To be honest, HHB is my least favorite Narnia Chronicle and least read, but I should probably read it again.

Indeed it would be very easy to market. Not only are we talking about bringing the Pevensies back, but don't forget Mr. Tumnus the Faun, who was played by BAFTA winner James McAvoy. He is more well known than any of the Pevensie children's actors. I don't know how they would sneak the White Witch into this one... I can just imagine a great tagline like "During Narnia's Golden Age, When The Pevensie Children Ruled".

As mentioned, like MN, HHB has many ties to LWW. This would be a probable commercial success among those who liked LWW. I also think a bunch of horse lovers would like to see this one, because since when did you see a little girl who doesn't like horses? No, no...

Do I think Walden Media is going to want to do HHB next? No. MN? Yes.

If all options were on the table, (HHB, MN, and SC...no, LB is not an option) I would still prefer SC to come next. But my second choice probably would be HHB as the Pevensie actors are now old enough to play the roles.

I think HHB is the most naturally cinematic book out of all seven (though arguably LWW might be more so, I still side with HHB) and provided it was given a good adaptation, I think it would do very well in theaters. It is also the second most popular book in the series for those who have read the whole set.

Plus from the marketing standpoint that you mentioned gP, HHB would be set up to include a lot of popular previous characters from the books. The Pevensies, Tumnus, you know they'd include the Beavers too, and possibly the Fox as well.

Well, it depends. MN and HHB both have great marketing potential because of the LWW connection. But if the HHB marketing relied too heavily on the Pevensies, the audience would expect them to have a major role. If the movie stuck with the book, they wouldn't appear until roughly half-way through the film. I do agree with FK that HHB is the most cinematic book. But, let's face it, do we really think the book being more cinematic will make a difference?

MN, on the other hand, buys into the popular prequel craze. And it has the White Witch in it. A Narnia film just wouldn't be a Narnian film without everybody's favourite witch. /sarcasm.

I watched your video glumPuddle, and I have to say that I disagree with your statement about HHB. To me, when I read HHB, all I could think of was the Pevensies. I don't really view it about Shasta at all, I saw it more about Aravis and the the Pevensies protecting Susan more than anything. Now, I haven't read the books for a good 3 years, but still, that's what stood out for me. And if we're talking $$$-making here, I think that would be a profitable choice for Walden to make...to make another Pevensie film would kinda drag it out for the audience. The cast has certainly grown up enough buy now, and it would still bring back the Pevenise magic from the people that first saw LWW and have never read the books. It's like: "Hey! Theirs those lovely children! They're still in Narnia!" But I have to admit, I was a bit peeved at the fact that Lucy used Susan bow in VDT, I mean, that's for HHB! Ugh...

In my opinion, I want them to continue the franchise in the order that the books were originally published, I think that's what's right and true and I feel that's what Lewis would have wanted. And as much as I dislike SC, I feel it should be made next...and I would watch it, in support of Narnia. But, as someone pointed out before(I can't remember who...): By the time the next film comes out, we'll have a new generation of film viewers, so the Magicians Nephew is a good way to draw that audience in, kind of like with Star Wars, the Luke Saga was made, and Anikin was made to draw in the new generation, and then these new viewers wanted to see the Luke films as well. So ultimately, MN is a big money making film, but for me, if they have to go out of order for money reasons, I feel the Pevensies should continue.

Any thoughts?

To me, when I read HHB, all I could think of was the Pevensies. I don't really view it about Shasta at all, I saw it more about Aravis and the the Pevensies protecting Susan more than anything.

Wow. Did we read the same book? I don't think I could disagree with you more. If you asked me who the main character was in HHB, I would have said Shasta, hand's down. He's the one we follow from beginning to end, he's the one that Aslan most directly (or indirectly) interacts with, he's the one who has to run the whole way from the Hermit's house to save Archenland and Narnia from the invading Telmarine army. Secondary characters? Bree, Hwin, and Aravis. The Pevensies? A cool cameo bit to remind us we're in Narnia.
Not trying to pick on you here at all. I find your opinion very interesting... I suppose cause I don't follow it at all. But I digress cause now I'm leading the thread way off topic.

