Move over Tolkien! Narnia's coming to the big screen!

[El Chuxter]

Just posted on Yahoo news!

'Lion' to Be Shot in New Zealand

WELLINGTON, New Zealand - "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," the beloved fantasy novel by C.S. Lewis, will be made into a film in New Zealand, a newspaper reported Friday.

New Zealander Andrew Adamson, best known for the Oscar-winning animated feature "Shrek," will direct the film and Walden Media will produce it.

"We are extremely happy and excited to be starting work on the film in New Zealand," Wellington's Dominion Post Newspaper quoted Adamson as saying.

The movie is expected to be the first of five films based on Lewis' seven Chronicles of Narnia books, to which Walden holds the film rights.

Director Peter Jackson (news) shot the three "Lord of the Rings" films, based on J.R.R. Tolkien's fantasy book series, in New Zealand using its unspoiled landscapes.

The $110 million budget film will start production preparations early in 2004, although work on the Chronicles has already started at Jackson's Weta Workshop in Wellington.

A spokeswoman for Weta confirmed it was currently working on the project, but declined to give details.

Shooting, much of it in South Island forests, high country and coastal areas, will begin mid-2004, the reports said.

Taxpayers will help foot the bill for the film, which will be made using a screen production grant scheme set up by the government this year.

Under the plan, production companies can receive up to 12.5 percent of their total costs back at the end of production.

"The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe," published in 1950, is the second and best-known novel in the seven-part Narnia series. It also includes "The Magician's Nephew," "The Horse and His Boy," "Prince Caspian," "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader," "The Silver Chair" and "The Last Battle."

Duuuuude!! Looks like now that his buddy's trilogy has shattered all sorts of box office records, CS Lewis' masterpiece will finally be done justice on the big screen. Hopefully it will be even half as good as the LOTR movies.

First of all, Aslan has to be played by James Earl Jones, and he should be done in the same live action/CG meshing used in Babe.

Interesting that they're doing five movies. I can see how The Horse and His Boy would be easy to cut out, since it doesn't really follow the main storyline. But what else? My money would be on The Magician's Nephew being paraphrased in a flashback sequence. Despite how the series is published today, it's a weak start to the story, and really does work better when you get the details after meeting the citizens of Narnia.

Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait! Hopefully a great five-film epic based on Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain can't be far behind!

[stillakid]

'Lion' to Be Shot in New Zealand

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run.a.way pro.duc.tion n 1 : those U.S. productions which are developed and are intended for initial release, exhibition, or broadcast in the U.S. and that appear to be made in the U.S., but are actually filmed in another country.
2 : that hissing sound you hear as $10 billion drains out of the U.S. economy each year.

http://www.ftac.org

[Mandalorian Candidat]

First of all, Aslan has to be played by James Earl Jones, and he should be done in the same live action/CG meshing used in Babe.

I don't know Chuxie. I'd hate JEJ to be put into typecasting roles. First as Vader, then as the crusty Tom Clancy thriller admiral, and now more lion roles...


yeah, OK he'd be good.

[JediTricks]

I've known about this for months. My mom is furious that the director of Shrek was chosen for this, I personally think it's the totally wrong note as well, but directors have changed gears for the better once or twice... or once.

[bigbarada]

Long before I discovered Tolkien I was an avid fan of CS Lewis' Narnia books. I'm elated at the thought that these films could be half as good as LOTR; but I'm also apprehensive that they could be as bad as the Dungeons & Dragons movie. Overjoyed that WETA is involved in production; horrified that they are being directed by the same guy who made Shrek.

But then again, I would have had no idea that Peter Jackson would do such a good job on LOTR judging solely off of The Frighteners.

One question, are these films going to be live-action or CG-animated? When I first heard about the project I hoped they would be completely CG; but seeing what's possible these days with live-action films, it's probably not a bad idea.

[JediTricks]

I thought The Frighteners was actually pretty entertaining, but I expected absolutely nothing and waited until it was on TV. But you have a point, there's nothing in that film that would point to the glory that is the LOTR film series.

[evenflow]

I remember reading that book as a child and really liking it. I am looking forwar dto this.

[EricRG]

Move over Tolkien? I think not. The CON series are really good stories, however, IMHO, are not even in the same class as LOTR. These movies will do nowhere near as well as LOTR.

My prediction: CON, when compared to LOTR, will be as the SW prequels are to the OT in terms of quality.

I hope they use Weathertop to film the scene where Aslan is "killed".

[scruffziller]

Was there a cartoon adaptation? I seem to remember seeing something that was just that when I was a kid and found it quite bizzarre.

[sith_killer_99]

There was indeed a cartoon adaptation, some years back.

I always wanted to see the CON on the big screen, but alas, I thought it would only happen as a cartoon, much as I used to think the same thing about the LOTR trillogy. I did so enjoy "The HObbit" and the LOTR cartoons as a kid.

I do believe this will do nearly as well as LOTR in the terms of box office success. The CON has a huge following, as big as the LOTR,

But 5 films?!?!?! It will be hard to keep a following that long IMO. If they release 1 film every 3 years (like SW) it will take 15 years to get to the public. If they manage to crank out 1 film per year (like LOTR) it will take 5-6 years, let's face it even Star Wars has a difficult time holding most peoples interest for 6 years (EP1 1999-EP3 2005), they have to build up to it and then fade into the background, then build up to the next film, etc.

I am excited about this project. More so than the "On a pale horse" project. What was the casting director thinking?!?!? I would have loved to have seen a film series based on the Incarnations of Imortality. I will watch this anyways.

Now all we need is for Hollywood to pick up Brian Lumley's Necroscope series!

But I digress.

As for Hollywood/America "losing out on millions/billions" I don't blame the film makers. When you have to pay 10-20 million dollars for a big name actor/actress to fill the lead...well, you gotta cut costs somewhere...right? Besides, this is nothing new. Look at how many films/TV series have been shot elsewhere for budget reasons (Vancouver (SP?) comes to mind) can you say X-Files...Vancouver...D.C. ...same thing.... Ever wonder why sooo many episodes of the X-Files take place in the woods....

Sure, it would be nice if more big films were shot in the US and not Tunisia (or some other off the wall place), but it would also be great if Stars didn't request 10-20 percent of a films budget just to play some lead role.

Anyway...I will get off my soap box...