About 1 year ago, I started a topic in GMD titled "The Future of NarniaWeb (If SC doesn't get greenlit...)". The discussion revolved around the question of what would happen to the community on "NarniaWeb, Your Source for Narnia Movie News" if there were no more Narnia movies for an extended period of time.
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2256&start=0
The general mood was upbeat. 
Most people felt that it was more likely than not that the series would continue after VDT, and it was universally assumed that SC would be up next. Those feelings were not unfounded...there were many reasons to think that VDT would do better at the box office and SC seemed the logical successor chronologically. The discussion on the topic was mostly speculation, because even in the worst case scenario, we wouldn't have to address the issue until many more months in the future. Gymfan thought that we should put off discussing the issue until then.
I say, we cross that river when we come to it. No one should worry...Narniaweb isn't going anywhere. Just look at all the LotR fansites that kept thriving between the time when RotK was released and the Hobbit rumors began. And even if they don't make SC (25% chance in my opinion), I wouldn't despair. Because eventually, some day, somehow, the franchise will get rebooted. They always do. And then we could have the fun of anticipating these movies all over again. So, like I said...let's cross that river when we come to it, okay?
Well, we've come to the river. With the recent Douglass Gresham interview confirming what many of us had speculated, Walden's contract has expired. It will be at least 3-4 years before we see the production start up on a Narnia movie again (and at least 5-6 years before we see it reach theaters). This is definitely not the same as waiting 20 years or more for a total reboot in a different era of cinema, but several years is still a considerable river to cross.
4 years ago, we were gushing over the Prince Caspian production blogs. I was not even in 8th grade then, and now I'm a senior in high school. Going through that amount of time again just to hear any significant production news at all seems like an eternity to me (and probably all the other teens and preteens on here for which 4 years is a very large percentage of their life so far). 
So the question arises, how shall we pass the time for the next couple of years? 
The Narnia fan community isn't anywhere as big as the LoTR fan community. Every time the movies came out, there was a huge spike in new membership on the forums; that's how NarniaWeb has gotten most of it's members. I can't help but notice that the pace of conversation on the forums has slowed quite a bit over the past year or so. Without another huge spike of new members to kickstart new discussion anywhere in the immediate future, we would have to take matters into our own hands. 
Ideas from the old topic:
We could have lots of contests! And... do lots of graphics!
I'm guessing we could shift from news site to movie site... and Just plain old Narnia news site...just whatever we do...Don't let it die!
I LOVE the idea of the fans banding together and making our own versions of the films, maybe by manipulating preexisting animation and voicing the roles, or if enough people could act in front of green screen. . . . I don't know much about amateur movie making, but it seems like it's got possibilities.
The C.S. Lewis Estate is one of the most strict I've encountered. That's why we've never taken the chance and allowed fan fiction on this site.
A few years ago, I told Tirian "By the time the last movie comes out, I want NarniaWeb to be the definitive Narnia online encyclopedia." Hopefully the character profiles are just the beginning of that. We have lots of other stuff in mind. We'll probably work on that more after the VDT craziness dies down.
Topic starter
Posted : October 17, 2011 2:45 pm
While waiting for another film, if another is made, I have a great idea that can be expressed in one word: books. 
Now would be an excellent time to kick up more conversations about the Narnia books, which will always come before any Narnia film at all to me. (If there were a fire, and if I had to choose between saving the Narnia books or films I have, I'd choose the books. 
) I've also thought the Talk About Narnia section has been extremely slow lately, and that it should be more active.
I am currently re-reading the Narnia series, now on LWW, and I am finding more things than ever. I am not picturing the characters like they look like in the movies, I am picturing them from what I know of them in the lines. I am also reading it aloud to myself, since I never had the honor of having my parents do that with me. 
I feel like magic has escaped from the pages and filled me with all kinds of feelings I never had reading it to myself in my mind.
If there are no more adaptations to come of Narnia on film, I think NarniaWeb can spread more word about the books to younger generations and help them on NarniaWeb so that we can share these wonderful books for decades to come. The Narnia series has made it 61 years, so let's make it to 122 years.
Further up and further in! 