So ultimately, MN is a big money making film, but for me, if they have to go out of order for money reasons, I feel the Pevensies should continue.

I halfway agree with you on this. I do NOT feel that MN is an inherently money making story. I just don't. It's one of the least popular books in the series, it's not a natural book to movie adaptation, the only thing that I feel is really going for it is that it's seemingly the production crew's favorite. (Which imho would translate to a more faithful adaptation.)
But I do agree that if they're going forward solely based on a money-making point of view, HHB is their best bet.
Pevensies marketing > The White Witch marketing

MN, on the other hand, buys into the popular prequel craze.

Reboots and remakes are in right now as well. And quite frankly, that's what I'm not-so-secretly hoping for.

Ok for the record HHB is my favorite, so I'd love to see it made regardless... but it really depends.

If it was a choice between SC and HHB, then for the continuity of the series I'd go with SC (mostly because of Will P). If we didn't have to worry about Will P, I wouldn't be disappointed either way. If it were between MN and HHB on the other hand, and/or if we didn't have to worry about actor's ages I'd say HHB. HHB's tone is the most similar to LWW out of all the other books in my opinion, so I think it'd be the most likely to draw a crowd. (Not to mention all the crazy horse girls, and the fact that it's a pretty good story). If we could only have one more Narnia movie ever I'd pick HHB solely because it is my favorite.

I'm with gP though... If and when they make it... it is a story about Shasta, Aravis, Hwin, and Bree NOT the Pevensies. For that reason I hope they don't even put the Pensevies in the trailer, that way normal movie going fans will realize what the focus is, and that they are only supporting characters. So instead of coming in expecting a story about the Pensevies, non-book fans will come in expecting a story about a horse, and his boy, their two friends, their quest for freedom, and they will be pleasantly surprised by cameos of old favorites. In other words their better off not telling them that Tumnus and the Pensevies are in the movie. And if I see them in the trailer I will scream. Guaranteed.

But I've been contemplating this myself, gP. Personally, I think it'd be an easier movie too make that SC or MN, because of the tone. So we might expect less plot changes, and an aim at the original audience.

I just hope they keep Aslan's lines about him being the one who saved Shasta, and chased them etc.... extremely important thematically.

So I'd say 75% of me would say HHB next, the 20% of me says SC and 5% says other.

fantasia_kitty: "Wow. Did we read the same book? I don't think I could disagree with you more. If you asked me who the main character was in HHB, I would have said Shasta, hand's down. He's the one we follow from beginning to end, he's the one that Aslan most directly (or indirectly) interacts with, he's the one who has to run the whole way from the Hermit's house to save Archenland and Narnia from the invading Telmarine army. Secondary characters? Bree, Hwin, and Aravis. The Pevensies? A cool cameo bit to remind us we're in Narnia."

lol, I kinda figured you'd say that. And no offense taken, like I said earlier:that was just my opinion and the way I took the book. I'd first read the complete series after watching PC, so I think my dire need for more of the Pevensies and my sadness over Peter and Susan not coming back had alot to do with how I responded to the book. It's was like, remembering old Narnia and all that...

wolfloversk: "it is a story about Shasta, Aravis, Hwin, and Bree NOT the Pevensies. For that reason I hope they don't even put the Pensevies in the trailer, that way normal movie going fans will realize what the focus is, and that they are only supporting characters. So instead of coming in expecting a story about the Pensevies, non-book fans will come in expecting a story about a horse, and his boy, their two friends, their quest for freedom, and they will be pleasantly surprised by cameos of old favorites. In other words their better off not telling them that Tumnus and the Pensevies are in the movie. And if I see them in the trailer I will scream. Guaranteed."

Honestly, I think if they included Tumnus and the Pevensies, it would draw a much bigger audience. And I think that the Pevensies do play a major role, think of Aravis, doesn't she kind of connect into the Pevensies ans Susan? I mean, the way I remember the book, it had three different stories going on at once: 1. Shasta, 2. Aravis, and 3. the Pevenies and Susan. But each story is very relevant and has a connection to the other. That's just my opinion though, all I'm saying is that you can't have on story without the other three. No offense.

