Why is Walden Making ‘Magician’s Nephew’ Next?
The Christian Post caught up with Micheal Flaherty to talk to him about the future of the Narnia films. Flaherty confirmed that Walden plans to make The Magician’s Nephew as the fourth Narnia movie (which we already knew) and that they’re currently in talks with Fox and the C.S. Lewis Estate about it.
But what was interesting was one of the reasons he listed as to why they were making The Magician’s Nephew next instead of The Silver Chair.
Looking ahead, Walden Media believes The Magician’s Nephew has the potential to be a blockbuster hit like The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe because it is the second most popular book in the Narnia series.
Flaherty explained that box office performance for Narnia films appears to mimic the amount of people’s interest in the books.
“What’s interesting is that the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe over this period of time sold twice as many books as Prince Caspian and it did twice as much at the box office. Prince Caspian sold a third of the books as Dawn Treader and did a third at the box office,” he noted.
“So while it’s not always a correlation between books to film, so far with these first three films, it has been.”
The full story is available here.
The Magician's Nephew will do great at the box office.
In other words…it's bad for the story, but good for the money. So what's Walden going to go with? The money of course.
Micheal Flaherty from Walden Media said this.
I would prefer a differant one. But, The Magician's Nephew will still be really good. 😀
The ugly truth…
well, Voyage of the Dawn Treader is overall the favorite book, and yet it didnt do as good as LWW or even PC in general. i just cant seem to waver from the opinion that i think Silver Chair will do better, but its not like i can change people's minds….
Just a slight rebuttal, Mayor Wilkins – there appears to be two types of average people: the type you have mentioned, and the type who get confused when the white witch keeps showing up.
I took a bunch of friends who had not read VDT to the cinemas, and their reaction to the White Witch was:
"Why is she here?"
"I thought she was dead!"
"Not /her/ again!"
"As if!"
etc.
It will, of course, probably get explained in MN that this is /before/ she comes to Narnia (one would hope), but I think that people want to see a fresh, new bad guy such as the LotGK. Just something to think about. 😉
I have to say I am bummed, but I understand. I do love the magicians nephew and it's very epic and cinematic while being both personal and deep. I'll take it over not making any more movies. Seriously though with international box office non of these movies have been a flop.
I agree with you, Glumpuddle… I'm so disappointed, and right now. I'm not sure I'm *ever* going to see Silver Chair… *sigh*…
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
At least with Silver Chair, if they screwed it up I can point to the BBC version and say "THAT'S how to do Silver Chair." But if this is the only movie canon and they mess it up…
I want this franchise DEAD before they mess up any other Narnia books.
I'll probably enjoy seeing MN… but man, am I SO disapointed. They chose the PERFECT Eustace… and… what'are they doing to his AGE?! He won't be available by the time they're ready for silver chair.
I'm finally upset with what they're doing… it seems stupid. I just don't get it. WHY switch characters on everyone? Why? :'(
🙁 This is just… I don't know. I had wanted to see SC so bad. Other than 'money' the choice makes no sense. I know they have to have it pay to a certain extent. But… I'd far rather see SC than any of the other movies…
Personally I don´t get it. Why do you have problems with voyage of the dawn treader? It was a very good movie. Things have changed, but they left the core of the story as it was. I only think they messed up Prince Caspian. Voyage of the dawn treader was better. But the box office wasn't.
About MN and SC. Why would people insult Lewis when they chose to make a movie about MN first. It's ridiculous. Over the years 1/2 movies have been made about SC. Only 0 were made about MN. If they chose voor SC now, you can forget MN in the future. And the Narnia-movie project of Walden will flop where the BCC-Narnia project flopped. And we will have nothing new, but special effects and publicity.
i was thinking the same thing. But you have to realize that MN is also one of the best books in the series. I think they just want to make whatever one makes them more money but we just have to support them and be happy that there is another movie even being made.
That's a fantastic cover for the book, it's really good. I saw this cover for the first time the other day, like it heaps.
Kinda related to that, Narnia is a very solid brand at that point with the general movie going public, & part of word of mouth success for VoDT could very much have just been that it was playing at the cinema for all we know. I don't think you can separate the right creative decisions & financial decisions when it comes to the Narnia movies, they are not those kind of movies.
