Very interesting news. So, even though we'll have a long wait to actually see the movie, it might not be too long before we get some behind-the-scenes production stuff. That's very good.

(for Dawn Treader, the idea was to make it like Pirates of the Caribbean)

Ugh. It's this sort of thing that makes me glad the movies did not continue with Walden. Why even bother making a Narnia movie? Why not just make their own story, starting from scratch, and having it take place on a ship? That's what it almost became anyway.

I'm not yet sure what I think about it being made independently. The low budget scares me. But if, like Malfhok said, independent movies can turn out to be films like The Hunger Games, then I think I'm all for it. Provided that Gresham uses an independent studio that does that level of quality.

~Riella

That's one thing that actually worries me about Narnia à la Gresham. The Narnia books are first and foremost stories. Lewis wrote them to expose children to the wonders of imaginative story telling. I am worried that Gresham might turn them into messages thinly cloaked in stories, rather than stories with messages.

Mm-hm. If I'm not confusing my quotations, I believe C.S. Lewis was once asked if the world needed more Christian writers. He replied, "No, we need more writers who are Christian." The messages in the Narnia books don't have to be spelled out, underlined, bolded, and then caps locked. Adapt the story properly, and all else will fall into place.

Mm-hm. If I'm not confusing my quotations, I believe C.S. Lewis was once asked if the world needed more Christian writers. He replied, "No, we need more writers who are Christian." The messages in the Narnia books don't have to be spelled out, underlined, bolded, and then caps locked. Adapt the story properly, and all else will fall into place.

Exactly, sometimes the greatest evangelic work is done by Christians not trying to be an evangelist and instead just trying to lead by example. Lewis did a good job of this in the Narnia series. They have Christian messages, but it isn't a Christian book. This is where I feel that companies like Sherwood fail in their mission. They make Christian movies where the story takes a backseat to the messages.

Mm-hm. If I'm not confusing my quotations, I believe C.S. Lewis was once asked if the world needed more Christian writers. He replied, "No, we need more writers who are Christian." The messages in the Narnia books don't have to be spelled out, underlined, bolded, and then caps locked. Adapt the story properly, and all else will fall into place.

Exactly, sometimes the greatest evangelic work is done by Christians not trying to be an evangelist and instead just trying to lead by example. Lewis did a good job of this in the Narnia series. They have Christian messages, but it isn't a Christian book. This is where I feel that companies like Sherwood fail in their mission. They make Christian movies where the story takes a backseat to the messages.

That's very true and I think that's a problem most directors would have. Non-Christian directors may be afraid of the Christian themes of the stories and will change the story to make it "Unoffensive", which may have been part of the reason for the drastic changes in VDT. On the other hand, if there was a director that was Christian, they may want to make the entire movie a chance to witness and throw Christianity in their faces. Lewis did not write the series to bang the Bible over peoples' heads. He wrote them to discreetly portray Christian messages and to offer Christians alternatives to poor and offensive literature. If a director can find a good balance between Christian themes and the actual story, the movie will probably turn out very well.

I think a big problem though is that most of us say, "well, it's fantasy, it's hard to get it exactly right since it's about magical places and such", And then we remember what Peter Jackson did with LOTR. So that excuse for poor Narnia films doesn't really hold up anymore...

Non-Christian directors may be afraid of the Christian themes of the stories and will change the story to make it "Unoffensive", which may have been part of the reason for the drastic changes in VDT. On the other hand, if there was a director that was Christian, they may want to make the entire movie a chance to witness and throw Christianity in their faces.

Definitely. It's a balance. And not very many people know how to achieve that balance. I don't think it matters what religion the director will be (though I could be wrong) as long as he understands and is faithful to the themes presented in the book. What we really need is someone with a talent for dealing with themes. The correct balance, showing and not telling, etc. And that might be an issue of who the writer is, rather than the director. Balancing themes - not hitting the viewer over the head, but at the same time not sacrificing the lessons the story is trying to convey - is something all authors and writers must strive to learn at some point.

~Riella

Again, first and foremost, we need a company that will care about the story, more so even than the supposed 'themes'. The Narnia stories and its theology are inseparable--that's why they work so well. It's not putting one over they other, it's not even two separate things: they simple are. It's like the perfect marriage.

