Narnia Fans » Filming

The same article in Variety mentions the start of shooting for the third film in the series: The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It seems that the WGA strike has in fact pushed the start of filming from the summer into the fall of this year. Filming was originally scheduled to begin around June, and now it appears that production will ramp up in November.

There’s a bit of a typo in the article, though, as it targets the films release in May of 2009. However, as most of us know, the films release has already been scheduled for May 7, 2010. I’ve contacted the author of the article to inform her of the correction.

Johnson is also shepherding the third “Narnia” adaptation, “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” After being stymied by the WGA strike, it’s scheduled to start filming in November for a May 2009 release. “As long as the Narnia movies keep succeeding and I don’t make a big mistake,” Johnson says, “I will continue doing them.”

UPDATE: I’ve gotten in touch with the folks at Disney, who have confirmed that the dates given in the article are incorrect. Filming is still set to begin in the summer for a May 2010 release.

We’ve been hearing for quite some time that filming of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was threatened by the WGA Strike. The script has yet to be finished, and Walden Media would have to hold off on filming the third Narnia for a few extra months. The Hollywood Reporter has quoted Narnia film producer Mark Johnson on the development:

Movies in development or preproduction also will get a huge boost as writers get back to work and new scribes are attached.

Mark Johnson, a producer on Walden Media’s “Chronicles of Narnia” movies, said a resolution couldn’t come fast enough for the third movie in the franchise, set to start shooting this year. Johnson added that he thinks “the floodgates will open” for projects in active development or preproduction that need a little script help.

According to Xinhuanet.com:

Directed by Michael Apted, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” is 60-percent sets in New Zealand.

The Bay of Islands, Coromandel, New Plymouth, Hawkes Bay and Gisborne are all featured in the film.

Millions of film lovers around the world will get a glimpse of the magic beauty of river Soca, often called the emerald river, as parts of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” are to be filmed in Slovenia, daily Delo reports on Thursday.

According to the report, director Andrew Adamson chose the confluence of the river Soca and its tributary Gljun in northeastern Slovenia for the setting of the final scenes of the film.

The parts filmed in the Bovec region will feature scenes of 300 soldiers running over a bridge and its spectacular destruction.

According to the daily, the shooting on the emerald river is to take place in the first part June. The crew that is to prepare the setting is to arrive in Slovenia already in April.

Its members will build a wooden beam bridge, resembling the bridges built by Julius Caesar and his legionaries during the Gallic War.

The shooting of the “Prince Caspian” started in New Zealand in February and will continue in the Czech Republic.

The film, a production of the Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, is to be released in May 2008.

“The Chronicles of Narnia” series, based on Clive Staples’s books, hit the film screens in December 2005 with “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”

Whatever one’s opinion might be of Daniel Craig having assumed the Bond tux, there’s no denying that Casino Royale was an international hit, as well as a major success for Barrandov Studios and the Prague-based producers of Stillking Films.

Rather than resting on its recent achievements, the Stillking crew has plunged into two new film projects that will be filming in Prague over the next couple of months. Up at Barrandov, Prince Caspian, the second part of the Chronicles of Narnia, began shooting Sunday, April 1, while across town at the Prague Studios, the cinematic version of Mark Millar’s cult comic Wanted, under the helm of the Moscow-based Kazakh Timur Bekmambetov, is gearing up.

Operating out of Prague since 1993, Stillking has served as co-producer on many of the large films that have been produced in the Czech Republic since the country’s liberation. While 2002’s Bourne Identity and last year’s first Narnia outing, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, are as well-known as Casino Royale, Stillking also played a part in Liev Schrieber’s Everything is Illuminated (which never received a Czech cinema run), The Illusionist, XXX and Tristan+Isolde. Stillking also put up money for the Czech film Návrat idiota, directed by Saša Gideon.

