Variety has a new article today that has a few anecdotes from Mark Johnson about the filming of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader as well as his thoughts about the future of the franchise, which echoes my own feelings.
The article is called “Mark Johnson: Playing ‘Narnia’ nanny” and is part of their Youth Impact Report 2011: Bigscreen Chaperones.
Impact: Shepherded the two youngest “Chronicles of Narnia” stars into leading roles in “Voyage of the Dawn Treader.”
Next: The adaptation of the classic Chicano coming-of-age story, “Bless Me, Ultima.”
Causes: Westside Children’s Center, which his wife, Lezlie, founded in 1987.
In the past 12 months, Johnson has served as producer on the child-starring chiller “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” as well as “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” The third “Narnia” installment shifted the focus from all four Pevensie siblings to the youngest two, played by Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley.
“They were secretly happy they were getting out of the shadow of the two older siblings,” Johnson says. “We don’t have a plan yet for the next one, but I would be heartbroken if it didn’t continue.”
I would be devistated if they decided not to finish filming each one of the “Chronicles of Narnia”! Please tell me this is NOT a possibility. We do not have very many family friendly movies to take our children and grandchildren to see that all can enjoy and the “Chronicles of Narnia” movies fit this mode.
Thanks for the memories of Narnia!!!
Long live Aslan!!!!!
The arrogance sometimes of these filmmakers astonishes me. “Heartbroken if it didn’t continue”? If they had any kind of sense, they would realize that people like me hated Dawn Treader because they distorted the story that Lewis wrote! I daresay even Lewis himself would have rolled over in his grave at the kind of changes made to his story (I don’t see Lewis coming up with any sort of green mist that requires a sacrifice; that in and of itself is a travesty to the Narnian series). As long as they can’t (or maybe won’t?) recognize their mistakes with Dawn Treader, I’ll forever be against them making another movie. And that is coming from someone who really wanted to see these books made into movies. LWW gave me hope, PC diminished it, and DT completely dashed my hopes of them ever getting it right again.
With all due respect, “the arrogance sometimes of fans astonishes me…”
How is he being arrogant, and how do you know they haven’t heard from Narnia fans?
The film makers have heard from Narnia fans that LOVE the movies and from fans that hate the movies. I’ve come to the conclusion that people saying that it would be a travesty for the studios to continue to make another Narnia movie sounds exactly the same to someone who loves the movies, as people saying they want more Narnia movies sounds to those that hated the direction the movies went.
The only way (yes, the only way) that you will ever see a Narnia movie done “right” is for you to make one yourself.
I know that you’re angry, and feel betrayed. That said, I would not dare to speak for Lewis, for we cannot possibly know his thoughts. Even Gresham will not venture to guess at what Lewis would have thought.
He’s not really being arrogant at all..he just mentioned he wants the series to continue..and not many movies stick to its books like a leach, they are different.
If I had monetary backing I WOULD make a Narnia movie myself! I’m not trying to be arrogant, I’m not trying to speak for Mr. Lewis – a man I greatly admire, but I am a bit insulted by this make it yourself remark. Some of us have waited years (probably before you were born) to see a visualization of these books. Do I just HATE the movie? Well, I’m sad about it – and upset but I don’t absolutely hate it. I know some do and trashed it in rather rude terms and perhaps that brought on this remark.
Everyone has their own ideas, yes, but Dawn Treader goes waaaay beyond “interpretation” in my opinion – which I respectfully submit. I had my own ideas about LOTR, too. And there were lots of things done differently in the movies. Did Arwen play such a big role in the books? No. Were there elves at Helm’s Deep? No. Did they fit in the movie? Well, in my opinion I think they did. In my best friends opinion – they didn’t. Sometimes we discuss it but we haven’t changed our opinions – just expressed them.
Perhaps it has to do with one’s emotional attachment to the books and how you visualize them. Maybe some people had their very high hopes dashed a little too roughly. Will life go on? Yes. Will the rest of the movies be made? I hope so. I hope the next people to make the movies did indeed listen to the fans – of books and movies alike – and all things considered, not venture so far from the books again. A lot of action and adventure could be made for today’s movie going audience from what’s actually IN the books.
