I think that a rebooted series could definitely do with making the villains and battles, etc. slightly more frightening than the Walden series. Honestly, the only times I ever felt really frightened in the whole series was the Stone Table scene and when Caspian called up that WW (but that was because I had no idea what was going to happen since it wasn't in the book). Also, the battle scene from LWW, in my humble opinion, shouldn't have been so shiny and neat. But Narnia should never be too frightening. It should be as frightening as the books are, so more than the current series but less than LOTR, if that can be done.

Basically, I would love to see a series that actually told the stories that Lewis told and not try and modify them for money's sake or to please the crowd. Perhaps, if there was a reboot, the director would realize that an unfaithful adaptation doesn't sell. glumPuddle, if you ever become a director, maybe you should film the reboot. You love the stories and understand them, and you know what Narnia fans are looking for. Narniaweb would be here to keep you honest, and you could have a special premier just for us.

I don't think that any extra unnecessary battles should be put into any more Narnia stories to make them any darker than they are already. The slavers, the sea serpent and Dark Island, random VDT adventures in the book and BBC series, were quite nightmarish enough, I thought, without extra added scuffles beefing them up. Maybe VDT the film did rather lose the point C.S.Lewis makes over and over again that conflict and battles aren't everything, however visually satisfying they might allegedly be to teenage audiences and rebellious would-be soldiers There are other ways of fighting battles, so why use force when rat cunning might save the day just as well? And whilst the night raid could be justified from the PC book, I still thought that the post Miraz duel battle did not need to be quite so drawn out.

Showing the demolition of Charn or Jadis trashing London is really quite enough action for MN, if and when it gets made. And I suppose the battle to rescue baby Cor from Lord Bar might be a good introduction to HHB which finishes with the siege of Anvard. But apart from these still relevant incidents, I'd rather not see any more battles until the Last Battle, however thrilled the likes of Shasta might be at listening to such accounts.

For that reason I think they should start with Magician's Nephew so that it would be very clear that it was a whole new Narnia series. It would be interesting to see the films done in chronological order.

I'd like to agree, but can't. Starting with Magician's Nephew would certainly make it easier to do the Narnia series in a proper chronological order with fresh children to play the Pevensies, Eustace and Jill. And someone different to play Jadis, the White Witch in the first three books, MN, LWW and PC. That way, there could be a straight run from MN all the way through to LB if necessary. Except for HHB, which inconveniently happened during the Pevensie reign in Narnia, when they were supposed to be adults. So even if a new series was done that way, it still would be forced to omit HHB until last or second last which is what is happening now.

I still think that it would be better to finish the series we have rather than start all over again. They could learn to do them better.

If the series is rebooted they need to wait AT LEAST 10 years before beginning preproduction. They need to wait for this current generation of Narnia haters to move on and forget the disasters of the movies (mainly VotDT) and to move on from LWW.

I don't think the reboot should come out for 15 years. If they reboot, they should start with the Magician's Nephew as it's a story that has not been told before and will establish a difference in the series.

I also suggest getting great scriptwriters and a great director. In addition the focus should be a great drama with a very mystical feel rather than a LotR/PotC wannabe for kids. I think the films should be much darker where appropriate and that they should cut the cheesy humor that Disney/Walden/Fox often tried to shove down our throats.

Obviously the movies can't be identical to the books, but they should at least try to capture the characters, themes, and general plotline of the novels, something the last two films failed to do (though the former was at least entertaining).

I think they should do HHB next. The themes and plot are very simple and straight-forward in that one, so it would be hard to screw up. Then, 15 years down the road, reboot VDT and SC as a two-part series. VDT should be told mainly from Eustace's perspective, setting him up as the "hero" of the series, rather than the Pevensies. For example, have the audiences feel how silly Lucy and Edmund look when they talk about Narnia, and make the transition a WOAH, turn-your-perception-on-its-head moment, rather than the looked-for beginning of the adventure. As a protagonist, he would be a lot like Mary Lennox from Secret Garden, someone who grows on you as his character changes and develops.

The problem with MN is that it relies rather heavily on LWW for relevance. It's an explanation, rather than an introduction, and so doesn't make a good series opening. Also, the story would have to be completely overhauled in order to maintain thematic fidelity, artistic quality, OR commercial viability, let alone all three.

They should never start the series with MN. It is one of the weakest books and is clearly not the beginning because Narnia isn't even mentioned until well into the book. It is quite clearly supposed to be read after one knows the story of LWW. The story of LWW is the story on which all the other stories are based and if they do a reboot in the future i do not want them to start with MN for anything.