Out on the muddy fringes of Barrandov a few weeks ago, carpenters were busy creating a castle out of plywood and two-by-fours. This will be the principal back-lot location for Disney’s next Narnia. Close by, a new soundstage has also been built for the film — a state-of-the-art facility that can only increase Barrandov’s attractiveness to filmmakers.

Stillking’s head of film production, David Minkowski, works out of offices near the new sound stage. With two projects weeks away from principal photography (and with rumors published in Variety that a Fox film, Babylon, currently being shot at Barrandov, is running behind schedule, which might affect Narnia), Minkowski appears unflappable.

Minkowski has been with Stillking for 12 years, first arriving in Prague as a production coordinator on a U.S. television film, Hidden in Silence. “Casino has given us a lot of traction,” he tells me. “So much so that I’ve had to turn down four film projects, because they would have competed with our schedules for Narnia and Wanted.”

Minkowski is the associate producer on Narnia, and so is working on-site. His average day starts with an early-morning walk around the back lot and new soundstage to gauge the preproduction progress. At the height of filming, both this project and Wanted will employ upward of 1,600 people. Though both films will be primarily studio-based, Wanted will be wandering out into Prague streets for a few shots.

This busyness belies the talk of Hollywood leaving Prague for cheaper accommodations further east, particularly in Romania, which has attracted a number of recent projects. “I’m not worried that Prague is going to be abandoned,” Minkowski says. “Romania’s studios are good, but the infrastructure is better here. Plus, it is Prague, and that counts for much.”

With its massive built-in audience of C.S. Lewis readers, the latest Narnia chapter should do well for Disney and Stillking. Wanted, however, will be the film to watch. It’s the first work of Bekmambetov’s since his Night Watch and Day Watch became sensations in Russia (the third film in the trilogy is currently in production), and he’ll be using some new toys. Wanted will be the first film to be shot with the brand-new Red One 4k digital camera, something that has cinematographers salivating. The announced cast for Bekmambetov’s take on Millar’s superassassin includes Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy (fresh from The Last King of Scotland).

So, Stillking seems perched in the catbird seat. “Things are going very well for us at the moment,” Minkowski says. “We’re having no problems finding projects that we believe in and that we want to spend our time on.” The company, however, has even more ambitious future plans. “As much as we love this work, we do want to develop our own films eventually,” he says, and then laughs. “It’s the only way to get to the Oscars’ stage.”

“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” the second live-action/CGI motion picture adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved series of literary classics, began principal photography on location in Auckland, New Zealand, on February 12, 2007. The production, once again a joint venture between the Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, continues the franchise which commenced with the spectacular, Oscar-winning 2005 release, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” which went on to earn over $745 million dollars in its worldwide theatrical release, making it one of the most successful movies ever made and one of the biggest successes in the annals of the Walt Disney Studios.

Native New Zealander Andrew Adamson (the Oscar®-winning “Shrek,” “Shrek 2”) embarks on his second Narnian film adventure, returning to his homeland to helm the follow-up film from a screenplay he co-wrote with Emmy Award-winning writing partners Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (HBO’s “The Life and Death of Peter Sellers”), who also co-scripted the first film. Adamson also reunites with the producers of the first “Narnia” film — Academy Award®-winner Mark Johnson (“Rain Man,” “Bugsy,” “The Notebook”) and Philip Steuer (“The Rookie,” “The Alamo”).

Following the tremendous success of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the filmmakers immediately began their planning and pre-production efforts on “Prince Caspian” in early 2006. The new project’s production schedule encompasses another six-month live-action shoot followed by a post-production schedule leading to its May 16, 2008, global release through Disney’s distribution divisions of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution and Buena Vista International. Filming locations include both the north and south islands of New Zealand, Prague’s Barrandov Studios, the Czech Republic, as well as locales in Poland and Slovenia.

Once again toplining the new film as the Pevensie children are the four young British talents discovered by Adamson for the first film — Georgie Henley as Lucy, Skandar Keynes as Edmund, William Moseley as Peter, and Anna Popplewell as Susan.