Thanks for reading.
if you think about it MN could become a great movie without changes from the book (exept maybe aslan singing narnia to life that may look a bit weird on the big screen) and if the keep it close to the book it will surly be sucess.
Yes you totally right!!!! and also i would like to see more worlds been creative other before the kids go to charm, and the animals when they be creative i would like to see also something more magic than just they came out from the earth, like the transformation of eustace from a dragon to a kid in the movie was amazing one of my favorite parts, because the description of that in the book was kind of gross
Im with you Paul, i think people who don´t like the movies they have an individual idea of them and that´s why they don´t like it so they can make one by themselves, personally i didnt grew up with this books so i don´t have a huge perspective of it, for me the movies are another way to see narnia i love the three of them a lot!!!! with changes and everything because thanks to them i read the books and i became a fan!!!! so im dying to see more movies, i also would change some things from the books but not too much things because for me are to much for a child, that´s why i like the movies!!!! and i think that´s the reason why abroad narnia movies are strong!!!!beacuse we are accustomed to a different type of literature, and for as this is very diferent, like if they do diskworld in movies and IM DYING TO SEE MN NEXT!!!!
I like your thinking YOJAR, because it matches my thoughts exactly! I absolutely love all three movies for different reasons that I love the three books they were adapted from. Dawn Treader is actually my favourite, and I can’t wait for the next one. I just hope they don’t reboot. I don’t want new Pevensies!
yes we want more movies please MN next!!!! IM DYING FOR IT!!!
I have too agree with you, Paul. And to the people who hated VDT, you have the oppertunity to go into the movie business. I’m sure there’s a way to come into it somehow. Look it up! Look at Shrewood Pictures. They are a church and they are making movies! If it’s your dream to make a Prince Caspian or a Voyage of the Dawn Treader or any movie, you should follow it! I’d support any one who wants to make another Narnia Film! (The more the meryyer, right 🙂 )
Further up and further in!
He really wasn’t being arrogant. The Narnia movies have many fans, even if the die-hards aren’t happy with PC and VDT.
It’s fine if you don’t like the movies. I’m not going to argue with you on whether or not they were good, because it all comes down to opinion.
But whether you agree with their view or not, there are many fans who want to see more movies. Book fans and movie fans alike want to see the series continue. And if you’re entitled to your opinion, then they are too.
(I hope this doesn’t seem blunt, I’m just trying to be concise.)
https://narniafans.com/archives/12271?replytocom=210986#respond
I did not like Dawn Treader. It was a complete rewrite of the story. Who is so arrogant that they thought they could improve on the genius of the original author? I am seriously questioning whether I will participate in this “Narnia” Franchise ever again after the travesty that was the Dawn Treader movie. They didn’t do this with the Harry Potter stories or there would have been a lynch mob at the producer’s doorstep. Why do they think they can get away with it with the Narnia stories?
People seem to like to cite Harry Potter as the gold standard in adaptation. That really is dependent on who you ask. There are those that believe that all of the Harry Potter movies are awful. While it seems like it’s not as many, that’s because the stories were a revolution, but now that saga is over. You can see the numbers that the HP series made over time, and each movie seemed to make less money than the last, the only one to break that trend was the last one. It seems that people saw the first one to see how it all began, and more and more started to skip each of the middle films until the last one, which they wanted to see in theaters for whatever reason. That said, there is a contingent of HP fans that feel the same way about those movies as folks that didn’t like VDT.
Oh, please continue making the Narnia movies! This is our favorite book series of all time. My son’s favorite is The Horse and His Boy. It would be a shame if we don’t get to see them all!
Oh pelase my heart would be broken to, if you stop. I LOVE these books and I would LOVE to see the movies; specially “The Silver Chair.” it is such an amazing story. Please don’t stop.
We actually watched the Dawn Treader this morning, my son and I. It was wonderful, very moving, and thought provoking. I hope these movies continue.
AMEN!!!
