That passage of time/next to no time at all might be quite difficult to show. I suppose they could throw in an explanatory line (as, for instance, in the book ) but I was wondering how they would show the events that are happening simultaneously. Without giving stuff away, that is. The train wreck, what occurs in the stable while the five friends are waiting.

I wonder... could the filmmakers possibly show what happens with the other Friends in Narnia (and Emeth, et cetera) in Aslan's Country without giving away the fact that it's not the old Narnia? It could seem like they're just in some part of Narnia that's away from the fighting. It might also give Aslan's Country more screen time and allow the filmmakers to slowly build on the idea of what it is and how it works. It would allow for more foreshadowing and be a gradual reveal; more evocative of when you slowly begin to realize something. It will also be more of a shock/twist when we find out that the Friends of Narnia, apart from Jill and Eustace, have technically been dead since the train accident near the beginning of the film even though they've seemed perfectly fine.

Of course, you would not want to spoil the surprise of Tirian going through the door. That would be a bad idea. So you'd have to be careful with how you go about it and keep the audience sufficiently in the dark. Like I've said before, I don't envy whoever scripts LB. It's going to be a real challenge.

Another problem with this would be if their ages are different. (Mostly in regards to Digory and Polly.) Even though the Pevensies magically grew young again when going back through the wardrobe, it would seem kind of odd if Polly and Digory were suddenly returned to their youth as soon as they came back to Narnia. Or maybe it could work; I don't know, I'll have to think about it. (It would be neat to bring back the actors that they use for young Digory and young Polly in the MN film adaptation.) Anyway, even if it didn't work, I suppose that could be tweaked. Maybe they'd grow youthful again after tasting of the fruit?

A lot of random, late-night thoughts here. Not sure if they're any good.

I like the depiction of Caspian in Aslan's country at the end of Silver Chair better than the overdose of pomp and regality we get at the end of The Last Battle. I don't see why the "false" Narnia having ended requires such a drastic change in tone. Going to Aslan's country is going to Aslan's country. The sight of Caspian going home was much more believable when contrasted with the glitter and halos I feel bombarded with in the finale of the series.

That's one thing that's a bit odd, now that I think about it... when old Caspian is lying on the bed of the stream, Eustace has to pierce Aslan's paw and the blood has to splash into the stream before Caspian grows young again and wakes up. I kind of got the impression that Aslan did this with everyone, but we don't get any indication of this happening when Tirian or the Friends of Narnia found themselves in Aslan's Country after having died in the Shadowlands. I guess it's possible that it was just something that Eustace and Jill needed to see?

I see what you mean about the last chapters in The Last Battle seeming a little more formal than the last chapters in The Silver Chair, though that may have had more to do with the fact that the series was drawing to a close than it did with the actual atmosphere of Aslan's Country. Lewis does tell us that at the reunion in the garden, they were reviving old jokes, so it can't have been too solemn.

I wonder... could the filmmakers possibly show what happens with the other Friends in Narnia (and Emeth, et cetera) in Aslan's Country without giving away the fact that it's not the old Narnia?

The best I can think of is to have the dinner, the ghostly appearances, the subsequent plans and the rendezvous where they were supposed to meet. Then the bang when the train crashes, then a scene of the 5 Friends of Narnia finding themselves in a meadow. They walk around for a while, sit down on the grass etc. They ask after everyone's health but someone says "Where's Jill and Eustace?" Someone else remarks the plan was that Jill and Eustace were supposed to go to Narnia. "But", says Peter, "I had the rings a minute ago. How did Eustace and Jill get them?"

Then the film reverts to show Tirian tied up to a tree. That is the way the book goes.

Which brings up another question--how long did they seem to be waiting for Jill and Eustace to join them? But that is slightly off topic

We are trying to get Last Battle into something filmable in this thread. But I do agree it looks like a big ask. To follow my idea of the others finding themselves in a meadow, it might very well be the sort of meadow you might find at the top of Aslan's Country, or maybe in the Wood between the Worlds. One that seems independent of time in which a lot happens in no time at all. Or nothing happens while whole ages go by in the real world.