The film’s title character will be played by Ben Barnes, a 25-year-old British actor, a veteran of the stage who is currently best known for his recent role in “The History Boys” for London’s National Theatre Company. His upcoming feature film roles include the independent feature “Bigga Than Ben” and a featured role in Matthew Vaughn’s fantasy film “Stardust” for Paramount Pictures.

Also co-starring in the new film are a pair of diminutive actors whose talents have loomed large on the motion picture screen — Peter Dinklage (“The Station Agent,” “Find Me Guilty”) as the Red Dwarf Trumpkin, who accompanies the Pevensie children on their new journey and unites Narnia’s two kings, Peter and Caspian; and Warwick Davis (“Willow,” “The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy”) as the suspicious Black Dwarf, Nikabrik. The film also features veteran Flemish actor Vincent Grass (“Vatel,” “Londinium”) as the wise old sage, Doctor Cornelius, Prince Caspian’s tutor who educates the future Narnian king in the history of his land. Veteran Scottish actor Ken Stott (“Casanova,” “King Arthur”) will lend his vocal talents to the role of Trufflehunter, the faithful badger who believes the former Kings and Queens of Narnia will return to assist Caspian in his quest.

Inspired by Lewis’ imaginative creations, the story’s human cast will once again be complemented by a gallery of original creatures portrayed onscreen in the combined efforts of live-action and CGI animation under the supervision of visual effects supervisor Dean Wright, who will also collaborate this time with VFX veteran Wendy Rogers (“Shrek,” “Flushed Away”), and the movie magicians at London’s Moving Picture Company, Framestore/CFC and Weta Digital in New Zealand. Five -time Academy Award®-winning visualist Richard Taylor (“Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “King Kong”) and the wizards from his Weta Workshop will also design the film’s armor and weaponry for Narnia’s new inhabitants, the Telmarines.

Howard Berger and Tami Lane will also reprise their efforts for the film’s makeup effects, and will manufacture and apply hundreds of special makeup prosthetics for many of the unique characters in the story.

Adamson has again secured the talents of Oscar®-nominated production designer Roger Ford (“Babe,” “Peter Pan,” “The Quiet American”), award-winning costume designer Isis Mussenden (“Shrek,” “Shrek 2,” “10 Items or Less”), and film editor Sim Evan-Jones (“Shrek,” “Shrek 2”). Industry veteran Karl Walter Lindenlaub, ASC, bvk (“Independence Day,” “Stargate,” “Because of Winn-Dixie”) joins Adamson’s technical team as director of photography.

The enchanted characters of C.S. Lewis’s timeless fantasy come to dazzling life again in this second installment of the seven book series, in which the Pevensie siblings — Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy — are magically and mysteriously transported back from World War II England to Narnia, where a thrilling, perilous new adventure and an even greater test of their faith and courage awaits them.

One year after the incredible events of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the newly-annointed Kings and Queens of Narnia find themselves back in that faraway wondrous realm, only to discover that more than 1000 years have passed in Narnian time. During their absence, the Golden Age of Narnia has become extinct, and now exists as little more than folklore. The land’s magical talking animals and mythical creatures have disappeared, becoming little more than folk tales to the Telmarines, a race of humans led by the evil King Miraz, who now rules the land without mercy. Though his name is still remembered in the woods, the mighty lion Aslan has also not been seen in a thousand years.

The four children have been summoned back to Narnia by Caspian, the young heir to the Telmarine throne whose life is in danger as his evil uncle Miraz plans to eliminate the young warrior so his own newborn son can ascend the throne. With the help of the kindly dwarf, a courageous talking mouse named Reepicheep, and a leery Black Dwarf, Nikabrik, the Narnians, led by the mighty knights Peter and Caspian, embark on a remarkable journey to find Aslan, rescue Narnia from Miraz’s tyrannical hold, and restore magic and glory to the land.