I was 19 when I first read the Chronicles. I considered I’d lead a deprived childhood for not having read these wonderful books much sooner. I fell in love with them immediately. Sadly, along with many others, my heart is broken over the movie Dawn Treader. I wanted to see the Lone Island as Mr. Lewis described them. I wanted to see goofy old Governer Gumpas – I was looking forward to it. I wanted to see the beauty of Ramandu’s island. I tried very hard to understand why a nebulous green mist was justified as an antagonist because the story as written “read like a travelogue” . I walked out of the theatre devastated. I wish I did have the money to make this movie over again myself. I’m sure a lot of us do. I’m still hoping the rest of the movies will be made, however, because never again in my lifetime will I have the chance to see any alternative that might someday be made. I’m too old to live that long. My husband loved the movie and we did buy a copy. I watched it a second time and have made the decision to take the images of the incredibly lovely ship itself, the amazing dragon, the wonderful characterization of Eustace, and a very few others with me when I read the book again. I do think that maybe Mr. Lewis might be very puzzled over how his book was hacked up, however. May I just beg whoever makes the next books to please get lots of fans opinions beforehand. And read the books from your hearts. Thanks for letting an old lady share her opinion.
Thank you for your honest and thoughtful comments, Mrs. Rutherford. The Dawn Treader was a magical ship, and I was fortunate to get engaged next to the helm on the set of the film. I am pleased that you did find things to like in the film, regardless of what you did not. I’m hoping the series continues as well, and I have many relatives that ask me about it every time I see them, and I always tell them what I know, but right now, there’s not a lot to report, unfortunately.
i could have written that myself. ditto.
In my opinion the voyage of the dawn treader was almost the best movie so far, only slightly behind the first one. Have you read the dawn treader book lately?? It would make a very strange movie if it was filmed exactly like the book. There is no central struggle in the book, nothing to tie the island adventures together. I think they did a great job of bringing the book to the screen in an exciting story with a good vs evil struggle that pervades the entire movie instead of a bunch of random island adventures . Instead of whining about green mists, sit down and watch the movie and realize it is one of the best fantasy films EVER made with by far the best CGI ever. This movie should have made at least250 million dollars in the US. Instead Americans whine about green mists. I think it is due to poor diet.
probably not enough greens. yuck yuck. : D
So true! And I personally think C.S. Lewis would like the addition of the green mist. I know it does change his story a little, but I know that C.S. Lewis was smart enough to know that the “evil” he potrays in the book needed something tangible when put in front of your eyes. The green mist does this very well, and it can also have a link to the Lady of the Green Kurtle to make more sense out of it and also to pull people back in to the movies after the long wait from VDT. I love every part of that movie except for one, The Lone Island! Those scenes were absolutely terrible IMO. They were very rushed, and made the rest of the movie seem too fast. If they included all that was in the book, and made it longer, then I don’t think the movie would feel like it was moving too fast(Unfortunately it does give that feeling). Now one thing many people don’t consider is the fans who HAVEN’T READ THE BOOKS! Ask someone who hasn’t read the books what they thought of VDT. I know almost 20 of those people, and they all like or love the movie. In fact, some people absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Many of them also say the film is really good at hooking you into the story to where you can’t stop watching it. But people who have read the books, they all complain and don’t see it that way. I think people need to realise that the movies will never be like the books 100%. Lots of things do need changed. The most important thing is the “meaning”, and so far all 3 movies have kept the original meanings of the books. Even PC did! I love VDT a lot, but I also have a few problems with it. But I still love it the most of the 3, especially the new digital format(It looks ten times better than the other 2 movies on my 50″ TV.
I still was disappointed that they didn’t put in the dethroning of Governor Gumpass.
And the seven lords seemed a pretty good tie for me. They could have made Reepicheep seriously determined to get to the end of the world, and it would drive them. Of course Caspian needed a strong sense of duty, but they just didn’t give the characters that.
I was a little disappointed. 🙁
I agree that sticking closely to the book simply wouldn’t have worked as a film. I still enjoy LWW best of all the three, but I don’t blame the VDT film makers for that. (I thought the PC film makers grossly overdid making Peter a flawed character – he is the High King and they should have treated him with more respect.)
i would be heartbroken too
I don’t think the time is right for Narnia films. Take a decade or two off, and then bring it back as something fresh… if someone is inspired, that is.
Most importantly…. WAIT for a filmmaker to become inspired. Be patient. Don’t force it.
That being said, I have been following the news and anticipating these films for over seven years… It’s a bit sad to say goodbye to this chapter in my life.
