In an interview about Dorian Gray, Ben Barnes was asked about the Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Specifically, what may have changed between the book and the film. This is a question that we all have about the film, and though many fans would like to see the film shot page for page with the book, movies are completely different animals. Sometimes books don’t translate very well into movies as they are written. In our own minds they seem as movies, though, and based on each of our own imaginations, when we read Narnia, each of our experiences is going to be different. So how do you take C.S. Lewis’ very loose, open descriptions to film and make everyone’s version? You really can’t. But what about a story like that found in this book? Well, on film, it needs more than the book has. Here’s what Ben has to say about it.
Let’s talk about the “Dawn Treader” movie. I know you can’t reveal any spoilers, but what’s in the movie that’s different from the book?
Ben Barnes: They’ve stolen a couple of ideas from some of the later [“Chronicles of Narnia”] books. [It’s] a very difficult book to adapt, because it’s very episodic. It’s chapter by chapter. They go on the voyage, they go to one island, a bit more voyage, another island, a bit more voyage, another island. It’s very satisfying to read; every chapter by chapter, it’s very exciting. But it has no real through line. And so they have to kind of steal other elements to sew it all together. I think they’ve done it in a really clever, unobtrusive way.
What’s interesting is the first thing he says here: they’ve stolen a couple of ideas from some of the later (emphasis added) books. The questions I have now are: What books and what ideas from those books? Anybody have ideas for what it could be?
Reading all your posts is more disturbing to me than what Ben Barnes said. I don’t know that I want a soul-stealing witch in this or any other Narnia movie, whether she’s one in the books or one that the filmmakers made up. First of all, remember that these are children’s movies based off of children’s books.
Second, if Caspian does foil her plot, why does she wait forty or fifty years to take her revenge? Also, Rilian certainly heard stories about Caspian’s voyage to the End of the World. Wouldn’t he get a clue about a beautiful lady dressed in green? I just think it’s kind of weird.
Thirdly, didn’t the moviemakers get a clue with “Prince Caspian”? Not very many people were pleased with the changes they made in that movie, and so not as many people went to it as many times in theaters. This is a bigger change, and a lot less family-friendly. I think it would be a BIG mistake.
Lastly, being in the movie himself, I think Ben Barnes should know what he’s talking about. This is not an unobtrusive change, so I don’t think he would have called it such. Whatever he says is good enough for me.
Wouldn’t there be a casting call we would have heard of? Like I thought we heard of a casting call for Gael’s mom, so…
I meant this about if Shasta would be in VDT. Hey…wait a second…Shasta CAN’T be in VDT because he lived in the time of LWW. Oops, I’m bad…sorry.
I just hope with all the new things they introduce they leave some time and effort to expand on Aslan’s characther. For me his role is the one that has suffered most in the translation into film. From reading the books I had imagined a very kingly, noble and utterly awesome godlike character but the image protrayed in the films falls far short
cool cant wait to see the movie in 2010 and also ben barnes.one question is ben barnes having a moustach in the film?
Everything I read about VoDT makes me more nervous. They’re adding a PLOT?!?!?!? What the heck! VoDT has a plot! Go to the end of the world, find the 7 lords. Adding in the Lady of the Green Kirtle would be horrible! STAY IN YOUR BOOK,WITCH!!! At the same time, though, they need to do good on this. I’m so worried that they won’t have enough money to make the other movies, or they have to wait a long time, which will make the kids too old. So, if they have to deviate from the plot a LITTLE (key word) to make it more interesting to the general audience, well, I’ll try to refrain from booing and throwing popcorn. But I swear, if there is any indication that Susan will come between Caspian and Ramandu’s daughter, or that Ed and Cas will butt heads over her, I will kill someone. Seriously.
I will be extremly angery if they create a completely different story then the one in the book. They basically did that with Prince Caspian, and it caused me not to like it on the same level as I did the first film. If they ruin the C.S. Lewis stories I will be EXTREMLY angery. The books hae rever gone out of print, that should tell you that the stories in the books do not need to be changed!
I agree, and they’re not changing the books. They’re making movies. The books are still the same.
i think the 1st film was the only one so far in the series that stuck to the book the only changes they made were her pulling the sheet off the wardrobe in the book it didnt happen that way but it made it more suspenseful with the sheet covering it as if it were being discovered for the first time prince caspian it seems as if they left some things out of the story for the film and then added things that made no sense like caspian and susan the tree was better i think than having 3 sticks twined together tho. im not sure of the other changes but they could have did some flash backs in he film just as the book does with caspian as a young child and his father being killed and all and perhaps even showing how the telmrines came to narnia even tho the book doesnt really say that it would have made more sense than some of what they did add in the film for caspian i hope this next one doesnt flop as much. i dont get why the white witch is in it shes not in the book?