Third installment of Narnia is in production

Posted on July 29, 2009
Filed Under Actors, Actresses, Adaptation, Directors

Narnia… For me, it has always been about the animated version, “The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe.” I just loved it when I was a kid. Watched it over and over until the old VHS got tired of me and chewed up the tape (or something like that). When I first watched the new adaptation (2005) I couldn’t help but to be disappointed. It’s alright, I guess, and maybe it’s even good? But if you grew up in the late 70′s or 80′s you will compare it to the animated 1979 version – and that will always make a bigger impression. Also, the timing with this new version was a bit off. This was in the aftermath of Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” adaptation. Everyone compared them because of the “fantasy theme.” And this made “Narnia” look like an after school assignment…

Anyway, Dark Horizons reports that “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader“, the third in series of films based on the bestselling books by C.S. Lewis, began principal photography on location in Queensland, Australia, on Monday.

This time around – Edmund and Lucy (along with their cousin Eustace Scrubb) join King Caspian on a sworn mission to find the seven lost Lords of Narnia. So begins a perilous new quest that takes them to the farthest edge of the Eastern world on board the mighty Dawn Treader. Sailing uncharted seas, the old friends must survive a terrible storm, encounters with sea serpents, dragons, and invisible enemies to reach lands where magicians weave mysterious spells and nightmares come true. They need every ounce of courage and the help of the great lion Aslan to triumph in their most hazardous adventure of all.

Lending his vocal talents again to the project is Academy Award® nominee Liam Neeson as the all-powerful ruler of Narnia, Aslan the Lion.

“The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” is the third (appearing in 1952) of Lewis’ seven-book “Chronicles of Narnia” series. Published between 1950-56 and long regarded as one of literature’s most enduring and imaginative classics, Lewis’ books have sold over 100,000,000 copies in over 50 different languages, making it the second biggest book series the world over. In addition to the third novel, the Oxford scholar wrote six additional books, including “Prince Caspian” (1951), “The Silver Chair” (1953), “The Horse and His Boy” (1954), “The Magician’s Nephew” (1955), “The Last Battle” (1956) and the story that launched the series in 1950, “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.”

Production on “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” will take place entirely in Queensland, Australia. Filming will conclude in November 2009, with a year-long post-production schedule leading to the film’s global release in December 2010.

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