That's quite a transcendent fantasy novel cover, the one for MN above, and encapsulate why the MN film adaptation can capture a big audience's interest in understanding the entire Narnia chronicles & franchise.
I am really confused. The quote talking about book sales related to box office seems to be saying that VDT has sold more books than PC and done better at the box office but from the numbers I've been seeing, VDT is still behind PC in box office dollars. Can someone explain?
All right. I'll admit that I'm a total Tilda fanatic [face_blush]
It could be, however, that the producers themselves are afraid to really try new villains because of what happened with PC. A lot (not all) of viewers thought the Telmarines were weak compared to the White Witch, and so it's not hard to see why they used her in VDT. I think they are afraid people will be turned off by a new villain. That's possible. I don't know.
I admit I'm a little obsessed with Tilda and Jadis.
But don't misunderstand. I do try my hardest to respect opinions on here. But I am passionate about my own views just like a lot of other folks here.
Cheers. 😉
I agree Rilian! That really threw me off as well on narniafans.
And Fox pays their bills.
The decision was made out of purely financial motives, Fox and Walden clearly don't really care about anything but their own bottom line.
With PC and VODT preforming below expectations its not looking likely. Its not often (if at all) that a series will pick up steam in the middle after two relative bombs.
Other than money? It doesn't make sense financially either. While I enjoyed the book, I'll be the first to admit that the story is bizarre and convoluted. The source is obscure (i.e. limited built-in fanbase), but the imagery will be so expensive to realize, that they'll have to market it to broad audiences if they hope to make their money back.
Well, I would prefer that they make the Silver Chair next, but as long as they do a good job with "The Silver Chair", I'm happy.
Maybe this is a chance for them to get their act together.
Consider this optimistic scenario:
1.Walden Media makes Silver Chair, and, confident in it's financial potential, decides to heed fans, and keep it true to the book.
2.The Silver Chair is released, and does not disappoint financially (nor does it fail to please most Narnia fans. Even GlumPuddle is pleasantly surprised.)
3.Walden Media, pleased with the success, gets started on the next Narnia film, and decides to retain book accuracy.
4.Jumpstarted by "The Silver Chair", moviegoers flock to the next film, and the rest of the series is a financial and critical success, with The Voyage of The Dawn Treader being a fluke downer.
I know why MN is being made next. They're going to recast Eustace in about 70 years and use Ben Barnes again 😉 However I know I would perfor SC, I'm going to trust that these PROFESIONAL MOVIE MAKERS to do their jobs that they know more about then I do.
I understand the reasoning for wanting to make more Box Office profit, but if they postpone making SC until after MN, the quality of the movie won't be as good and by then, general audiences would have forgotten about VDT! Not very smart in my understanding of the business.
"The Silver Chair" would keep the series going far better than "Magician's Nephew." The later is completly different from the rest of the books, and now jumping around in the middle of a series…it's ridicioulous. No way either will "bomb," but they should just have these two going next. And the longer they take the worst the BoxOffice will be. How long dos it take to write a script based on a book? First end the "Caspian" story and then go onto a prequel.
Nice attitude…
It would be very interesting if everyone had to write their ages next to their names–it would explain a lot; although there may not be that many surprises…
I was initially disappointed about the decision to make MN before SC, but if you take a step back and look at the big picture, it actually makes a lot of sense.
MN is a fantastic story and lends itself brilliantly to a faithful movie adaption. Tilda will probably win an Oscar for her portrayal of Jadis. The tight connection as a LWW prequel will bring the average moviegoer back to the franchise in droves.
SC and LB will then probably be made back to back, since they both feature a more mature Eustace. Don't worry about Will Poulter's age – he's going to look the same 2 years from now (when they would have started filming SC) as 5 years from now (when they will be filming the next movie) AND he then stars in LB for continuity OR they recast him and we get the same Eustace in SC and LB (but not VDT).
HHB will then be last, a nice, wistful look back to the Golden Age of Narnia and a fitting conclusion to the whole cinematic version of the Chronicles. As for it not being politically correct – I totally disagree. Just look at the character arc of Aramis! Chances are folks of middle eastern descent will love it most.