Just finished re-reading LB. Man, these books are really amazing. No matter how many times I re-read, I keep finding more layers. The books are FAR MORE than enough for me.
Would I like to see good film adaptations of them? Uh, sure. I mean…why not? If they’re good, I’ll take ’em. But if they never get made, whatever.
I agree. I think they should really put EFFORT and have a GOOD TIME making the movie as something they WANT to do, versus meeting the public demands.
I hope we’ll get more Narnia films!
I hope we will see more Narnia movies. But if they are going to do this like in VDT then I don’t want see it.
I went to cinema to see VDT. But only once. And I remember when PC was in the cinema – first time I went with my family, second time with my friends. And I was so excited every time! I bougth a VDT DVD but I just couldn’t see movie again. I tried. I couldn’t. Maybe in few years.
I know movies can’t be like book, they always have to change something. I know that. But first two movie have a magic. I smile everytime I watch them. I can feel the same thing I feel when I’m reading books. Story for children, simple and plain, but at the same time complicated, difficult, about very important things. Third movie doesn’t have it. I just can’t see magic in it.
I was DEVASTATED when they totally blew the Percy Jackson and didn’t have a movie for each of the five books.
My guess is that I’ll be equally devastated if they decide to never finish the other Narnia books. I think they know what they did wrong and what they did right. Shooting another movie would give them a chance to redeem themselves from some of the issues that they had in the previous movies.
There’s going to be another Percy Jackson movie, too.
Honestly, people who are making such a big deal about the movie.. GET OVER YOURSELVES! The book was AMAZING! My favorite of the entire series, personally. And you know what? The movie was ALSO AMAZING! And my favorite of the film series. If a screenplay adaptation diverts from the book, it’s seldom because they felt the book was not good, or that they wanted to “improve on the original”.. it’s because many times, there are things that work great in print, but they just don’t work on screen. Mark explained in the commentary why most of the changes were made, and even then most of the “changes” weren’t even really changes, they were additions to make the overall story more driven. In the book, they just visit the islands one by one, pretty much by chance. A film really needs some sort of villain to create a sense of danger, and the green mist represented the “evil”. Some of the events or locations were moved to a different order for pacing, and I think it was great. I loved seeing Eustace able to be the hero in dragon form, rather than just being a scaly heater. Again, stuff that is ok in a book, but would have been boring and dull on film. Bottom line, the movies are BASED on the books, they’re not Xerox copies. But I think that all the emotions, feelings, and themes that the books invoke are captured completely by the movies, and there are very few things I would actually change.
Please create the majicians nephew as it will show narnias origin
honestly, i would vote for a reboot. I loved the first two movies, but I did not like VDT…partly because of the plot changes, but also because the movie, in my opinion, was not as cinematically artistic as the first two, and I believe it would be hard to continue the series effectively while keeping a sense of flow after such a large shift between Disney’s Narnia and Fox’s. A reboot carries hope of a sense of flow and continuation.
I just watched VDT, and after reading many of the comments here, I find things on all sides with which to agree. I think the arrogance really lies in the opinion that any one else’s visual interpretation of written word is simply incorrect.
I’ll site two examples:
Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance cycle received tons of attention at first, the film Eragon was made, and while the look of the film fit the universe of the books, the story as told entirely hamstrung the franchise. The book series can now never be completed as movies, without reinventing the first first. I find lots to love about Paolini’s story, and while it isn’t nearly as venerable, as it’s so new yet, that material may never see justice on the big screen.
The Two Towers drove me to first pick up the Lord of the Rings. That film is visually all one could hope for, while there were modifications of the story. On the other hand, major modifications were made, and we may never see Tom Bombadil on the big screen the way the character deserves. Does that ruin or hamstring the story? Clearly, it doesn’t.
My point is that VDT is one interpretation of the story, one way or another, but it doesn’t ruin the franchise from a major film point of view.
Frankly VDT, I would argue, is the best movie of the three made to this point. It’s no perfect adaptation, but it does justice to the franchise, the central characters and the Universe of Narnia. Could things be more faithful to the book, of course. However, we are privileged to see these great stories told in modern cinema at all. They’re huge stories set in huge worlds, and we are allowed even these beautiful glimpses of things many have only ever imagined.