“Prince Caspian” is the second (appearing in 1951) 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 books in 29 different languages, making it the second biggest book series the world over. In addition to the second novel, the Oxford scholar wrote six additional books, including “The Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’” (1952), “The Silver Chair” (1953) “The Horse and His Boy” (1954) “The Magician’s Nephew” (the prequel to the first book, 1955), “The Last Battle” (1956) and the story that launched the series in 1950, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”

Who James Cosmo is playing is the question of the hour, the rest of the cast aside. The Chicago Sun-Times dispells the old Nicole Kidman rumor for those still not in the know, and what about the rest of the Chronicles?

Narnian Spy Biznis commented on James Cosmo, saying that “it isn’t a voice that he’s doing, or I don’t think so. It’s simple logic! Why would he be down here filming if he were just offering a voice? So, not “Mr. Beaver,” “Maugrim,” or “Aslan.” That leaves us with “the Professor” and “the Dwarf.” He appears ideal for “the Professor,” and he’s a tad too old to play “the dwarf.” So, must be “the Professor.” When I mentioned that Andy Serkis was on the set playing Gollum throughout the shooting of the Lord of the Rings, he replied “Yes, but Mr. Beaver is too small to have a normal-sized body double-ish thing and Aslan and Maugrim are being played by real animals.” But what we must remember is that Narnia’s Talking Beasts are man sized. The small creatures became larger, and the big creatures became smaller. The mystery goes on.

On the topic of Nicole Kidman, here’s what Bill Zwecker of the Chicago Sun-Times said: **Here’s a bit of rumor control about ”The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe,” the film based on the C. S. Lewis novel being filmed down in New Zealand. There have been reports that Kidman will star as the White Witch or narrate the movie. Fact is, Tilda Swinton will play the White Witch, and the voice of Aslan the lion (a CGI character in the film) has not yet been cast. Andrew Adamson (“Shrek,” “Shrek 2″) directs.

Narnian Spy Biznis pointed out that Christmas 2005 is a Sunday. While that’s true, the film could be released on that day. Christmas is a Holiday that a lot of people visit the Cinema. However, he believes, and we tend to agree, that the film will most likely be released on Wednesday, December 21st.

And although LWW doesn’t start filming until next Monday, the current rumor is that, should LWW be successful at the box office, Disney will most likely want to film the next few Narnia films at the same time. It’d be a way to save money and get more done, quicker. And hopefully release “The Last Battle” by 2011. Warner Brothers did this with The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, Newline with The Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Disney is planning to do this with Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and 3. Let’s make the first Narnia film a success, and see to it that we finally get to see all seven Narnia tales come to life!

With his lanky blond locks, black stovepipe jeans and black zipper jacket, ex-pat director Andrew Adamson was destined to shoot movies in West Auckland.

Yesterday the director of the Shrek films brought about 200 crew from his big-budget The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to Glen Eden to be greeted by a warrior, a mayor and a powhiri.

The powhiri, held at the Hoani Waititi Marae, received a slice of the huge international contingent behind the film. In keeping with the wintry vibe of the classic CS Lewis tale, it was accompanied by a chilling breeze and intermittent rain.

Despite the chill, Adamson said the warmth of the welcome equalled only that offered by his family at Auckland International Airport. “And I am so proud and happy to bring some the wonderful, creative people I have met in the United States back with me to New Zealand. It is easy to see that this is a magical land, filled with magical people.”

The former Blockhouse Bay resident said New Zealand had become an ideal location for filming, where he could draw on an industry that had spent six years during the The Lord of the Rings series learning how to meet Hollywood expectations.

On the downside, filming in New Zealand meant The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was competing with Peter Jackson’s King Kong remake for crew members. “A lot of those guys have come through the Battle of Britain with Peter Jackson so obviously they have their own loyalties,” said Adamson. But he estimated his crew would still be up to 90 per cent New Zealanders.