CraveOnline.com film movies tv and humor

Movie News

Disney Pulls Out of Third Narnia Film

December 24, 2008

Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media have confirmed that for budgetary and logistical reasons the Burbank-based studio is not exercising its option to co-produce and co-finance The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader with Walden.

The Hollywood Reporter says the third installment was in preproduction and set for a spring shoot for a planned May 2010 release. The development puts the participation of the talent attached in doubt, adds the trade. Michael Apted was on board to direct a script by Steven Knight. The key players of the second installment, "Prince Caspian" -- Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, William Moseley and Anna Popplewell -- were to return for the third film.

Walden has a strong relationship with the C.S. Lewis estate and will shop "Treader" in hopes of finding a new partner. The most likely candidate at this stage is Fox, which markets and distributes Walden fare under the Fox Walden banner.

Any partnership on a "Narnia" movie will require a substantial investment, however. "Caspian," which filmed in the Czech Republic, Mexico and New Zealand, cost $200 million. The first film, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," was shot mostly in New Zealand for $180 million.

From ComingSoon.net

Third Narnia Film Starts Principal Photography
Mark Johnson Talks Third Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Housebroken
The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep

Other Movie Sites

The Hollywood Round-Up: February 2
Barker Resurrects Poe
The Hollywood Round-UP: March 2
Top 10 DVDs and Blu-rays of 2009 (So Far...)
Austin's Museum of the Weird Opens Haunted Exhibit This Weekend!

COMMENTS (151)

Posted by:

Magus

December 24, 2008

that sucks...i liked caspian, it just came out at the wrong time, would have done much better as a holiday movie

Posted by:

Aragorn189

December 24, 2008

NOOOOOOOO! This cannot be happening. Hopefully, they can get another studio to fill the gap in the budget. The first two were put together extremely well. Hope that they continue to make these as there only 5 more to go.

Posted by:

Entertainment

December 24, 2008

Andrew is a horrible director, what do you expect?

Posted by:

Bullocks!

December 24, 2008

Walden media should get out of the filmmaking biz. They blow. Give this to a talented production company, and you could have something special.

Posted by:

BenHughes

December 24, 2008

Wow, this sucks. I hope things work out. I think that Walden and the CS Lewis estate are pretty keen on getting it out, so I'm sure they'll formulate a solution.

Posted by:

Nick

December 24, 2008

Didn't care for the first at all, but i will admit the second only did so poor because it came out in summer and had to compete with Iron Man and Indiana Jones. The First came out a month after Harry Potter 4 which by that time was starting to fall back in ticket sales, that was it for competition. Its too early for Disney to abandon ship. And even a non fan can see this.

Posted by:

SoulPatch

December 24, 2008

I hope they make the third movie, it was my favorite book. They should just keep the release dates in December. It can't compete with huge Summer blockbusters.

Posted by:

December 24, 2008

Narnia = Lord of the Rings Kiddie ripoff

im happy they pulled out

Posted by:

Uwe Bollocks

December 24, 2008

We've all seen franchises that never got off the ground -- everything from Streets of Fire to Golden Compass -- but I don't think I ever remember a studio dropping a franchise midway through.

If Fox foots the bill this will probably end up sucking. It's Fox, it's just what happens with them involved.

Posted by:

Joe

December 24, 2008

Makes since. The second was better but, it didn't make it's budget back thus it is a financial risk especially considering the economic climate. I don't think the third one's going to get made. It doesn't make any since. I can guarantee you that none of the big 5 will front 200 million for this. It's not even a moneymaking franchise like for example the "Harry Potter" franchise.