Just wait and see!
I ok with Magician's Nephew being made next as long as Silver Chair gets made RIGHT after. It'll be a chance to get Tilda Swinton out of the way before she gets an older. However, they should get started on Silver Chair right after Magician's Nephew is finished because Eustace's actor, like the actors for the four Pevensies, isn't going to get any younger! Plus I want to see Jill and Puddleglum on the big screen!^_^
Arvan's right. Higher book sales don't automatically mean that it's more beloved. It's possible that a number of the people who bought MN but not the rest of the series bought it first, and were turned off to the books.
Disapointed, I won't be going sorry, not a fan. Silver Chair should be next.
haa, haa yeah i've said the same.
Um, C.S. Lewis LIKED the chronical order. Read a book!
Well made? Heh.
Consider this. I also wanted The Silver Chair to be next, but upon reflection, IF The Magician's Nephew is next to be made, it actually makes perfect sense. Digory Kirke(known as Professor Kirke in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe) A younger Digory would need to be re-introduced, as he is also in The Last Battle with Peter, Edmund, Lucy, and Eustace. So make the Magician's Nephew, but make The Silver Chair either during or directly after, followed by The Last Battle.
First off, Lucy, what you mean is "chronological," not "chronical." Secondly, it's rather offensive to tell doughboy to "Read a book!," when he comes across as quite intelligent and well-read, however much you may disagree with his views. Finally, the one record we have of Lewis making a reference to the chronological order is in a letter to a young boy who was CERTAIN this was the correct order in which to read it and was writing to Lewis to make sure. Jack was hardly going to tell him, "No, you're totally wrong. Go cry to your mommy."
The interchange has been read multiple ways, and cannot be regarded as conclusive evidence one way or another.
You skipped The Horse and His Boy.
NOOOOOO!
Why can't The Silver Chair be made at the same time as The Magician's Nephew? It seems like they could do that quite easily since the only actor needed for both movies is Liam Neeson, and he is just providing his voice.
I would still prefer The Silver Chair being made over The Magician's Nephew, but at least they haven't dropped the franchise. As long as all 7 books are made into movies I will be happy 😀
Here is the order in which I think the rest of them should be made (if Magician's Nephew really is being made next):
The Magician's Nephew
The Horse and His Boy
The Silver Chair
The Last Battle
My reasoning for this ^ is because if SC is made immediately after MN, then after that they will have to introduce more new characters from a chronologically independent book(HHB); then go back to LB, which has familiar SC characters like Eustace and Jill. I see LWW, PC, VDT, SC, and LB as being 5 books that all go right after each other chronologically, because these books all have characters like the Pevensies, Eustace, Jill, and Caspian and his family. The other books, MN and HHB, I see as being more independent as far as characters and chronology go.
(btw; the Last Battle has to be last, because elements, characters, and countries from all the other books are in it.
If SC were being made next; then I would say that they should just make the movies in publication order.
lets start with you, age/sex check- 🙂
Greed… It has cause us Narnia fans great pain.
Thanks Disney.
Thanks Walden.
*caused
*if
I'm full of errors today!
I'll be directing a reboot in fifteen years if you'd like to join me…
"U mad", the last recourse for people not clever enough to come up with a decent rebuttal.
I suppose they are just going to do what they want dispite what the fans want which as already been made clear to be The Silver Chair. Don't get me wrong, I love that the talks of continuing with the films is a go, but I seriously was dying over them at doing The Silver Chair instead of another movie that isn't next after Dawn Treader. I think this will mess up Eustaces character because Will Poulter already looks more mature and older than he did when I first seen Dawn Treader.
LOL Coracle!
Yeah they take so long doing things now with this setback it will be longer.
@Ionic Bonding Rocks
I agree. People were wondering why she was there in VDT.
@Noogah….at this rate your scenario may play out in the next 4 years….it sounds good. If MN can spur them to make an excellent Silver Chair which would then require that they recast Will. :(( I really loved Will…it will be hard to find another actor that matches up to his quality as Eustace.
'Prince Caspian' only performed "below expectations" if your expectations were delusional. I do not understand why people STILL perpetuate this MYTH, three years after the fact. It was a financial catastrophe because of its COST. It did NOT(!) underperform.