Posted : October 17, 2011 2:53 pm
Contests! (sorry art mods, but I really have to ask) When was the last time we had an art contest? I loved contests and I miss them dearly 
Another thing to add to the suggestion list is a "Narnia Read-A-Thon." Last year on FB I made and event and invited a bunch of people to either read one of the 6 books other than LWW, all of the books in either order, all of the books in both orders, all in one week. (Actually I never succeeded with it myself, but I would like to plan another one) Maybe we could do something like that on NW (especially since there won't be any Lion Parties for a while) -with Moderator/Administrator approval of course. Maybe we could even include reading them all in both editions, or something like that.
Of course we could also debate over the many things books and movies, like order, plot changes, etc. (and if worst comes to worst there's always the MH craze, RP's and other Spare Oom/ DittoTown topics.) But I'm sure we'll figure out something. I really like gP's idea too. Maybe we could even have some Narnia related quizzes or games on the site (again though that's up to Tirian) But I'm sure there'll always be something to discover in the books. And frankly I'm as much a fan of NarniaWeb as I am of Narnia, so I'll be sticking around for a while.
"The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly." -John Muir
"Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed." -Richard Adams, Watership Down
Posted : October 17, 2011 3:08 pm
Suggestions are good and all, but it boils down whether or not Tirian will keep the site open. Quote from glumPuddle from the previous thread:
A few years ago, I told Tirian "By the time the last movie comes out, I want NarniaWeb to be the definitive Narnia online encyclopedia."
Hopefully the character profiles are just the beginning of that. We have lots of other stuff in mind. We'll probably work on that more after the VDT craziness dies down.
fantasia_kitty:
But in answer to the original question asked in the title, I suspect that NarniaWeb would stick around even if only to archive the materials, and I also suspect the forum would keeping going as well.
Should the franchise fall apart and not complete all seven movies, I think that it's possible that in another 15-20 years someone else would pick it up and try again. Would we be around then? Who knows?
My suggestion to everyone who may have a suggestion for the forum and for the site itself, pm your suggestions to fantasia and Tirian and let them make the decisions.
Posted : October 17, 2011 4:32 pm
Thanks starkat! I shall keep that in mind
Looking over the General Narnia Discussion forums, it seems there are plenty of topics that'll keep us occupied for a while. Perhaps we can just use this little newless timeframe to delve more deeply into the heart and meaning of the books
"The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly." -John Muir
"Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed." -Richard Adams, Watership Down
Posted : October 17, 2011 4:40 pm
Suggestions are good and all, but it boils down whether or not Tirian will keep the site open.
That is an important aspect as well. I focused mainly on ideas for keeping the forum community active in my introductory post, but you are right. Ad revenue and costs of maintaining the website is an issue that can shut down everything all together, and I would guess that ad revenue is decreasing since there is not much movie news nowadays. However, Tirian hasn't made an announcement yet that NW is or is going to be in financial trouble, so I don't see it as an issue that renders all other discussion moot just yet.
My suggestion to everyone who may have a suggestion for the forum and for the site itself, pm your suggestions to fantasia and Tirian and let them make the decisions.
Well, of course we (the regular members) wouldn't be making any decisions on this topic...we don't have the power to implement anything that would change the forum or the site itself. This topic can be a place to discuss and brainstorm ideas, then maybe try and figure out which ones are the best before we flood fantasia and Tirian with suggestions.
One thing I think would be cool on the forum is to do some more of those book reading subforums that we had in the past on other C. S. Lewis literature besides Narnia, like The Great Divorce, The Screwtape Letters, etc...those stories have tons of potential for discussion.
Topic starter
Posted : October 17, 2011 5:57 pm
Contests! (sorry art mods, but I really have to ask) When was the last time we had an art contest? I loved contests and I miss them dearly
Our last Fan Art contest was held in December of last year, and I do apologize for letting them die like they have. If you have any ideas or suggestions for contest themes, please PM them to me! I can't make any promises because I'm somewhat busy with work, but I will try to host a contest within the next few months. (I would say at the beginning of next month, but I have a feeling that most of the graphic makers will be busy with NaNoWriMo, am I right?)
And as for the rest of the discussion, I think that Lou had the right idea when she suggested discussing the books. That is what started the whole thing, after all.
--- flambeau
President of the Manalive Conspiracy
Founder of Team Hoodie
Icon by me
Posted : October 18, 2011 1:31 pm
Well, Minotaur, I certainly understand the shock at what has happened within 4 years. I was in 8th grade when PC came out..and now a senior, like you. Even worse is thinking about when LWW came out. I was only 11! 
It brings up a lot of nostalgia, and, as a result, sadness.