P.S. HHB is my favorite book too.

Well, it depends. MN and HHB both have great marketing potential because of the LWW connection. But if the HHB marketing relied too heavily on the Pevensies, the audience would expect them to have a major role. If the movie stuck with the book, they wouldn't appear until roughly half-way through the film. I do agree with FK that HHB is the most cinematic book. But, let's face it, do we really think the book being more cinematic will make a difference?

MN, on the other hand, buys into the popular prequel craze. And it has the White Witch in it. A Narnia film just wouldn't be a Narnian film without everybody's favourite witch. /sarcasm.

Well actually you are right. Remember those Royal Mail postage stamps advertised on NarniaWeb earlier in the year? The ones with Voldemort/Dumbledore & Aslan/White Witch? The White Witch is the one seen as the ultimate villain in Narnia, at any rate. And MN does have the White Witch in spades. Not only as a revivified threat from the past, as is legitimately portrayed in PC, or a nightmare about Edmund's temptations, but as she originally was.

Yes in HHB there are dramatic battles, a desperate chase from Calormen to Anvard, and intrigue in Tashbaan. The conniving Tisroc, not to mention his henchman Ahoshta, are definitely lovely roles to play. Richard Wheeler, who played HP's Vernon Dursley, and Timothy Spall would do really fine in these dastardly roles. There is even a spot of 'romance' with Susadash. I can just see Johnny Depp as Rabadash.

But I still say that MN is the safer bet for the next movie in all sorts of ways. Including, unfortunately, from the current events angle.

The problem with HHB is that, unlike MN, it has a group of villains rather than a single one, even one duplicated in paler shades by the unethical Uncle Andrew. Instead, HHB has the most ditzy of the Pevensies getting her whole family, her nation and a neighbour into a dangerous scrape, plus runaway Shasta and Aravis saving everyone's neck. These HHB villains can be read into, but not too deeply for PG reasons. And there lies a problem. Even if the film is marketed, what about the controversies about discrimination against poor ickle Calormene slave traders?

Don't get me wrong - HHB is easily my favourite book of them all. But I've a strong feeling that the next two movies - that is if we get even one, let alone two movies at all - will be MN and SC. HHB and LB, if we get that far will bring up the rear in a Calormene fest. Especially as Michael Flaherty has even mentioned HHB is his least favourite book.

I don't know how they would sneak the White Witch into this one...

I can't help but think that they would find a way. Flashbacks immediately spring to mind.

Honestly, I don't care which movie they make next. I'm tired of the drama and the anticipation. Either pick a movie and make it or just admit you're done so some other production company can take their turn.

That would rock. And not just because HHB is my favorite.

Logically, it makes more sense to have SC next. And the Pevensies can have flashback cameos in it, if necessary. But having HHB makes sense. The Pevensies would be at a good age to make it into the movie. And I am still young looking enough to play Aravis

Honestly, I think if they included Tumnus and the Pevensies, it would draw a much bigger audience. And I think that the Pevensies do play a major role, think of Aravis, doesn't she kind of connect into the Pevensies ans Susan? I mean, the way I remember the book, it had three different stories going on at once: 1. Shasta, 2. Aravis, and 3. the Pevenies and Susan. But each story is very relevant and has a connection to the other. That's just my opinion though, all I'm saying is that you can't have on story without the other three. No offense.

Just to clarify... I think they should be in the movie yes, but they shouldn't focus any of their advertising on them, like they did with VDT. They're important to the story... (Why else would Rabadash attack the Northern countries?) But I feel like putting them in the advertising would send the wrong message to the non-book reading audience as to who the main characters are, unless they did give them larger roles, which I hope they don't (though I wouldn't mind a small Peter cameo showing him going off to fight the giants.)
I think you're right about the three story thing, I never thought of it that way before

MN and HHB both have great marketing potential because of the LWW connection.

No disrespect intended, but if you think that a connection to LWW constitutes great marketing potential, then you're in a fantasy land (and if that's the case, I'd be curious to know how you got there; Magical Painting? Garden door? . . . but I digress).