"Flaherty explained that box office performance for Narnia films appears to mimic the amount of people’s interest in the books."
Finally! THANK YOU
Finally someone who understand not like the so many naysayers here in NW esp. GP hahaha.
Count me in!!!!!
leave it to a girl to want to know the sex lol
Non-negotiable:
"Flaherty explained that box office performance for Narnia films appears to mimic the amount of people’s interest in the books."
His saying so makes it true? Everyone seems to agree this does not make sense in light of D T.
Andrew Adamson's PC Stank to high heaven. the only reason it made ANY money, is people wanting to see how bad it could be for themselves after LWW.
The only thing more irritating than Mosely's winy,prissy attitude, was Barn's fake accent.
The only thing more irritating than those, is your constant nay-saying, ranting, and petty contradictions…
Of course that's just MY opinion … : )
If Prince Caspian/Voyage of the Dawn Treader had done as well as The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, we wouldn't be having this conversation. The fact is that they didn't. As a result, they are making a decision based on what they think will make them more profit. That's how business works, as disappointing as that might be to the fans who would like to see things in the standard order.
At this point, I expect that eliminates Silver Chair being done (or at least with Will, although stranger things have happened), which is a pity, since I really liked Will as Eustace. However, given the relatively weak box office performance, I'd kind of given up hope of all seven being made, anyway. I'm just grateful for whatever we get (and making a point to see them in the theater several times and buying them on dvd).
FOX does NOT make these films. Walden does. FOX distributes and markets the films. With that said, let me ask you something, Snicket. Would you risk your money, your home, with someone who WASN'T concerned about the bottom line? You'd really prefer coughing up your hard-earned money for the CLEARLY less financially viable of two options? Because that's what you're asking the investors in this film series to do. Flaherty has to think about what is best for the PEOPLE he is responsible to, not what an insular, overly-demanding fanbase wants. It never fails to amuse me, how some people are so free to spend the money of others with zero consideration of the larger issues in life. Walden has investors. Walden has employees. The economic spinoff of these films is, literally, global, and affects, to varying degrees, tens of thousands of people. That's why all of these decisions take so long to finalize. NOTHING is done without great consideration of the bigger picture, and this is why they often make decisions that we, as fans, find regrettable. Walden is open to fair criticism for their (many) woeful choices regarding these films. But, to stomp your foot and refer to any studio as "greedy" for making a logical financial decision in an horrific economic climate is silly.
Regardless, some logistical issues aside, I don't really care WHAT order the films are made in. I just want them to be GOOD. Furthermore, if the franchise doesn't rapidly move to restore its domestic audience, there will not BE any more films. THAT is the salient point.
Making 'The Silver Chair' would have been the preferred choice, I am sure, of most of us. It is the braver choice. When you consider all of the variables involved, it is simply not the CORRECT choice.
I completely agree with you narnialover101 the reason why PC and VDT weren't very popular is because the directors and writers kept messing with C.S. Lewis's stories and throwing in they're own junk in the movies. VDT isn't just one of my favourite books in the narnia series, but one of my all time favourite children's books, and it shouldn't have been tampered with.
VDT easily had the potential to be just as good as LWW if not a lot better. Call me crazy but I truly believe that VDT had the potential to be a classic masterpiece, if put into the hands of the right directors and scirpt writers, and stayed true to C.S. Lewis's vision. It makes me pretty upset that the filmakers of the last 2 narnia movies just won't admit to their mistakes and learn from them. For the sake of us the fans.
No, please buy the rights now to turn the ship back from disaster. 😉
I completely agree!
Yeah I'm all for The Magician's Nephew being the next movie too, as long as it's the hands of good a director and good scirpt writers who will not rush the filmaking process and just take their time to make it great, and if they stay true to C.S Lewis's vision, and not throw in a bunch of their own material; it should really be C.S Lewis's movie it shouldn't be theirs. And also if the studio just backs off and doesn't micro-manage the director at work.
And I also really hope that they don't replace Will Poulter when they get to making The Silver Chair because of his age, because he's a really good actor who did a really good job as Eustace in VDT, and I hate it when directors do that.