Let’s just remain in agreement that these stories ought to be told to this generation on film, as well as on the page!
Clearly, I realize the Bombadil doesn’t appear in TTT, my apologies. I wasn’t very clear in those remarks.
…Not much happenig around here…
I have not read all the posts nor read all the books…. but I am most eager to know what happens to Peter, Susan, Lucy and Edmund at the end of this story. I’ve only watched the 3 major movies……. now i am sooo curious. Someone enlighten me?
Hmmm, be careful what you wish for. If you google “the last battle” you can give yourself a spoiler, but my advice is read the books!(Waiting for the movies seems not much of an option at present.)
I grew up on these books- they influenced my life almost as much as Harry Potter has. i personally have loved all three of the movies (except for minor things, such as SusanxCaspian, and CaspianxPeter) I would LOVE to see all of the books made into movies, and I’m massively critical of adaptations. This cast is beautiful and talented, don’t throw it away.
I think that it is important to separate a movie from its book, otherwise you are going to be disappointed. I loved the VDT because I am a Narnia fan, but I was disappointed that it didn’t seem to follow the book. Then I realized that my interpretation of the book would be different than the producers interpretation, and that they are going to make a movie based on their interpretation of the book. Also, it is impossible to add every detail. It is also fun to see how a producer takes a book and turns it into a movie, adding some things to separate it from the book. I have also noticed that there are going to be some things that are better in books, but some things are better in movies.
Remember the books will always be here for us to enjoy.
I think they could have finished the movies but they didn’t use their brains. Firstly go with the books and make that your goal. Not the goal of behind a imitator of Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter and such. That was the down fall of Narnia.
When they reboot the series (say in a decade or less). I think they should start the series in the chronological order rather than the publication one. I like both orders don’t get me wrong. But as a series it flows better, it sucks you in. And doesn’t have seemingly random books in the middle of the series such as MN or HB. I know people don’t like it that way but think about it. It starts with MN with Jadis. LWW is a sequel and Jadis is finally killed and that evil is killed. Than there is HB which is like a sequel to LWW, and after them comes PC which explains what happened to the four children. It goes on but I think they should do this. These paintings gave me hope that they can follow the books into movies faithfully. (Albeit with a little changes like LWW) =D
Long Live Aslan!
While it isn’t possible to know Lewis’ thoughts on Dawntreader as a film it is absolutely possible to know his thoughts on story adaptations made for cinema. He wrote about this at some length in his essay On Stories. The kinds of changes he disaproved of have become all too common in modern cinema.
We have to look at those thoughts with history in mind, though. He wrote that essay, I presume, in the 1950s or 1960s at the very latest. At the time, we were not capable of creating movies like we do now. There was no way he could have commented on the quality of today’s film making. Remember, the film world prior to Star Wars was a very different place.
Well I for one have learned to love the movies for what they are and I do agree we can’t speak for Lewis’s thoughts on the movie changes. However I enjoyed VDT a lot. despite the changes with every movie based on a book there are always going to be changes. Besides even if Lewis rolled over in his grave I pretty sure he would be understanding to the fact that books made into movies always have changes of some kind, that all major plots can’t all be written to film. I greatly respect that. Besides in the end I was happy with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. I think what film makers and the film industry don’t consider is splitting a film in two. Like what Peter Jackson is doing for the movie The Hobbit. See I think it would have made more sense for the Narnia movies to be each split in two like for example for Prince Caspian which is a more complex story. Besides to me for each of these movies they would have made more money. That the logic behind it Financially, but for the literacy it would have enhanced the story. I too want the franchise to continue. Regardless if some of the movies are not all true to the book, I will still buy them. As for what book I want to see made into a film next I think Magician’s Nephew is a good choice. Yes I do agree that it might seem weird for Aslan to sing to life Narnia besides from a biblical stand point God never sang to make the earth and the life on it he commanded it. If you look at it from the religious perspective as I prefer to. But hopefully Fox and Walden get the next one right and truly listened to the fans of the books and movies. To those who hated it, sorry but have some respect for the changes honestly. Just like it for what it is. Besides there are movies like Eragon that really sucked bad.