The trick is not to spend much time on this scene. Maybe a brief moment later on, when someone says "Look! A door, like that one we saw in Cair Paravel!" And someone else notes there are fruit trees nearby.

Absolutely, jewel, it is a masterpiece. But it feels like a tragedy, knowing that they are fighting hopelessly. If it weren't for the second part...

I hadn't thought to compare the end of SC with Aslan's Country in LB, Phelan, but if the film makers can capture that feel, they will be doing a good job. I fear that we won't be completely satisfied with it, no matter how well they do; that remains to be seen.

I like your ideas, wagga and Rosie. Nor does it need to take half the movie--a couple of short clips showing them wandering about ought to be sufficient, at least until the action starts.

Remember the complaints about PC, how Lucy went off for this little talk with Aslan, and sat with him while her brothers and sister were probably dying. Several people mentioned that they felt that it jarred on them. And here we have the Pevensies in this peaceful setting, while just on the other side of the door, the final desperate battle of Narnia is being fought.

And yet, this shift in tone might be the only way that it can be done effectively. I would think they could leave out Peter looking through the keyhole, though--might it not give too much away?

That's one thing that's a bit odd, now that I think about it... when old Caspian is lying on the bed of the stream, Eustace has to pierce Aslan's paw and the blood has to splash into the stream before Caspian grows young again and wakes up. I kind of got the impression that Aslan did this with everyone, but we don't get any indication of this happening when Tirian or the Friends of Narnia found themselves in Aslan's Country after having died in the Shadowlands. I guess it's possible that it was just something that Eustace and Jill needed to see?

In the book we aren't really there for the whole thing; we only hear about it from them afterward. Who knows what went on while they were off-stage?

Those are good ideas, wagga! I can also imagine Eustace and Jill talking about what had happened to the others, and that segways into a scene showing were the rest of the Friends of Narnia are, indicating that they've somehow gotten into Narnia as well, just not in the same part of Narnia.

One thing that seems a little odd, though, is that Peter already knows about the door and how it works (by having looked through the crack in it) before Tirian examines it himself. Based on the timing of things, it would seem that Peter already looked through the crack before Tirian ever came through the door. Being High King of Narnia—wouldn't he try the knob? Wouldn't he and the others want to go help once they realized that Narnians were in battle on the other side? I guess it just seems odd to think that all of them would just be waiting around, watching who came in and went back out, without ever trying to go through themselves. It's something the filmmakers may need to give some thought.

Remember the complaints about PC, how Lucy went off for this little talk with Aslan, and sat with him while her brothers and sister were probably dying. Several people mentioned that they felt that it jarred on them. And here we have the Pevensies in this peaceful setting, while just on the other side of the door, the final desperate battle of Narnia is being fought.

Very good point. I'm thinking they may have to tweak some things in order to keep that from feeling too annoying. I mean, there's a Calormene on the other side of the door dragging Jill away to her death, and if it seems like the Friends of Narnia don't do anything, or think of doing anything, even when they already know that Narnians are battling beyond the door... that would look a bit bad. It might be a difficult pill for the audience to swallow and create some sense of resentment towards those on the other side of the door, and of course we don't want that.

And yet, this shift in tone might be the only way that it can be done effectively. I would think they could leave out Peter looking through the keyhole, though--might it not give too much away?

Honestly, they might want to leave out Peter understanding how the door works altogether. That might solve some of the aforementioned (potential) problems. Even so, I'm not sure how cinematic the idea of them all just sitting around and watching people come and go through the door will be, and it's not really a good idea to have a lot of exposition in a film, either; something we see a good bit of during those last chapters because the Friends of Narnia have to tell Tirian what has happened while he was on the other side of the door.

The filmmakers may have to do a lot of reworking in order to translate these happenings and ideas into a coherent and cinematic story.

In the book we aren't really there for the whole thing; we only hear about it from them afterward. Who knows what went on while they were off-stage?