I personally would prefer to see them rebooted at MN, but if they are trying to salvage the series in a few years with an independent studio, I can live with that. Part of the problem is that VDT left us off at a very bad point in several respects.

1. Not enough of Ramandu's daughter to set up for Rilian.

2. I'm afraid they will try to connect the green mist to the Lady of the Green Kirtle.

How much CG would be needed for the giants, Aslan's country, and the end of underworld? I think I can handle an independent SC so long as it is any better than the BBC one (otherwise we might as well just watch that).

While we are on the subject of balancing message and story, does anyone else think there will be a major temptation to water down the signs and Caspian's death and revival?

I think it makes the most sense to make SC next, if you are indeed keen on making all 7 without starting over. I do, however, think that making this film with a new studio would be, in effect, like starting over, so I almost think it would be wiser, from that perspective, to make MN next. But, if they are going to make the film independently, then it makes sense to make SC, as I would expect that would be the cheapest to produce. -So many pros and cons to think about!

I've often wondered if the 7 year moratorium meant 7 full years before production or 7 full years before release. I've always thought the latter.

In any event, I personally think that more control by the Lewis estate would be a good thing. Of course, after VDT who can blame me? Perhaps the pendulum is swinging too far in the other direction, but I'd rather have them err on the side of too like the book, than too dissimilar.

I would love to see The Silver Chair in a film and all, but I would rather it has been made sometime soon rather than seven years. Also: I don't think that producing it independently is a good idea. I have such a huge vision of how The Silver Chair needs to be. I know I'll be disappointed. I LOVED the other three Narnia films and I would love to see it made, but they need to do it right. In fact, I'm not so sure, as much as I love the Silver Chair, that it should be made to be the next move. If they want a successful movie, the Magician's Nephew would be the best choice. I mean, the story is interesting after you've seen LWW. It's a really good origin story and prequel. People would also love to see Tilda as the White Witch again. Magician's Nephew is also a lot of people's favorite book in the series and the second most successful. As much as I would want to see The Silver Chair (when comes out I will, even though I'll be out of high school and out of college by then): if they wait seven years... then Magician's Nephew is the way to go!

This is the quote from the 'Lion's call' article that is causing the speculation of this thread, so I hope you don't mind my adding my tuppence worth. I have bolded the key bits for what I am to say.

In a recent talk given in Oxford, Douglas Gresham was questioned on the future of the Narnia films. He seems very keen to continue having them made but mentioned a seven year moratorium on producing any new Narnia films if they are not made by Walden Studios. The purpose of the moratorium seems to be to "prevent them using anything from the Walden films," though I'm not exactly sure what he meant by that. He said he may have them made independently, enabling him to have a full say on everything that goes into the script. He voiced his frustration over not having much control over what went into the previous films and of how The Voyage of the Dawn Treader turned out. He had to fight hard just to have the end scene "there I have another name" kept in the story

The real problem all along seems to be that on top of everything else, such as dissatisfaction with VDT, there is an ongoing disagreement over which film is to be done next. We learned by March 2011 that the funding for Magician's Nephew was in place and that Walden was keen to do it. But clearly Douglas Gresham and a lot of fans would have preferred Silver Chair. Walden let their options expire, and apparently there is more than one moratorium before any film can be made at all, even by Walden.

Last month, whilst talking to the lady at the Powerhouse Museum souvenir shop, I commented how few Narnian souvenirs were on sale to accompany the Narnian Exhibition, currently being shown there. The lady managing the shop informed me that she had a lot of difficulty getting from her suppliers in USA or elsewhere, even the ones shown for sale, apart from copies of the seven Narnia books, as there won't be any more souvenirs until the end of 2014, when the next Narnia film is due to start for a release 18 months later. In other words, MN is still the most likely movie to be made, probably by Walden.

The reason for the Walden moratorium on independent movie makers acquiring the options to produce any Narnia films is definitely to stop them from using material from the three movies made so far. After all, Walden has the copyright for the first three movies. That would heavily affect any future films, even Silver Chair, because of the character Eustace, the scenery of Cair Paravel, even the depiction of Caspian's Queen. I also got the impression that though Walden liked the idea of making MN they disliked making the other three films, HHB in particular, a film which to have any sort of authenticity, would have to include Queen Susan and King Edmund as important characters.

An independent producer would also have to get separate options for any other movie made, especially if they want to remake any of the three Walden movies made so far. and especially if Walden goes ahead and makes MN. That is the only way I can make sense of the situtation to date.