Never throught it would come to this, even a year ago at this time. But since it has, we'll have to deal with it.
Although I haven't been posting the last few weeks, I have been browsing the site. I'll probably stick around and visit Narniaweb for quite some time. I agree that we can take this time to reflect on the books and the past three films' history.
3-4 years isn't that awful. Its not a decade or decades, which is how long it takes for some franchises to be rebooted. Hopefully, Douglas Gresham will give us an update every now and them as to what he is planning on doing with the film rights and when.
We'll have to have hope like the Narnians in PC. Aslan will be back soon- and I hope he brings the Pevensies, Eustace, Jill, Diggory, Shasta... and maybe even the WW...with him! 
Signature by daughter of the King; Avatar by Adeona
-Thanks :]
Keeper of the Secret Magic
Posted : October 18, 2011 3:02 pm
flambeau, Yes we will, but I'd even give up a little time off of that for Art contests! (nano-related graphics... hmmm) I'll try to pm you a list of ideas, I thought of bunches since last December, I just have to remember them all.
"The mountains are calling and I must go, and I will work on while I can, studying incessantly." -John Muir
"Be cunning, and full of tricks, and your people will never be destroyed." -Richard Adams, Watership Down
Posted : October 18, 2011 5:48 pm
To be honest while I was in what FK calls the "first wave" of fans (LWW) I've been a CoN fan since I was a young child. It's the books that I hold nearest and dearest to my heart. A movie is and always will be a director's interpretation of a book or story and that will almost never mesh perfectly with what we already have in our heads. As long as the books are around I don't see any reason why this site shouldn't be, especially since it is the premiere site concerning the Chronicles around (in my humble opinion 
). If anything downsizes NWeb it's not going to be lack of movies, it's going to be when the relatively young audience here reaches college age and goes to university for 4 or more years. Most leave, though some do come back, and some still lurk from time to time. But there will always be that core that sticks around, of which I hope to be a part of . When the next batch of movies comes about (which I suspect will probably be a reboot) it may well be that it'll be your nieces and nephews, or perhaps even your own children who will frequent the hallowed halls (or threads ) of NWeb. What a thought that is, eh?
That said I think it's a bit premature to hold a wake for NWeb right now. I think the site is here to stay for the long run. There will be the typical ebb and flow of visitors and members, but it's up to us to make the site a nice place to visit old literary friends in another world than become a dusty mausoleum of forgotten conversations and good times. Stick around folks, there's still tons to talk about for many years to come, and don't be in such a hurry to pick out graveyard plots.
Kennel Keeper of Fenris Ulf
Posted : October 19, 2011 12:55 am
well, I do admit that I have not been going onto Narniaweb as much as I did before, mostly because I've posted all i've really wanted to post already. If there's no more movies, there will definitely not be much to talk about. I would like to see more discussion about the books and maybe even a few threads discussing other works by Lewis, but I think there will be noticeable changes as to how many members actually participate in forums, how many new members join, etc.
Posted : October 23, 2011 11:07 am
You could report news about the main Narnian actors/actresses? (Example: Popplewell, Henley, Barnes, Swinton, Neeson, Keynes, Moseley)
http://mundonarnia.com/portal Is forever reporting anything that has to do with the cast, lots of pictures and videos too. You could do that? It would keep new information coming?
"...when my heart is overwhwlemed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."
-Pslam 61:2
Posted : October 23, 2011 12:19 pm
There is only one person who is either not incredibly burned out or too busy to post news, and that's glumPuddle. I've all but stepped down from news posting at this time and even if they greenlight more movies, I'm not sure I'll return.
Having said that, if there are one or two people who would be interested in posting the kind of news you mentioned AslansChild, you are more than welcome to talk to Tirian about it. (I would suggest either send a PM to me to forward onto him, or email Tirian directly. He's VERY busy right now.)
But I'm also going to include a note here that Mundo Narnia is NOT a good site to emulate. Not all of the pictures and such they post on their site is obtained legally or with permission.
Posted : October 23, 2011 12:54 pm
hmm...okay, thanks for the suggestion, but if Trinian's so busy,I don't think I'll bother him right now. Just offered my meager suggestions.
also, I didn't know that about Mundo...interesting...
"...when my heart is overwhwlemed, lead me to the Rock that is higher than I."
-Pslam 61:2
Posted : October 23, 2011 4:09 pm
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