That's true. The strangest thing is that Tirian goes through the door and then he's alive and awake in Aslan's Country; no mention of a stream or blood or anything. Of course, Aslan nor his Country are constricted by Time, and it may have all happened out-of-time and out of Tirian's realm of perception (and that of the Friends of Narnia) the moment he crossed the threshold. I think a possible reason why Lewis left this part out is because it would have taken away the surprise that they had died and come to Aslan's Country, since we already had learned the drill in The Silver Chair when Caspian died and was brought back to life.

Yeah, it appears that Tirian was one of the few who didn't have to die to get through the door. After all, Jill and Eustace had already died in England, so even if they were flung through the door quick, it wasn't an issue for them. Good thing Narnia isn't an allegory, or we would have more theological messes to worry about.

I'm glad that someone else will have to work on transitioning and cutting back and forth. We might not like what they do, but it will be their worry And who knows? The script writers may be able to do a better job if they aren't book purists. Just so long as they don't mangle it too badly.

Yeah, it appears that Tirian was one of the few who didn't have to die to get through the door. After all, Jill and Eustace had already died in England, so even if they were flung through the door quick, it wasn't an issue for them. Good thing Narnia isn't an allegory, or we would have more theological messes to worry about.

Good grief. I hadn't realized that Tirian never died in The Last Battle. Kind of like Reepicheep, really. They both got to Aslan's Country without having to die to do it. That might explain why Tirian didn't undergo the same ritual that Caspian did, because unlike Caspian, he wasn't dead.

As for Eustace and Jill—had they already died in England? I had gotten the impression that while the others were killed in the railway accident, Eustace and Jill were flung into Narnia. (If they had died then, you'd think they would go straight to Aslan's Country, or else they would have appeared as "ghosts" in Narnia.)

It's possible that Eustace and Jill both went through the door before Tirian did, and that's why none of them went through the water-and-blood ritual that we see with Caspian in SC: they had never died. After all, the Tarkaan specifically says not to kill the two-legged ones with the aim of getting them all to go through the stable door.

In some ways, this is a very good thing, because not having Tirian, Jill and Eustace actually die will help keep the movie from being quite so dark.

Even so, though, I do really like the idea of seeing the other Friends of Narnia swimming out of a pool/river/stream when we first see them in Aslan's Country. The audience will think of the pools in the Wood Between the Worlds and they'll think that's where they've been flung, when in reality, they have been given the life-blood of Aslan now that they are in Aslan's Country after being killed in the railway accident.

I'm glad that someone else will have to work on transitioning and cutting back and forth. We might not like what they do, but it will be their worry And who knows? The script writers may be able to do a better job if they aren't book purists. Just so long as they don't mangle it too badly.

I just hope that they're spirit-of-the-book purists. I don't mind if they take liberties because I understand that often a good film adaptation can't follow the book exactly, but I want to make sure that the themes and the atmosphere is intact.

I wonder... could the filmmakers possibly show what happens with the other Friends in Narnia (and Emeth, et cetera) in Aslan's Country without giving away the fact that it's not the old Narnia? It could seem like they're just in some part of Narnia that's away from the fighting. It might also give Aslan's Country more screen time and allow the filmmakers to slowly build on the idea of what it is and how it works. It would allow for more foreshadowing and be a gradual reveal; more evocative of when you slowly begin to realize something. It will also be more of a shock/twist when we find out that the Friends of Narnia, apart from Jill and Eustace, have technically been dead since the train accident near the beginning of the film even though they've seemed perfectly fine.

I really like this idea! Wow, I had never thought of that. It would definitely expand upon what's happening to the other characters in a fairly canonical way.

Another problem with this would be if their ages are different. (Mostly in regards to Digory and Polly.) Even though the Pevensies magically grew young again when going back through the wardrobe, it would seem kind of odd if Polly and Digory were suddenly returned to their youth as soon as they came back to Narnia. Or maybe it could work; I don't know, I'll have to think about it. (It would be neat to bring back the actors that they use for young Digory and young Polly in the MN film adaptation.) Anyway, even if it didn't work, I suppose that could be tweaked. Maybe they'd grow youthful again after tasting of the fruit?