To sell a movie based solely on it's similarity to LWW is to ask general audiences to do both of two things:

1. Remember their enthusiasm for a movie that's so old it was released on VHS.
2. Forget the fact that Walden has already broken faith with them once or twice. PC had at least as strong a connection to LWW as MN, and a lot of fans disliked it. I don't think people are going to trust that a movie that has some common features with LWW will automatically be anywhere near as good as LWW.

If they can convince people that Narnia 4 has a lot going for it in its own right (pitch the characters and the story), then some LWW references will make it even more appealing, but if an LWW connection is all they have, that won't sell a movie single-handed. This is not a successful franchise, only a very small percentage of LWW's fan base are interested in seeing a sequel for the sake of seeing a sequel.

To sell a movie based solely on it's similarity to LWW is to ask general audiences to do both of two things:

1. Remember their enthusiasm for a movie that's so old it was released on VHS.
2. Forget the fact that Walden has already broken faith with them once or twice. PC had at least as strong a connection to LWW as MN, and a lot of fans disliked it.

Your second point doesn't hold because general audiences are not fans. In fact, I think it's safe to say that the general audience couldn't care less whether or not PC was anything like the book and therefore Walden could not have broken faith with them. As for your first point, Disney is still expecting people to have enthusiasm for new editions of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and home video didn't even exist when it was first in theaters.

I do agree that marketing HHB and/or MN solely on LWW would be a bad idea. However, the LWW connection has much stronger marketing potential than a VDT connection, which would be the case if SC was made because it doesn't have the Pevensies. Hence my earlier comment. Eustace just isn't as popular as the Pevensies, so a movie that had the Pevensies or a link to the Pevensies in it would be easier to market than a movie with Eustace and an appearance by an old Caspian.

Not only does Eustace not have the marketing potential that the rest of the Pevensies have, but also his SC offsider, Jill Pole, is in both the book and the movie, a virtual unknown, despite the end of film VDT namedrop. It is a huge task to virtually carry the movie for an as yet unknown and probably quite young actress.

For the same reasons, the White Witch/Jadis as a character from LWW is a surer bet than the as yet unknown who plays LOTGK in SC. The White Witch is not only the chief antagonist from LWW, but even the memory of her as the Anti-Aslan has had some use subsequently. And both LOTGK and the White Witch are both more memorable villains than is either Rabadash or his DOD (dear old dad), the Tisroc. Aslan, of course, is the force for good who ties all the stories together, and provides some of the context.

What MN, SC and HHB all have in common is that the child leads are all going to be unknown quantities. Even though he participated in VDT, and especially because of the time he spent as a dragon, Eustace also remains unknown by SC, due to the profound change he underwent as part of that story. Playing a brat or even a repentant brat in VDT might be one thing. The SC Eustace is something else again, and is far more the lead male than he was subsequent to his undragonning, even in the book. Yes, he is no longer a brat, but he still has his moments, especially when he feels he is justified in being cranky, irritable and quarrelsome with Jill.

The main adult characters, apart from the White Witch, in all three books are also disconnected from the movies shown so far. Puddleglum, Glimfeather and Rilian only appear in SC. King Caspian is only part of the back story until after he dies and Trumpkin only appears as a somewhat deaf bit part in the beginning. Uncle Andrew likewise only appears in MN, although Digory, himself, reappears later in LWW and LB as the Professor. By contrast, we only see Polly Plummer as a girl, before she turns up in LB as the adult seventh friend of Narnia.

I'd agree it would makes good sense for Digory to be telling this tale at some time to the Pevensies. Or some of them, even Eustace, if he is around. But not Jill Pole, who hasn't been seen yet. Whilst MN is basically the Professor's story from when he was young, I don't see how HHB could be worked in like that. This is a stand-alone in which only Susan and Edmund play much part as young adults. Which of these two would feel obliged to relate this adventure?

Honestly, I don't care which movie they make next. I'm tired of the drama and the anticipation. Either pick a movie and make it or just admit you're done so some other production company can take their turn.

Hear! Hear!