ComingSoon.net recently got a chance to talk to producer Mark Johnson about the third installment in the “Narnia” franchise, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which Fox Walden will release in theaters on December 10, 2010.
“Andrew Adamson, who wrote and directed the first two, is a producer on it with me and Michael Apted is directing,” said Johnson. “It’s a whole new franchise, I think it’s really benefiting from it. It’s a slightly different look. This one is different from the others, it’s in that [‘Seventh Voyage of Sinbad,’ old Harryhausen films] league and they go from island to island having adventures. I’m very excited about it.”
He added that “Adamson said something that was so smart early on. I had just re-read the book and he said, I don’t want to make a film based on ‘The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,’ I want to make a movie based on my recollection of it. He took a 9-year-old boy’s imagination. He saw things that are not even in the book. Lewis left, sometimes major battles, on a single page, so Adamson just re-imagined it.”
Read the rest at ComingSoon.net!
“I want to make a movie based on my recollection of it. … He saw things that are not even in the book.” No, no, no, please! Adamson imagined too many things that were not in “Prince Caspian,” and left out the real soul of the book (IMO). PLEASE make VODT more faithful to Lewis’ original story. Reepicheep’s faith and Eustace’s transformation, for example, are profound and essential aspects of the story that give meaning to the adventures. Action and eye candy are fun, but the soul of the story is what makes it memorable.
That does NOT inspire confidence at all. Reimagined….knowing what I know, that could well spell the end of the franchise in my mind. The fans are wary as it is with all the changes made to PC. They won’t tolerate something too far off the mark. I have no doubt about it. I’d like to see all 7 movies….so let’s stick to the books. The stories aren’t broken. Therefore, do not try to “fix” them. They’re “gimmie films”…don’t make it harder than it has to be. You did fairly well with LWW and crashed in many respects in PC…don’t risk sinking the whole ship please. VDT is great as it is…don’t change it up. It’s not necessary. Really, it’s not!
I agree with the two previous posts. I keep going back to see these movies because I keep hoping that when I watch I will see what I love most about Narnia…and it was obvious in PC that what I imagined and what AA imagined were NOT the same. There are so many amazing scenes and quotes that Lewis put in Voyage that, if left out or “edited”, just mess with the whole idea. Lewis had a purpose to his books far more than to merely entertain and if the movies would honor that I think they would be far more successful.
What I MUST See in Voyage:
The transformation of Eustace, not watered down
Lucy and the Book
Lucy and Edmund as LOVED and RESPECTED Queen and King
The whole bit with the Star, his daughter, and the Table
Aslan’s conversation with E and L before they go “home”
I agree with ITW, I’d like to see all 7 movies and if you can’t get Voyage right, don’t bother making The Last Battle because you’ll ruin it for those of us who really care.
I agree. I for one enjoyed Prince Caspian, but they left out the real meaning, the soul of the book. If they can keep it in VDT along with no battles(there are no battles in VTD and if they put one in there, I will /die/ and then come back to life and sue them.)
I do not entirely agree about his seeing things that weren’t there bad. The creatures, TruffleHunters Den, the Battles, those are just taking what C.S Lewis wrote and adding to it. I do not like The Kiss, or how they changed the line to “Evertime you grow, so shall I.” They knew the allegory behind the original line and changed it! It makes me so mad. There were a few times during the commentary he said what CS Lewis said about Caspians description making no sence and being glad he changed it! They must keep
Eustace’s Redemption AND Aslan rescuing him from being a dragon.
Lucy and when she was tempted to try the ‘Beautiful Spell’
One of this stories main themes are forgivness and if they leave that out and then make VDT an action movie, a lot of fans will be dissapointed.