Wed Dec 24, 2008 1:05PM9 comments ›
Wed Dec 24, 2008 — by Robert Greenberger
Disney Leaves 'Dawn Treader' at the Dock
Third 'Narnia' Film Needs New Studio
Disney has officially withdrawn from The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader just as the film was preparing to shoot in early 2009. The Hollywood Reporter said Disney and Walden declined to say why but it’s been known for some time that the studio has had qualms about the budget given the lackluster $141 million box office performance of Prince Caspian.
Whole Prince Caspian cost $200 million, Dawn Treader was seen as a $100 million production and recently relocated principal photography from Mexico to Australia as a nod towards keeping costs down. Disney had the film, to be directed by Michael Apted from Steven Knight’s script, pencilled in for a May 2010 release.
Contracts with the returning cast -- Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell – may now be in jeopardy if a new studio doesn’t sep in quickly. The trade speculates 20th-Century Fox may step in since not only do they need tentpole pictures, but they release Walden’s other fare.
While the Chronicles of Narnia spans seven books, the films were seen as a trilogy with the hope of getting every one of C.S. Lewis’ book adapted. For Disney to pull out after two films is quite unusual for a series. It’s not the first though, with New Line abandoning Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials after the poor performance of pricey The Golden Compass.
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Comments (9)
Tom Fitzpatrick (1:50 PM on Wed Dec 24, 2008)
Well, I sure hope that the remaining 5 books gets turned into films as I enjoyed the first two.
mike weber (4:58 AM on Thu Dec 25, 2008)
I am rather happy to see this - perhas it means that either the film won't get made at all, or that if someone else gets involved, it'll be a GOOD film, unlike their version of "Prince Caspian".
kaity (5:50 PM on Fri Jan 2, 2009)
i really hope that they continue to make the movie. I love these books, and warching the movies is a real pleasure for me. I love how greatly they stuck to the book, but also made the movie their own on BOTH the movies, and thats definitely something that they should pride themselves on. I'm taking Twilight and The Golden Compass in mind. Both are great books, and i like the movies, but only as movies. If i think about the differences in the book and movie, i hate the movie. So i love how great these movies are when compared with the book, and i hope to see another. Good luck to them.
Phillys (11:17 AM on Tue Dec 30, 2008)
they dont make great movies like the narnia movies anymore. I would love to see another one.
Anonymous (11:11 AM on Tue Dec 30, 2008)
Prince Caspian was an amazing movie. It was inspiring and uplifting. It is definitely one of my favorites. I hope that they will keep up the good work even with Disney gone. And lets hope they get to keep Georgie Henley, Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes, and the other characters.
Anonymous (8:05 PM on Sun Dec 28, 2008)
I rather liked the first two movies very much and would like to see the other five made. It would be a shame to just give up because one wasn't apparently better then another one.
Anonymous (8:34 AM on Sun Dec 28, 2008)
I really liked the first two movies. I thought they wer really well done. I hoe they make the remianing boks. I would like to see the Magician's Nepthew.
Anonymous (4:47 PM on Thu Jan 8, 2009)
I really hope these movies can be achieved. It would be a real shame considering that these are amazing books and the best movies that portray them. Please don't give up, I am very thankful for everyone's hard work in the making of these films. I won't lose hope and wish no one else will either.
Anonymous (10:05 PM on Wed Jan 21, 2009)
Voyage of the Dawn Treader was always my favorite book of the series, possibly second only to The Last Battle. With any luck another studio will snap it up, and quick. It's a sad comparison to The Golden Compass, that's a series that I don't think the world was quite ready for when Catholicism and other very similar religions dominate the world. As for some references to Lord of The Rings... well it's Lord of the Rings, even Titanic couldn't top that.