Well, I don't think Digory and Polly actually looked like their child-selves, but more that everyone is kind of the same age...? It says that Jill looks somehow older and Digory/Polly look somehow younger. Age doesn't exist there, obviously, but it's hard to put that on film. I say let's just forget about that whole thing entirely and have everyone looking recognisable to the viewers, but at the same time very healthy and happy. Digory and Polly can still say how they've been "unstiffened", and Jill and Eustace can still make some kind of remark about how they feel like they're not really much younger than Digory/Polly anymore. Just showing that age is no longer an issue.

That's true about the ages, Phelan! Good point.

Another thing I've been pondering lately about an LB film adaptation... what about the Cair Paravel massacre? This is Hollywood, after all. They're going to want to include it in the film. One of the problems I foresee, however, is that there aren't really any characters involved in it that the viewer is emotionally invested in, save for Roonwit, and he's not around in the book for very long.

On the one hand, this could be a good thing, because it could keep the massacre from being as horrifying to the audience and toe the PG line more carefully. Yet it could also feel empty and distant.

Here's a few potential routes that I can imagine the filmmakers going down...

1. Keep King Erlian alive and have him killed at the massacre, thus making Tirian a king in the worst of circumstances. The audience is going to care about Erlian because he's 1) the king, and 2) Tirian's beloved father. It could also make their reunion in Aslan's Country more moving, although it might immediately tip off the audience that they're in the CoN equivalent of Heaven.

2. Include the Friends of Narnia somehow, similarly to how Caspian appeared in England as a "ghost" to teach the bullies a lesson at the end of The Silver Chair. I honestly have no idea how they would do this in a way that made any sense. I don't know what their job would be (there would have to be a reason why Aslan would send them there), and it would mess up the story if they were successful in defending Cair Paravel. At this time, I'm not in favor of this possibility at all. On some level, though, I'll concede that it could possibly make a little bit of sense: since Caspian wanted to go see England and that wish was granted, perhaps the desire of the Friends to go help Narnia will allow them to appear there once more as ghosts.

3. Use the Cair Paravel massacre as an opportunity for character development for Emeth. Instead of having him enter Narnia with the other Calormenes disguised as merchants, have him be on one of the ships loaded with Calormene warriors that invade Cair Paravel. Before the attack, he's all hyped up on the idea of holy war: bringing those barbaric Narnians he's always heard about under the righteous rule of the Tisroc and teaching them to honor the Inexorable Tash.

However, when he sweeps into Cair Paravel with the other warriors and sees the innocent Narnians (who don't seem to be barbaric at all) being indiscriminately slaughtered, he becomes extremely conflicted and disillusioned. (Maybe he could even help Farsight escape, as well as others?) This would show the audience some of the progression towards Emeth's existential crisis: the state of mind that made him eventually choose to go through the stable door and face his god, even if it meant meeting death.

I like the third possibility best, but maybe I'm a bit biased: I've always loved Emeth's character and want to see more of him in the film.

3. Use the Cair Paravel massacre as an opportunity for character development for Emeth. Instead of having him enter Narnia with the other Calormenes disguised as merchants, have him be on one of the ships loaded with Calormene warriors that invade Cair Paravel. Before the attack, he's all hyped up on the idea of holy war: bringing those barbaric Narnians he's always heard about under the righteous rule of the Tisroc and teaching them to honor the Inexorable Tash.

However, when he sweeps into Cair Paravel with the other warriors and sees the innocent Narnians (who don't seem to be barbaric at all) being indiscriminately slaughtered, he becomes extremely conflicted and disillusioned. (Maybe he could even help Farsight escape, as well as others?) This would show the audience some of the progression towards Emeth's existential crisis: the state of mind that made him eventually choose to go through the stable door and face his god, even if it meant meeting death.

I like the third possibility best, but maybe I'm a bit biased: I've always loved Emeth's character and want to see more of him in the film.

