NarniaFans Mailbag #33: Updates on Anna Popplewell, William Moseley, Andrew Adamson’s past, and C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien

This week’s mailbag features a topic that is very interesting to me: that of the relationship of J.R.R. Tolkien and his writing to C.S. Lewis and his. Other topics include what Anna Popplewell and William Moseley are up to next, and Andrew Adamson’s past in Papua New Guinea. I’ll see if I have the time to reach back into the mailbag archives after the five letters that I received this week. Be sure to look through the comments from last week’s mailbag for some fascinating follow-up information as well! Let’s get started!

Do you know what Anna Popplewell and William Moseley are up to these days? Are they working on any new films?

-jediash1

Paul: Both are in school right now. Anna Popplewell just ran a charity race, and has been attending Oxford, where she has not only acted in some plays, but she’s also directed! She’s not currently attached to any film projects.

William has auditioned for other roles and is rumored to be joining the film Ironclad where he would act along side Megan Fox, Robert Carlyle, Paul Giamatti, James Purefoy, Richard Attenborough, Bob Hoskins, Pete Postlethwaite and Angus Macfadyen among others. The film is set in the year 1215, the rebels of England forced the tyrannical King John to put his royal seal on the Magna Carta, but months later he broke the seal and assembled an army to take over the country again. In his way was the Rochester castle, a place that would become the symbol of the rebel’s struggle for justice and freedom.

THIS QUESTION CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM THE LAST BATTLE

If Fox gets a big hit with Voyage of the Dawn Treader and they continue to make the rest of the books, will they include Susan in The Last Battle even though C. S. Lewis does not? Will they keep her in for the sake of the audience?

-C.S. Layman

Paul: This is a question that is much like one that I was asked last week, to which my answer is practically the same. If they were to include Susan, which I would do were I to direct the film (hint hint!), it should only be on Earth, so that the audience has a good feel for why she’s not coming back. This is something that is taken care of only in a few lines of the book, but in movie form would require a little more to it.

THIS QUESTION CONTAINS SPOILERS FROM THE MAGICIAN’S NEPHEW

I would like to point out something about the question posed by Manasi Lad. In The Magician’s Nephew, Uncle Andrew accidentally drops some coins into the young Narnian soil which grow into two trees, one silver and one gold. Later on in the book, Aslan commands that these trees be chopped down and made into crowns for the first King and Queen of Narnia, Frank and Helen. That is why they are not in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. They had been chopped down hundreds of years ago.

-Maggie

Paul: Thank you, Maggie! This is something that I had forgotten, and I appreciate the help!

Is Ben Barnes returning as Prince Caspian in VDT since Prince Caspian is supposed to be older in the third movie?

-Walter Dodd

Paul: There are two answers to your question. The first answer is no, he will not be returning as Prince Caspian. However, he will be returning to the role of Caspian. This time as King. This is one reason why the cast an older actor. There wasn’t the need to establish a new actor in the role who is supposed to be only 3 years older.

Hi all, it’s been so long since I last sent in a query about 3 years ago, its been great to watch this site flourish. I’m so glad you brought the mailbag back. First of all i just wanted to say for anyone who didn’t know. On the Prince Caspian DVD with special features, on the menu there is a golden lion in the top left corner. Its easier watching on a computer but you can click on it to see some short film footage. When using the DVD remote you scroll down to the last topic and click left and it should highlight the lion. On the first menu it has a short movie made by Skandar showing ‘Blonde cam’, on the second menu its the Pevensie’s fighting over who actually saved Trumpkin, and the third is just a cameo of a stage worker. I just wanted to say this in case someone hadn’t noticed yet.

My real question is, on the DVD features (the first one I think) Andrew Adamson says that he lived in Papua New Guinea for his childhood years which helped inspire the new film’s message. I am currently in Papua New Guinea (16 years old)myself, at the International school and I was wondering about his history here? What school he went to? where he stayed? Hope its not to hard but i think it would be interesting to learn. Thanks, and don’t give up on the mailbag! it rocks.

-Jason Fotheringham

Paul: Thanks for writing in again, Jason! I remember your letters and am happy to have the mailbag back as well! As for Adamson, I recently learned of this myself, and had not known about it before either. I wish that I could answer this for you, but the simple fact is: I don’t know how to do that. Perhaps someone that knows can write in?

What is the current status report on production for Dawn Treader? I know we are in pre-production, but what are they actually doing right now? Also, when does filming begin?

-Jonathan Fletcher

Paul: Take a look at the news about the Gold Coast. It’s nearly completely secured, which means that set building will start happening shortly. They’ve been actively seeking out filming locations for some time now. They’re also in the middle of the screenplay re-write. Filming begins in late July.

Where did C.S. Lewis get his inspiration for all of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’? Also, I thought I heard that C.S. Lewis encouraged J.R.R. Tolkien in continuing to write ‘The Lord of the Rings’. Do you know anything about this? Thanks a lot!

-Tarwe, the Narnian Elf

Paul: I wish I could tell you where Lewis got inspiration for all of the Narnia series, but I will tell you this. It started with a picture that was in his head of a lamp-post in the woods and a fawn next to it carrying parsels, and an umbrella.

He couldn’t get the image out of his head, and began writing. There are many many books that delve into Lewis’ inspiration for the series, and it’s far too many books to list here. If anyone has suggestions, feel free to comment the titles along with the author as well as a short synopsis, if possible, of what the book is about.

As far as The Lord of the Rings, yes: Lewis did encourage Tolkien to write the sequel to The Hobbit. They were contemporaries and friends, both teaching at Oxford and both part of a group called The Inklings. You can read about that group and the impact that each had on the other’s writings in a book called “The Company They Keep” by Diana Pavlac Glyer. It’s got the most complete listing of all of The Inklings that you’ll ever find in one place. This book is the culmination of 50 combined years of research and hard work. It is well worth your time.

I heard the writer, Diana Glyer, speak last year at LionCon, and boy did she ever have great insight into both Lewis and Tolkien. She even spoke about how Tolkien’s famous quote about his dislike of Narnia is blown way out of proportion, and it was based on only having read a few chapters of the first book in the series: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Tolkien was asked, as The Hobbit was a big hit, if he had a sequel to the story that could be released. He didn’t have one at the time, but people were encouraging him to continue the story. So Tolkien sat down to write it. At first it was a light and easy story, very similar in style to The Hobbit. But then the Wraith appeared in Hobbiton. And the rest is history.

Is there any Lewis / Tolkien Scholar that would like to either comment more on this, or even contribute an essay about this for the site? Feel free to e-mail us!

And with that, it’s late, and I apologize for not getting to more of the old e-mails this week. I’ll keep trying. We’ll get there!