Expectation growing over release of Narnia film

The online sportsbook and casino Sportsbook.com is offering Oscar Best Picture odds, with Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia slipping to a 100-1 bet from the original 75-1. But despite being a long shot for any Oscars, there is a groundswell of interest in the Dec. 9 release of The Chronicles of Narnia, the film version of C.S. Lewis’ classic story.

In Belfast a 10-day festival with workshops, a lantern parade and storytelling is set to kick-off this Friday in honor of the city’s famous novelist, and to coincide with the cinematic release of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Charles Staples “Jack” Lewis was born in Ballyhackamore, east Belfast, in 1898. Lewis became a tutor of medieval and renaissance English literature at Oxford University after World War I where he wrote the Chronicles of Narnia series, which has now sold over 65 million copies.

Even away from his birthplace there is intense interest in Lewis’ tale.

The “Isle of Man Today” local newspaper reports that there is a shortage of tickets after the Port St Mary Baptist Church bought opening day tickets. “The church booked the cinema for screenings, at Palace Cinemas, Douglas, on December 9 and 10 because the book contains a Christian message meaning the film adaptation lends itself to the church’s Christmas celebrations,” said the newspaper.

[Read the rest at Spero News]