This is a tough one.

I understand that the BBC cut of the romp with  Bacchus and Silenus and the freeing of the school children because they paired PC and VDT together for some reason. Though it was a bummer it was cut out in the Walden film.

Every screen adaptation of LWW cut out Aslan feeding the Narnians on the grassy hill just before the coronation at Cair Paravel. It might be something to see though I don't know if the news adaption will include it.

We'll have to wait and see what the directors and the team working on the new adaptation will come up with.

The appearance of Ramandu and the birds taking a little off his age should not be left out of Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It is such a beautiful part of the voyage.  The Walden film omitted this important scene, although it was in the BBC TV series and the Focus on the Family audio drama. I would be very disappointed if the scene were missing from any new adaptation of the story. It is one of the most beautiful portions of the book.

Posted by: @jasmine_tarkheena

This is a tough one.

I understand that the BBC cut of the romp with  Bacchus and Silenus and the freeing of the school children because they paired PC and VDT together for some reason. Though it was a bummer it was cut out in the Walden film.

I thought that was always left out—-I don’t care for using the term “cut” since it implies there’s an alternate cut of the film/series with what’s being described as left out—because those characters are based on some sort of mythology? But maybe I’m wrong.

Bacchus and Silenus are from Roman mythology, which Lewis, devout Anglican as he was, had no problem with including, as he loved pagan mythologies and saw them as pointing, however imperfectly, to the "true myth" that was fulfilled in the life of Christ. I think his basic idea there is that these earlier concepts of gods and heroes and magical creatures show humanity reaching out for something higher before the true God gave them the true Way. There are no doubt more conservative Christians who disagree with this and are not happy with Lewis including elements of pagan mythology at all, but I can't imagine that in itself would bother most secular film-makers.

The more "mainstream" objection is likely to be that Bacchus is the god of wine and wild revelry, and many people (religious or otherwise) may not be comfortable with this being included in a story for children!! (I don't know how much controversy it caused, if any, when the book was first published in 1951.) But I don't know if we've ever heard what, specifically, was the reason behind the Walden film leaving it out. With the BBC, of course, it would have been primarily time constraints and technical constraints, as others have pointed out here, aside from any moral objections (which may have been a factor too). 

I'd love for a future version to include "the Romp", perhaps without specifically naming Bacchus and Silenus (to keep the critics quiet) and just making it a huge crowd of various Narnian characters and creatures dancing and revelling and in general showing the sheer irrepressible joy that's been unleashed now that Aslan is with them and they're freed from having to live in hiding. But I'd also love to see a new version of LWW that includes the two girls romping with Aslan when he comes back from the dead. The only screen version so far that's kept that in was the little animated movie from 1979. But it's one of my favourite moments in all the Chronicles, especially for what it shows us about Aslan and the wonder of his resurrection. 

Posted by: @courtenay

 

But I don't know if we've ever heard what, specifically, was the reason behind the Walden film leaving it out. 

On the other hand, it seems like Bacchus was going to be included as a cameo at the end, based on this picture I’ve found. 

For The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe I would love to see a slightly expanded version of when Aslan restores all the Narnians turned to stone (my sister and I always laugh at how in the book a sheepdog helped Aslan get everyone organized, we grew up with various herding breeds and that would be something they would love doing!) and then when they are all trying to catch the scent of the White Witch and her army so they can join Peter, Edmund and the Narnian army. That scene always gives me a thrill in the book and Focus on the Family radio dramatization and I think it could add to the tension if well done.

I think it's very difficult for that to happen, but I would like they to follow the chronological order this time (I'm biased to say this since The Magician's Nephew and The Horse and His Boy is any of my favorites). There's the whole issue of the child cast getting older, I think that would only be possible if it was adapted into an animation (which I would love).

Well, I know that there are things in the books that would require some changes or tweaks, which is understandable. There could even be some additions, that could really add to the stories.

I think @courtenay brought up a good point about including the romp without mentioning Bacchus and Silenus in PC, since many (especially Christians) would not be comfortable with the concept of revelry. Well, hopefully, if that were the case, critics would be quiet and that it wouldn’t raise so much controversy. Oh, there may be some, with the depiction of the Calormenes in HHB and LB and how they address Susan as “no longer a friend of Narnia” in LB. Though I could see how the romp in PC could be controversial. If they do that without mentioning Bacchus and Silenus, it might be something. 

Posted by: @jasmine_tarkheena

Well, I know that there are things in the books that would require some changes or tweaks, which is understandable. There could even be some additions, that could really add to the stories.

I think @courtenay brought up a good point about including the romp without mentioning Bacchus and Silenus in PC, since many (especially Christians) would not be comfortable with the concept of revelry. Well, hopefully, if that were the case, critics would be quiet and that it wouldn’t raise so much controversy. Oh, there may be some, with the depiction of the Calormenes in HHB and LB and how they address Susan as “no longer a friend of Narnia” in LB. Though I could see how the romp in PC could be controversial. If they do that without mentioning Bacchus and Silenus, it might be something. 

 

I think Bacchus and possibly Silenus were actually supposed to make an appearance during the parade scene at the end of Walden’s PC, based on a picture I found (which I included in my last post). Makes me wonder about any footage that might exist from the films that has never been released (like that dancing scene at the end of LWW).

Well, they might have to leave something out for time sake (that is, if they were movies). Though, obviously, they can't leave anything important out. Though I'm sure they will have to make some changes.