After the familiarity with Narnia people have gotten from the Fox/Walden movies (and images in the movie, such as the lamppost), I think starting out with MN would be fine. People would definitely recognize the lamppost and the White Witch and Narnia and Aslan just from their memory of the previous films, even though the new one would be a separate, newer franchise.

A franchise starting with MN, I think, would be an interesting idea. That would make it different enough to catch people's interest (whereas, if they just started with LWW again, people would say, "Didn't we just see this?"). It would be a newer, fresh angle; and yet, still familiar enough for people to recognize it.

And I don't think MN is weak at all. I believe it to be one of the better written chronicles. And just because Narnia doesn't come in till later, that doesn't mean it won't work as a first movie. It'd be a movie about the coming/forming of Narnia. Kind of like the Iron Man movie. The actual Iron Man identity didn't come until later in the movie -- it was more about the build-up and formation of the superhero character. MN, I think, would work similarly.

~Riella

I just think that MN is not a book that a film series can be built on. It is the answer to some of the questions in the series not the opening chapter. It would so take away from LWW to have MN be first. I think to read them out of order as in to not read them in the publication order is also to ruin the wonder and surprise in LWW of what is this lamppost and who is this witch. And can the animals talk.

I mean if you do MN first then you ruin all of that. There can be no wonder at meeting Tumnus. There could be no wondering what game the witch was playing if you met her first in MN where she is clearly evil. The loss of wonder that is so important when Lucy first falls into Narnia would be completely lost.

MN is the answer to all those questions and i think not meant to be read or watched first.

I read them in chronological order during my first read, and it never made me lose any of the wonder. All those parts you mentioned were still just as extremely special to me when I read them than if I had read LWW first.

I don't agree with you that MN is a book the series can't be built on. The book had me turning the pages, and was what made me want to read the rest. If the movie is done right, it should have the same effect on moviegoers as well.

~Riella

They should never start the series with MN. It is one of the weakest books . . .

It depends on how you define "weak"

If a "strong" book is defined as a well-written, well-constructed book, then I would rank the books in this order from best to worst:

1. SC
2. VDT & HHB (equally good in completely different ways)
3.MN
4. LB
5. LWW
6. PC
MN is smack in the middle. It has elements of greatness, but it also has significant weaknesses. On the one hand Digory is one of the best-developed characters in fiction. The themes are deep and complex. There are a number of beautifully written scenes. On the other hand, the book is choppy in the extreme, with clumsy transitions, and all of the characters except for Digory are foils and cyphers, creating an imbalance in the psychological element of the story-telling.

If you are referring to how cinematic they are, I would agree with you, ranking the books in this order:

1. HHB
2. LWW
3. SC
4. LB
5. PC
6. VDT
7. MN

I won't bother explaining, since this has already been discussed in minute detail in other threads.

I disagree with you that HHB is better written than MN, otherwise I agree with everything you've said. Maybe I'm just biased because SC and MN are my favourite of the Chronicles.

You must be into metaphorical or philosophical complexity. SC and MN are the strongest in that specific respect. Though I don't feel that MN is as well-executed as SC. HHB is a simple story, but beautifully told.

Back on topic, I was wondering, if we had a choice between a reboot where Earth was in modern times but Narnia was just like the books (AKA perfect adaptation except for the time line) or a series that maintains historical context but is not as good of an adaptation, which would everyone prefer? I might make a poll on it later, but for now, what about everyone here?

I would not like it if the Narnia books were made into modernized films. After seeing what has happened to beloved classics like Journey to the Center of the Earth(which was actually done by Walden Media), Gulliver's Travels, and Mr. Popper's Penguins, I'm scared to to see what would happen to one of my favorite book series if they were done in modern times.

Though maybe just changing the time setting on Earth, as mentioned above, but maintaining the same story, wouldn't be that bad. As long as the morals and messages of Narnia is kept, it might not be that bad. A lot of hit books of now, like Harry Potter and Twilight take place in modern times. Maybe the readers of today just don't like stories that take place in the past? I'm just scared they'll do things to certain characters, and make it another cheesy film.

Hey, if they set Narnia in modern times, Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer would be alive when C.S. Lewis would be writing the books.

Modern times could be interesting if it was done right. The problem is it wouldn't be done right. Digory would be played by Justin Bieber, and Polly would be played by Rebecca Black (or some other combination involving modern young pop stars), and in SC, the Experiment House would be filled with popular cheerleaders who make fun of Jill because she doesn't have the fabulous singing voice they do.

~Riella