All we really have to know is that she is the Queen and is dearly loved by her husband, son, and all Narnia. But I do agree that her background somehow makes her murder even more tragic.

I wonder if they could do something to make her seem more than human. LotR gave the elves a very very subtle glow.

Bottom line: If her death feels tragic and I really feel Narnia's complete despair, I won't complain.

I assume we also would be getting a different actress if they show her back story at all. I would like them to show her to the audience at the very least because she is one of the few cannon romances of Narnia.

But, I guess it would not make or break the story as a whole. But, maybe we can see pictures of Caspian and his wife in pictures around the palace or something before Jill and Eustace leave. I think that would be a cute Easter Egg for fans, just as the drawings on Aslan's How walls were real cool.

I don't think knowing her heritage is really necessary for the story. But it's also not the kind of thing they would have to go out of their way to include. Just a line about her being the daughter of a star would probably work fine.

But, maybe we can see pictures of Caspian and his wife in pictures around the palace or something before Jill and Eustace leave.

I like that idea. Could be a great way to do the backstory without flashbacks. Though ideally I think I would prefer to actually see her death.

A focus on her backstory may not be warranted or even possible within the story plot. Too much of it and it's just a needless distraction. However, I wouldn't mind hearing something of her from Rilian after the enchantment has been broken. Like others have said, just a passing reference would do. Maybe it would be in his grief losing so many years of his life to someone who murdered his mother, a 'Daughter of the Stars'. It depends if the filmmakers want to include obscure details from the books that might puzzle the broad audience. I, for one, hope they do!

And I'm more curious to see how far Johnston's statement goes that he wants to do his own thing for this film. Does that mean not bothering with the name Liliandil? I kind of hope so.

A focus on her backstory may not be warranted or even possible within the story plot. Too much of it and it's just a needless distraction.

I'm realizing more and more how easily SC could get bogged down in backstory. They definitely need to watch that. But, that said...

One of the things that really hurt the Walden movies, imo, was that they were quick to throw out things that didn't directly advance the plot. Like the romp with Bacchus and Silenus. Or basically the entire last third of VDT. In effect, they systematically filtered out much of what defines the series: Atmosphere and joy. Take all that out and all that remains is a generic fantasy adventure.

It will probably depend on how they approach telling Rilian's story, I'm thinking. If they do a Prince Caspian-style beginning, showing what happened with the ruling family in Narnia before heading to England to catch up with Jill, for instance, then I can imagine them having the space to hint at her background in some way. Maybe have her holding young Rilian on a Cair Paravel balcony under a night sky, talking about Rilian's grandfather looking down in the heavens above. (It would be kind of neat to "trick" the audience into thinking that her father is dead, until revealing somehow that he is a Star and she is a Star's daughter.)

In a way, it might be nice to have a scene like that with Rilian and his mother, to show the tender connection between them and give some depth to the son's grief after her murder.

I wonder if they could do something to make her seem more than human. LotR gave the elves a very very subtle glow.

I like that idea. Obviously nothing like what they did in VDT, but something to suggest an inner light, or an unusual clarity in her eyes. Ramandu's Daughter has always had an aura of holiness about her, and definitely similar to the elves in LotR in that respect.

And I'm more curious to see how far Johnston's statement goes that he wants to do his own thing for this film. Does that mean not bothering with the name Liliandil? I kind of hope so.

I hope so, too; I never really liked the name much, and I like the fact that she is simply the Queen in SC. Her lack of a name adds to the mythic, "fable"-like quality that David Magee mentioned in his interview on the Talking Beasts podcast.

And I'm more curious to see how far Johnston's statement goes that he wants to do his own thing for this film. Does that mean not bothering with the name Liliandil?

Was the name ever spoken in the film?

I'm completely in favor of pretending the VDT film never happened. I already do that in my personal life.

Yes, she introduces herself by name in the film. Granted, it was probably the least concerning addition in VODT (after all, it's VODT!), but still an unnecessary one.

Yes, she introduces herself by name in the film. Granted, it was probably the least concerning addition in VODT (after all, it's VODT!), but still an unnecessary one.

It doesn't mean that Liliandil has to be her name once she becomes Queen. In line with the practice of making most titles patronymic, a Queen Consort, whatever her antecedents, is only so because of her husband. Duchesses and Princesses have often been called by their husband's first name rather than by their own, especially when commoners in the first place. Was it a competition that gave Ramandu's daughter that particular name? And if so, what happened to the competition to give a name to LOTGK?

I could be quite happy with Lilian, Liliane, Liliana or even just plain Lily, maybe as an endearment. Liliandil suggests that someone known for her sage-ness was anything but wise. Or that VDT the film was on a LOTR jag. But I doubt the present filmmakers of Silver Chair have the thyme to worry about it overmuch. The Queen, or Caspian's Queen or Rilian's mother sounds quite adequate to me.

Much of the back story is about the impact of her death, one way or another, to cause Caspian extreme grief and also the disappearance of their son, Rilian. We need to concentrate on the consequences rather than on the romantic bit, even if it is a starting point.

The 'star' bloodline should be hinted at and not elaborated upon. It ought to be subtle enough to satisfy those who appreciate the history of Narnia and have a good knowledge of Narnia through the stories yet not too detailed so as to confuse the casual viewer.

It's an important detail that should be addressed in some form in my opinion and not glossed over as if it doesn't matter at all.

If Johnston said that SC is going to be the start of a separate series, then I doubt we'll hear the name "Liliandil" anywhere. They might decide to make her glow if they think it's an interesting effect, although I hope they don't. To me, it would take away from the death scene.

I've mentioned before that I would like it if there was a backstory montage presented during the opening credits, ending with a middle aged Caspian reading little Rilian a picture book called the "Adventures of Eustace Scrubb."

I do think it would bring home the point of her being a star's daughter if they show her turning into star dust in Rilian's arms after she dies. I also think that she should still have the appearance of a youngish woman. It stands to reason that stars (and their daughters) would age much more slowly than normal humans.

This is mostly the story of Jill and Eustace, but the events that set it off (in Narnia) specifically focus on Rilian and his parents.
The suggestion that the background should be given in the owls' narrative (using voice-over and silent video) is a good one.
I also like the idea that there will be paintings of young King Caspian and his Queen hung in Cair Paravel, which Eustace and Jill can look at. Maybe Rilian as a small child - so that they won't recognise him.
As for a book about Eustace - perhaps there will be a picture book showing events from the time Caspian sailed nearly to the end of the world. I like the idea that Eustace and Jill look at it, and she realises with a shock that he is in the pictures.

The more I read Silver Chair, the less I agree that a flashback is really necessary. All that is needed is a crime scene, right at the beginning, when the credits go up, to demonstrate visually as clearly as possible how Caspian's Queen died whilst on a picnic. And since she is, or was, the Queen she doesn't have to be identified any other way. The site of her death is most important and I will explain why as soon as I can.

I do think it would bring home the point of her being a star's daughter if they show her turning into star dust in Rilian's arms after she dies.

I like that idea. I'm not sure how I would go about it from a visual standpoint, but I think the surprise of discovering—somehow—that the Queen was not exactly human could fit well with the overall "things are not as they seem" theme in The Silver Chair. Still, I wouldn't want the revelation that the Queen is a star's daughter to become the focus of the scene either, so they would have to be careful.