For LWW, they could go a bit longer on the freeing of the statues than it did in the Walden. We could even get a glimpse of the boys on the battle field every once in a while. I think every adaption of LWW I've seen featured Edmund breaking the White Witch's wand. In a way, it brought out his character arch. If they could show that, and right after that, cut back to Aslan and the girls and the freed Narnians leaving the White Witch's castle.

For PC, I picture Peter and Miraz during their duel in slow motion. Then when the second battle of Beruna starts after Miraz is killed, they could cut to Aslan and the girls in the romp with Bacchus and Silenus (and they don't have to mention their names). Lucy, however, could tell Susan, "I remember Mr. Tumnus telling us about this."

For VDT, they better not leave out the breakfast on the shore at the world's end (where Aslan as the lamb invites Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace for breakfast).

As for the ones which haven't been done, SC should include Aslan bringing Caspian to life in His country, HHB will certainly have to include the Unwelcome Fellow Traveler (and not ruin it), MN will certainly include Digory giving the apple to his dying mother, and LB should include Emeth's meeting with Aslan (and not ruin it).

So I'm sure there are a lot of important things to us that the new adaptations leaves out, though there are some things they will have to leave out for timing.

Posted by: @jasmine_tarkheena

HHB will certainly have to include the Unwelcome Fellow Traveler (and not ruin it)

Definitely, although I've been wondering how they could do that one adequately on screen, when most of the scene in the book takes place in near-total darkness. If I were directing it, I'd shorten the dialogue somewhat — perhaps make it clear that "the Thing" already knows what Shasta's story is, so that he doesn't have to repeat very much of it, only lament at how unlucky he is — and also have it dark only at the very beginning, with barely enough light to show the outline of Shasta as he's riding. Then, after he hears "the Thing" beside him and starts to speak to it, a light starts to shine beside him and gradually get stronger (coming through mist) as their conversation goes on — with the camera shots alternating between Shasta and this at first indistinct presence beside him, from which the light is coming. Only once we get to "I was the lion..." do we see clearly that it's the shape of a huge lion, and then at the point where their conversation ends and Shasta comes down from his horse and falls to his knees, Aslan finally appears completely clearly, and then as he disappears, the last of the mist vanishes with him (as it does in the book) and it's daylight all around. That would keep the essence of the scene substantially as it is in the book but make sure there's enough visual interest — especially as the audience notices that the light is getting steadily stronger as the dialogue continues — for it to work on the screen.

As for Emeth meeting Aslan in The Last Battle, I can't imagine any director would lose the chance to put that in, as it shows the expansiveness of Lewis's theology — Aslan's country isn't exclusively for those who already know him and have consciously devoted their lives to him, but for anyone who, on meeting him, recognises him for who he is and realises this is the One they were always truly searching for.

@courtenay

I can't imagine either. Though I'm sure that any director would have to be careful not to address religion for this, since it can be kind of a sensitive topic.

I do think Emeth's meeting with Aslan is an important part of Narnia that the new adaptations shouldn't leave out. It could also show that Aslan is willing to accept not only Narnians, but also Telmarines, Archenlanders, and Calormenes.

Just imagine if there was a great number of Narnians, Archelanders, Telmarines, and Calormenes that were in Aslan's Country at the end.

@jasmine_tarkheena Well, I'm not sure about being "careful not to address religion" — it's a very well known fact that the Chronicles do have a solid Christian basis throughout. That can't be left out or changed (much though I get the impression that's what some critics would like) if the new adaptation is to be true to Lewis's intentions and to the whole spirit of what he wrote. But he was always careful not to be explicit about it — we're not actually told what name Aslan has in our world, for example, or what form he took on when, at the end, "He no longer looked to them like a lion". Lewis obviously intended for readers to think about these things (and many other aspects of the Chronicles) and join up the metaphorical dots for themselves. I'm hoping the next screen version will be able to do that too, so that the implied messages are still there for those who are looking for them, but the stories are still entertaining and thought-provoking for a whole variety of audiences.

If I were directing the film of LB, I would definitely make sure to put in a huge range of characters and peoples among the crowd in Aslan's country, including a good number of Calormenes — perhaps some who appeared as "extras" or in minor roles in HHB, just to make it clear that, as you say, Aslan is willing to accept anyone who is willing to accept Him. 

@courtenay 

 It could also be the same with Telmarines, that a had minor roles in PC. It could even a great number of Narnians, Telmarines, Archenlanders, and Calormenes that we can't even count.

Another important scene I don't think they should leave out is the temptation in MN. That is, not make it into a big action scene, but it should be emotional as well. Digory's mother being ill and about to die is a central conflict in the story. The whole thing is about temptation as well. Jadis tempts Digory three times, and he says "no." It's like, "Should I eat it myself and live forever?" "Should I take i to my mother who is ill and help heal her?" "Should I steal this fruit?" He made a wrong choice in Charn, and by that time at the Garden of Youth, he's given opportunity to make a better choice. So I think that's an important scene that a movie cannot leave out or even mess with. 

I would also add that since LB is about loyalty, they should not leave out the important scenes. For instance, I think where Poggin listens in to Rishda and Ginger after one of the midnight meetings (I don't know if they'll decide to show it earlier than it is in the book) is kind of a crucial part of the theme. They plan to use Shift like a puppet, much like he had been using Puzzle like a puppet. They even plan on persuading those who don't care for neither Aslan nor Tash but "have an eye for their own profit" to join them. So it would be a crucial scene there, with the whole thing being about loyalty: "Should I follow Aslan" or "Should I serve Tash?" or "Should I not be either side and stay neutral?"