As a result of a global broadcast and online launch effort, the theatrical trailer for Walt Disney Pictures’ and Walden Media’s “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” is poised to capture the largest worldwide audience ever for a theatrical trailer debut with over 400 million viewers, it was announced by Mark Zoradi, president, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Group.
The trailer launch commences on the evening of Tuesday, December 4, with its initial debut during Entertainment Tonight which reaches a nationwide audience of more than 7 million viewers. Immediately following the US broadcast, over 375 million international fans will view the trailer in a synchronized broadcast and online effort in over 60 countries across the globe. International broadcast highlights include an audience of over 6 million Britons for GMTV’s morning show, over 2.5 million French for M6’s Cine Six, over 1 million Germans for Pro Seiben’s evening news, over 11 million Japanese for Mezamashi TV and over 19 million Russians for NTV’s “Glavnyi Gerio.”
Online, Disney is debuting the trailer in a completely unique way that has never been done before. In an effort to reward the faithful fans, who have been the biggest champions of the Narnia movies, Disney has orchestrated a simultaneous, fan-driven launch of the trailer on all Narnia fan sites — from Narnia Web and Narnia Fans, to all Narnia groups on social media communities like Facebook and MySpace. “We saw an unparalleled volume of discussion online for the trailer, and this was an opportunity to give these loyal fans a chance to be among the first in the world to view it, take ownership of it and spread it amongst their family and friends,” said Mark Zoradi.
In addition to the first of its kind fan experience, Yahoo is debuting the trailer exclusively in high definition. Internationally, top internet placement was negotiated with key online partners including Yahoo, MSN, MTV, Jetix and Orange in tandem with the domestic launch, making it a truly global online debut.
Commenting on the experience, Mark Zoradi said, “The anticipation and enthusiasm for this film is unprecedented. Viewers across the globe will experience this trailer virtually simultaneously. The event exceeds our wildest expectations. I am proud of our team’s ongoing efforts on behalf of coordinating the worldwide trailer launch for ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,’ and I am thankful for the cooperation of all of our partners worldwide who are helping to make this an incredibly successful endeavor.”
In “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” the four Pevensie children – Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edward (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley) – are summoned back to the magical land of talking animals and mythical creatures, where they discover that more than a thousand Narnian years have passed since their last adventure and much has changed. The White Witch may be dead, but Narnia is under the sway of a tyrannical new ruler, King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), and the Pevensies must unite with the young Prince Caspian (played by British actor Ben Barnes) in an attempt to restore peace and harmony to the once happy land.
The new film reunites the original creative team behind the blockbuster first film including veteran director / screenwriter / producer Andrew Adamson, screenwriters Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and producers Mark Johnson and Philip Steuer. “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” is the second installment of the seven book series. The film opens worldwide in May 2008.
