We now present to you, this week’s mailbag.  I’m losing track of the days of the week these days.  It’s been one crazy week, that’s for sure!  Look out for Kansas City’s Union Station launch of The Narnia Exhibition, opening tomorrow!  A press release will be available shortly.  Just to give you the heads up on other stories that I’m working on: both involve Narnia art.  Look for those as well, this evening.  Let’s get to the letter answering!

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ShoWest, the annual convention of movie theater owners, is held in a town famous for creating thousands of losers — and a handful of winners — every minute. Against that backdrop, [PressDemocrat] decided that the annual National Association of Theatre Owners gathering was the perfect place to stage our own game of chance.

The rules were simple: With a reminder list of the summer’s most prominent releases in hand, more than a dozen exhibitors, producers, studio executives, marketing experts — and even a filmmaker — were asked to handicap the May-August movies. All were told to predict the summer’s biggest success, its most surprising sleeper hit and its largest bomb.

Because many people interviewed were handicapping (and slamming) films, filmmakers and studios with whom they might have business dealings, everyone was allowed to comment anonymously — you know, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

One more thing: Studio employees could not vote for their own movies. And although choices were all over the board, it was clear that attendees were bullish on Paramount’s “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” and far less excited about Marvel Studios and Universal’s “The Incredible Hulk.”

Studio executive

Hit: “Hancock” — “For total lack of imagination, I’m picking it — but maybe ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.’ ”

Online movie advertiser

Hit: “Prince Caspian” or “Indiana Jones” — “They have built-in awareness. You don’t have to spend a dime marketing them.”

Theater manager

Hit: “Prince Caspian” — “The timing is right. It has the precedent to build on and has broad audience appeal.”

Studio executive

Hit: “Indiana Jones” — “It’s either that or ‘Narnia,’ which looks like it might be in the realm of ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ ”

Studio executive

Hit: “Prince Caspian” or “Hancock” — “The three films with the best pedigree are ‘Indiana Jones,’ ‘Narnia‘ and Will Smith.”

Visit Press Democrat for the rest of the list. It’s really interesting.

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“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” vs. “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”

The fourth Indiana Jones movie actually comes out a week after “Narnia,” but will that cushion be enough to win the battle? Despite the high-powered combination of star Harrison Ford and director Steven Spielberg and the addition of “Transformers” lead Shia LaBeouf, “Indy” may play a little long in the tooth. The first “Narnia” movie, also directed by Andrew Adamson, grossed nearly $750 million worldwide. In an upset, we’re giving the edge to Aslan’s army.

L.A. Times

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Ray Winstone, the actor that contributed his voice acting skills to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, is going to appear in a film that is scheduled to release a mere six days after The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The fourth and final (?) film in the Indiana Jones series has been on again/off again for about ten years. However, if this year’s box office is any indication, both Prince Caspian and Indy 4 have ample opportunity to rake in the box office receipts from what is largely the same audience. Here’s the official press release:

Several stars have thrown their hats into the ring to join Harrison Ford and Shia LeBeouf in Indiana Jones’ latest whip-cracking adventure. Next year, when the new Indiana Jones movie opens worldwide on May 22, Indy will share the screen with Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone and John Hurt.

Academy Award® winner Cate Blanchett has established herself as one of the preeminent leading actresses in film today, earning her first Best Actress nomination for her title role in Elizabeth, for which she received a BAFTA and Golden Globe Award. She continued to draw acclaim for significant roles in The Talented Mr. Ripley, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Notes on a Scandal and Babel. In 2005, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Katherine Hepburn in The Aviator, and this year was named one of Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. Cate is currently filming The Curious Case of Benjamin Button costarring Brad Pitt and directed by David Fincher.

Known for his layered and nuanced performances of tough guys, Ray Winstone drew international praise for his role as Gal Dove in Jonathan Glazer’s Sexy Beast. His recent screen credits include Martin Scorsese’s The Departed, Antoine Fuqua’s King Arthur, and Anthony Minghella’s Breaking & Entering. Winstone’s voice can be heard as Mr. Beaver in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Ray will next be seen in the title role of Beowulf opening November 16, 2007 directed by Robert Zemeckis.

Academy Award nominee John Hurt, whose career in film spans more than 40 years, has played memorable roles in movies both big and small. His impressive body of work includes such films as V for Vendetta, Elephant Man, 1984, Midnight Express, Contact, and Alien. On television, he won world-wide acclaim for his role of Caligula in “I, Claudius” and Quentin Crisp, in “The Naked Civil Servant”.

While the man with the hat is back, this time he’s not bringing his Dad. Sean Connery, who retired from acting in 2005, said:

“I get asked the question so often, I thought it best to make an announcement. I thought long and hard about it and if anything could have pulled me out of retirement it would have been an Indiana Jones film. I love working with Steven and George, and it goes without saying that it is an honor to have Harrison as my son. But in the end, retirement is just too damned much fun. I, do however, have one bit of advice for Junior: Demand that the critters be digital, the cliffs be low, and for goodness sake keep that whip by your side at all times in case you need to escape from the stunt coordinator! This is a remarkable cast, and I can only say, ‘Break a leg, everyone.’ I’ll see you on May 22, 2008 at the theater!”

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