I like it too and it makes a lot of sense. It would show that even though Emeth was taught hateful and biased things about the Narnians, he is able to make his own judgement when the people are actually set before his eyes. It would be an even happier moment when we see that nothing terrible has actually happened to him upon entering the stable. I've always really liked his character, too. I'm glad that not all the Calormenes ended up being jerks. :C

Or maybe as a merchant, he had a chance to meet the Narnians at Cair Paravel, and felt lousy about the horrible part he had to play in disarming the Narnians before the arrival of the all-conquering Calormene army, part of which he rejoined to be at the Stable Hill fight. I don't know. Yes it is a good idea to see more of Emeth. But if he was at Cair Paravel, how did he get to Stable Hill? Emeth truly was disgusted at the way "Tashlan" was supposed to merge Tash and Aslan. And there is no doubting how Emeth felt about Shift, Ginger and Rishda's deceiving the animals the way they did.

Yes it is a good idea to see more of Emeth. But if he was at Cair Paravel, how did he get to Stable Hill?

That's a good point... I'm having a hard time estimating exactly how far away Stable Hill is from Cair Paravel. I could imagine that Emeth and his group of warriors might be sent to Stable Hill as reinforcements, or Emeth could even just slip away from his group as soon as he hears that Tash or "Tashlan" is supposed to be inhabiting a stable in the west. I could see him doing something like that; he's so determined to discover the truth.

Even so, though, I do really like the idea of seeing the other Friends of Narnia swimming out of a pool/river/stream when we first see them in Aslan's Country. The audience will think of the pools in the Wood Between the Worlds and they'll think that's where they've been flung, when in reality, they have been given the life-blood of Aslan now that they are in Aslan's Country after being killed in the railway accident.

Dude, this idea is legit. I must have missed reading this post when you first wrote it. I don't know where you come up with all of these. XD

I am so torn on the idea of this movie. On the one hand, I can't imagine not going to see any Narnian movie. But when I think of all the killings in the battle scenes, I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it.

The one scene I actually hope they cut is when the dwarves shoot the horses. I hated that part in the book.

One of the things I've been thinking about is that last line, "And as He spoke, suddenly he no longer looked like a lion." How on earth do you bring that to film?

The best I can come up with is going in really really close on Aslan's face so that what you see are His eyes and the beginning of His mane and then slowly fade into (like they did with Lucy/Susan on VDT) the face of someone who looks like Jesus, but still only show His hair and His eyes. And then put more and more light around so we can't really see anything. And our final shot is just silhouettes - a man's figure with the children (I can't remember other than Lucy who all is in that last scene). I don't know whether to add the narration to finish things off or not.

I do know that if they leave that scene out it's going to feel like a huge cop-out, because of the obvious religious connotations. They have to know the feedback they got for reducing the Christian elements in the first two films are going to seem like nothing if they pull that out.

I just thought of something. What about an opening scene in our world of the Seven Friends or at least some of them exiting a Church including with the Pevensie parents.

They also have to show us (not just tell us) the train wreck and maybe Edmund and Peter sneaking in to get the rings, but I want them to cut away from the train so we don't understand what's happening. Let us just think they're being thrown into Narnia.

Hmm, and when Aslan talks about why they aren't being sent back, maybe flashback to the train and see their bodies, but nothing horribly graphic.

Okay, I'm on a roll here. Gotta quit or I'm going to be too wired to sleep.

When does The Last Battle come to theaters? Tomorrow?

One of the things I've been thinking about is that last line, "And as He spoke, suddenly he no longer looked like a lion." How on earth do you bring that to film?

The best I can come up with is going in really really close on Aslan's face so that what you see are His eyes and the beginning of His mane and then slowly fade into (like they did with Lucy/Susan on VDT) the face of someone who looks like Jesus, but still only show His hair and His eyes. And then put more and more light around so we can't really see anything. And our final shot is just silhouettes - a man's figure with the children (I can't remember other than Lucy who all is in that last scene). I don't know whether to add the narration to finish things off or not.

If they literally have Aslan transform into Jesus on screen, all non-Christian viewers will be turned off by it. And that is not the feeling you want audiences leaving the theatre with. In LB, especially the last act quickly turns into what Lewis managed to avoid in the first six books: the religious elements over power the story. And it makes it hard to enjoy. It's my hope that film-makers find a way to balance them so it doesn't overwhelm us unbelievers, and doesn't underwhelm Christians - which is equally important.