Walden Media has teamed up with Hallmark Channel, Arc Entertainment, Walmart, and Proctor & Gamble to bring back the family TV movie night. When I was a kid, it was part of a weekly tradition for our family. These were the titles it went under: The Disney Sunday Movie (1986–1988), The Magical World of Disney (1988–1996), then finally back to The Wonderful World of Disney (1997–2008).
Walden Family Theater will air on Friday nights, on Hallmark Channel, beginning on March 15 with Return to Nim’s Island. This is the sequel to 2008’s Nim’s Island, but now features Bindi Irwin in the title role.
There will be six new original movies aired each year, and released on DVD on the Tuesday after they air, at Walmart.
“We at Hallmark Channel could not have asked for better collaborators for Walden Family Theater than Walmart and P&G, as leading sponsors, and Walden and ARC as producers — these are all brands that share in our passion for and commitment to family entertainment,” said Bill Abbott, president and CEO of Crown Media Family Networks. “This collaboration is a 360-degree effort that allows us a unique opportunity to further revive the practice of families regularly gathering to enjoy television entertainment as a shared experience.”
Micheal Flaherty, co-founder of Walden Media, said: “Walden Family Theater is a great step forward for us to continue the Walden mission. These great films we are presenting on The Hallmark Channel and/or making with ARC reinforces our vision to provide families a chance to recapture imagination and rekindle curiosity through entertainment. These films will stand side by side with some of our proudest features like our Narnia movies, Holes, Bridge to Terabithia, Amazing Grace, and Journey to the Center Of The Earth.” (via)
So how do we use this information to get the next Narnia film????
lol, what do you mean? Like, everyone watching the Narnia movies when they air, to make them very highly rated?
Oh I was just kidding lol 🙂
Walden Media will not really drop their Narnia franchise easily. As I said before, Narnia franchise is their top-grossing films. Then again, they want to continue the franchise but disregarding Gresham’s decisions, I say that they should respect Gresham’s decision to make The Silver Chair as the fourth installment to continue their Narnia franchise….
Unfortunately it’s not as easy as that. I wish it was, but it’s an economics thing, and it’s also not just Gresham’s decisions. There are a number of decision makers in the Lewis Estate. They have access to numbers that we don’t. The business part of show business, sadly.
Only if the box-office of Prince Caspian and Dawn Treader (and if they followed the book story) were just like LWW, then we already have Narnia 4. and yes, I believe that it’s the economy issue too. However, I just hope that they’ll continue the series and make Narnia 4 sooner or later.
If the box office was like LWW (which has more to do with marketing mis-steps and blizzards in key demographics than following the book story, ironically, like it or not), then we’d be on Narnia 5 or 6 by now, possibly even preparing for the final film in the series, and still with Disney.
Totally agree! I really believe that the wrong release date and big book-movie story difference made the low Prince Caspian story. As for the Dawn Treader, they made a different Island pacing, the green mist, seven swords, rhindon, Aslan as a lamb in Aslan’s Country and also they made Dawn Treader a childish movie unlike what they did to Prince Caspian. The Lion is really a masterpiece!
Actually, I was saying the opposite, regarding the movies. I felt the movies got better as they went along, and that VDT > PC > LWW. I was merely saying that it was not a problem that the content of the films wound up different from the books in some ways, though some may like to think so.
Also they did release VDT during exam weeks and so was the case for LWW, but I guess it was more extreme for VDT due the added blizzards and marketing mis-steps as you put it. All I know was I couldn’t go because I was studying for my exams and had to wait a full week to go see them, which was pretty torturous.
I don’t think the Narnia story cinematic companions are meant to be at this point. Anyhow,
LW&W movie; book theme ‘Innocence’…..check
PC movie; book theme ‘Politics’…….check
VODT; book theme ‘Rememberance’……CROSS
VODT went for ‘temptation’, which is an iteration of the book main theme in play, not the main theme itself. That is why the adaption of VODT seems so far out from the book. PC’s wasn’t because it had the main book theme right, so its cinematic license with the story stays closely bound.
It seems like Walden can’t agree within itself about Narnia, & Mr Gresham, who while being well versed in all things Narnia, is probably not a cinematic man & isn’t in his first field of expertise. So People can not agree all round for the most part it seems & the thin thread holding the Narnia films together has frayed.
For Narnia to pick up, i would do a Directors/Extended cut box set at a reasonably price. People are going to be buying Hobbit dvds & blues for the next three years!!!!!! & that is probably the last life line for the Narnia series to date.
LW&W (the most complete movie adaption)
Most people havn’t seen the extended LW&W film.
PC (the richest & most cinematic movie)
Cutting out the details of ta army battle in PC, which is NOT the story the film has been building to, at the climax of the film which is after the duel & catapults start slinging (which is cool) to Lucy finding Aslan and the awakening of the trees into a begun battle – the real climax of the delicately balanced story in the film. Not having that deflated by another army(& perhaps hokey) battle really pays off the film’s huge story momentum, film no longer drags & deflated, making it just as good as LW&W or better. Since extended/Dirs probably put in most of short deleted scenes also in extras too.
VODT (most whimsical watch but plodding cinematic dramatic story & adaption)
Have no idea about cutting floor stuff, but this film is where the EXPENSE of the re-release would be, as i’d have Apted, do with what was filmed, a longer cut that gives him the story he most happy with for the film, which would involve new & extended scenes with cgi & stuff.
Above package could get Narnia back on track, or at the least, go out with a flourish!!! But problem of people not being able to agree about much still behind scenes still remain.
I would sit down Adamson with Gresham, pin down the main theme of each remaining book & also what the general stories segment of an cinematic narnia chronicle arc is going to be. Then run these past Walden to get agreement upon. THis would be very useful when comes time for marketing also.
Then all Walden & Gresham parties would have to do, is choose who to give up power to & support for each remaining film production. My inclination would be Adamson for Horse & His Boy when it’s turn comes.
🙂
Hey guys could you do me a favor and watch my jill pole audition video and give me advice? thanks so much!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrnCDUJYl6k
Hi Narniafan16
I think you’re good at giving your readings voice some character, could imagine your voice being part of a radio type play with a bit of practise.
To get your acting into a natural rhythm with your speaking parts, you probably need to do something else. Maybe set up mock up environments of your favourite scenes & practising with those. Anything you end up auditioning for, will always involve some luck, as it’s not just about being good or bad but about fitting what the person doing the casting wants for each part also. For something like movies, that could involve a huge amount of luck, & unfortunately for a role in a Narnia movie happening, even more luck!
But can’t hurt being ready just in case 🙂
Thank you for letting me know about this Hallmark Channel Paul Martin. One way to raise some revenue to help pay for a future Narnia film production might well be to make a TV version of the Silver Chair book then see how disc sales go before doing an extended follow on live action cinema version. A 1996 TV version of Gulliver’s Travels starring Ted Danson and Mary Steenburgen was so enjoyable I decided to buy the video release (which I still have).