Andrew Adamson, who directed the previous two Narnia films: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian prior to passing the reigns to Michael Apted for the third, has just written and will direct an adaptation of the Lloyd Jones novel, Mister Pip. It is a film that is set in a province of Papua New Guinea, where director Adamson spent much of his childhood.
Producer Robin Scholes plans to have the film shot in Australia, with post-production happening in New Zealand, and sound work done in the United Kingdom.
Mister Pip will be principally set in the Papua New Guinea province of Bougainville during an ongoing war between soldiers and rebels over copper mining. It tells the story of a young girl who becomes transfixed by the Charles Dickens novel Great Expectations, which is being read at school by the only white man in the village.
“The overarching theme is the power of the human imagination to be used for both good and evil,” Scholes told ScreenDaily. “Meeting 37º South’s guests in an atmosphere in which they were not distracted by the need to sell films, was a great advantage.”
For director Andrew Adamson, growing up in Papua New Guinea gave him a personal connection to the location, which is likely a big part of why he took on that story for his next film project.
Why won’t they be filming it in Papua New Guinea, where the story is set? This is an insult to the local people who are the basis of the story. You can’t translate the gorgeous and rich landscapes and culture of Bougainville to NZ or Australia. Shame on you Andrew Adamson! Another blatant example of film-making racism.
Bougainville and PNG desperately need the development opportunities that filming in the original country could provide, and they have no shortage of talented people.
I disagree with the previous post. Andrew Adamson stated after Prince Caspian that he has never been back to Papua New Guinea because one often can not “go back”. He drew from that experience for Peter not being able to go back to the Narnia of old where he was the High King. I can guess that a change of location is required to pull this movie off. I am glad to see Andrew back behind the camera. I think he is very talented. Since Andrew is directing I will probably see the film when released.
It would be excited if they shot in PNG. I like andrew about his direct, n im gonna watch this movien when released.me, as indonesian called ‘Papua Nugini’. And yes i think papua has change in human source or the nature itself. I never been there, but i know its a beautiful land.
I am in Papua New Guinea, at the international school. I think this is a great thing that Andrew Adamson is finally making a step closer to reliving his childhood. In Andrew Adamson’s defense there is a substantial safety threat and people in Bouganville might not approve of the area being filmed. I reckon it will be a great movie, but it is a terrible shame that they can’t film here. Personally i think Andrew Adamson should come and visit. Not just so i can get his autograph but to experience PNG’s true beauty, movie or no movie.
What makes you think we won’t approve. i am sure that the people of Bougainville will be very happy if the film should be shot on the island.
They really should film where the story is set. I haven’t read the book, but i’m gonna look for it ASAP. Is this story maybe a bit like the Life of Pi?
this sounds nothing like “life of pi”. It’s “mister pip”, not “mister pi”.
is there going to be another movie based on a C.S.Lewis book coming out soon cause if you are i am excited to see it come out
Dawn Treader is the next one.