At the moment we can only wait and see.

I read at time of VODT release that Michael Apted had a bit of resistance in getting or making sure the Dufflepods were in the VODT.

The whole Magician's Island, dufflepod sequence was the best part of VODT to me because while not exactly the book, it is the biggest part where it is easiest to pretend that you are watching VODT the movie. It is this entire sequence that almost builds or maintains a complete story narrative filled with resonances of the book - it doesn't hurt that it features Georgia Henley in an echo of what type of prominence she should of had in the film either.

For me, this is where VODT actually feels likes it could be a proper compliment or companion piece to the book, & that's what the films are or all they can be.

The scene on the beach with Aslan feel's totally flat to me, it's nice enough but it doesn't embody what it's suppose to at all to me with it's different elements, & being exactly from the book or not is irrelevant to that.

Also when i first thought the Narnia books were totally great and magical reads, i had no idea about their Christian under-pinnings, none what so ever! I don't think it matters, unless done in a way that over reaches and becomes heavy handed in a way the books weren't. Neeson while being mischievous, was right in a sense, the Narnia films should appeal to people with Eastern religious sensibilities also as Western in their story, just as the colorman's Emeth reverance of Tash was Aslan for example.

The lady managing the shop informed me that she had a lot of difficulty getting from her suppliers ... as there won't be any more souvenirs until the end of 2014, when the next Narnia film is due to start for a release 18 months later. In other words, MN is still the most likely movie to be made, probably by Walden.

I don't mean to sound rude, but you're going to have to explain to me how a lady in a gift shop has more credibility than Douglas Gresham.
Douglas Gresham has stated that the Estate has no intention of selling Walden further options for Narnia films... ever. The reason they have to wait to make more movies at all is because if the Estate chose to sell the options for the films, Walden Media is the only company that has the rights to buy them until the moratorium has expired.
Unless I hear otherwise from someone official, no movies are due to start production in 2014.

I also got the impression that though Walden liked the idea of making MN they disliked making the other three films, HHB in particular, a film which to have any sort of authenticity, would have to include Queen Susan and King Edmund as important characters.

I protest against their logic! I think it could work very well, but that's for another thread.

I will say that I'd definitely rather have it done independently if the company will be more excited to make all the movies that the current studios seem to be.

Douglas Gresham has stated that the Estate has no intention of selling Walden further options for Narnia films... ever. The reason they have to wait to make more movies at all is because if the Estate chose to sell the options for the films, Walden Media is the only company that has the rights to buy them until the moratorium has expired. Unless I hear otherwise from someone official, no movies are due to start production in 2014.

Sorry, I linked to the Lion's Call article accompanying the latest NarniaWeb news item about the seven years' wait. The article, even in the bit I quoted from, doesn't say specifically that Douglas Gresham stated that the Estate has no intention of selling Walden further options for Narnian films, though I agree that is only too likely.

Could you please let me know where Douglas Gresham specifically said that? I agree that a lady running a souvenir stall would not be the same as quoting directly from Douglas Gresham, which is why I queried what she said at the time. However, getting the Narnia Exhibition to Australia at all, specifically Sydney's Powerhouse Museum, even without much in souvenirs, would suggest that the lady, being involved with it and having industry contacts, would have a certain amount of credibility - her point exactly.

And I wonder why Walden really did want to make MN next, anyway? Was it really the money? Or whatever they said? Or was it because, being deferred from its chronological position in the series, it was the only one they could possibly make next, regardless of what other book options had already expired?

Why can't Narnia be produced by The Weinstein Company (TWC), an independent film production like Lionsgate that makes quality films? Yes, they don't really produce films with very big budgets, but they make quality films like "The King's Speech" and "The Artist". TWC lacks a fantasy franchise to go with their Oscar-caliber films, and who wouldn't want Narnia to be in par with other films during the Academy Awards? It's two birds with one stone, and TWC is an expert of that!

It's a good suggestion that Narnia can be a mini-series like Game of Thrones. Obviously the TV guide ratings would be TV-PG or TV-14 and it can reach to many audiences. Why can't ITV/Channel 4 create Narnia? BBC already has Doctor Who and it's proven that ITV can bring Downton Abbey to broadcast TV. Why can't some of the cast contribute to producing Narnia? Just curious.