Michael Petroni has been tapped to write the next installment in “The Chronicles of Narnia” franchise, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, for Walden Media and Fox 2000.
He will take over for Richard LaGravanese, who penned the most recent draft of the C.S. Lewis novel.
This move makes it clear that Walden is moving full steam ahead on the third chapter in the franchise with its new Narnia studio partner, 20th Century Fox. They are eyeing a summer start date for a holiday 2010 release through the Fox Walden label.
Michael Petroni earned the “Narnia” writing job based on his recent work for Fox 2000, including a rewrite of the Kevin Lima film “Afterlife,” an adaptation of Markus Zusak’s novel “The Book Thief” as well as a rewrite of the Julia Roberts film “Daniel Isn’t Talking.”
The project also reteams Petroni with “Narnia” producer Mark Johnson. He previously adapted the Australian novel “The Long Green Shore” for Johnson, Intermedia and Russell Crowe.
“I think he may be the best we have had yet on this project. So far I am very encouraged.” said Douglas Gresham, C.S. Lewis’ Step-son and Narnia film co-producer, in an e-mail. “I have been in extended and very encouraging meetings with him the last two days in Los Angeles. I think Michael is an excellent choice for the task and our time together has been very productive, I like most of his ideas and it seems he even likes some of mine. He is also a very nice guy, and an Aussie of Maltese extraction so he has everything going for him.”