Fox Takes Over the Chronicling of Narnia's Next Chapters
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
It's only been a month since Disney bailed on co-financing the new Narnia movie, but new partner 20th Century Fox is ready to make the voyage with Walden Media's fantasy franchise.
Fox has made the commitment to develop The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It hopes to shoot the film at the end of the summer, for a holiday 2010 release through the Fox Walden label, according to Variety.
Development and production will be headed up by Fox 2000, and Fox and Walden will split the projected $140 million budget—considerably less than Prince Caspian's $215 million. Though Prince Caspian ranked No. 10 in the global box office last year, the film, which is considered the least commercially appealing of the seven C.S. Lewis novels, was a box office disappointment ($419 million worldwide) compared to 2005's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe ($745 million worldwide).
The goal for Dawn Treader, a more family film-friendly book, is to focus on the magical elements of the first movie.
The franchise's stars, Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley, will reprise their roles alongside Will Poulter (Son of Rambo), who will join the cast as Eustace Clarence Scrubb.
Michael Apted will direct the movie, with Mark Johnson and Andrew Adamson producing.
What do you think? Are you excited to return to Narnia?