Narnia Fans » Press Release

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” the third in the epic series of films based on the bestselling books by C.S. Lewis, will begin principal photography on location in Queensland, Australia, today – July 27, 2009. The production, a joint venture between Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation 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” and its 2008 follow-up, “Prince Caspian,” whose combined global box office gross tops $1.2 billion.

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Official PR from Walden Media

(Los Angeles – November 14, 2008) – Cary Granat, Co-CEO and co-founder of Walden Media, will transition from his Walden position to a consultant for the company effective December 1. Granat will be Walden’s creative consultant on the third installment in THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA franchise – VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER- which the company hopes to greenlight soon. He will also provide consulting services for an initiative with AEG Live, the concert and promotion company owned by Phil Anschutz who also owns Walden.

“This was a mutual decision,” said David Weil, CEO of Anschutz Film Group, Walden’s parent company. “Cary and we both felt this was the right way to formalize the change in the company’s creative direction that will now be overseen by Michael Bostick who was brought in as Co-CEO of Walden earlier this year. We all owe Cary a great debt of gratitude for co-founding the company and guiding the Walden brand to its preeminent place in family entertainment today.”

“I’m extremely proud of what we’ve accomplished in my seven years at Walden. We have been very fortunate, with the unparalleled support of Phil Anschutz, David Weil and the entire team here to create family entertainment that will last for generations. It’s time for me to hit the recharge button and take on a new challenge, but I’ll always look back fondly on my time at Walden.”

Granat will not be replaced and his responsibilities at Walden will now be handled by Weil and Bostick. Granat expects to announce additional future plans shortly.

THE FRANKLIN to Welcome “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition” TO PHILADELPHIA ON November 28
Tickets to the East Coast Debut of the Exhibition to go on Sale September 23

Philadelphia (September 23, 2008) – “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition” will make its East Coast debut at The Franklin in Philadelphia on November 28, 2008, one of the biggest family weekends of the year. Based on the blockbuster film series and C.S. Lewis’ beloved fictional books, the 10,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art entertainment and educational exhibition will offer visitors the opportunity to tour scenes from the famed literary fantasy world of Narnia. Through authentic costumes, props and set dressings from the magical Narnia films, visitors will enter three-dimensional settings that combine the wonders of science with aspects of fantasy.

Tickets are on now on sale to “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition,” which is presented by Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media and produced by the Becker Group, and are available for purchase at www.fi.edu/Narnia or by calling 215-448-1254.

“The scene displays and props from the Narnia films, coupled with the scientific and educational aspects of the exhibition, create an immersive experience that stimulates the senses and the mind,” said Glenn Tilley, president and chief executive officer of Becker Group. “It captivated audiences when it opened at the Arizona Science Center earlier this summer, and we are thrilled to now be able to share this exhibition with the people of Philadelphia.”

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition” premiered at the Arizona Science Center (ASC) in Phoenix in June 2008, where it was one of the highest-rated guest experiences the ASC had ever hosted, receiving nearly perfect scores, according to a survey conducted by Jacobs Media. Philadelphia marks the second stop on the multi-city tour, which will include eight additional domestic and international cities during the next five years.

As the book series has long been a regarded source of reading inspiration that merges fantasy and history, a special teacher’s guide that includes information on weather and climate also will be available to academic communities and school groups.

“We are honored to host the East Coast premiere of this exhibition,” said Dennis M. Wint, president and chief executive officer of The Franklin. “We know that people are drawn to our institution because of our dynamic approach to science and education, and we feel that ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition’ offers the perfect mix of education and entertainment.”

To help create the science portions of the exhibition, scientists from the California Institute of Technology and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory were brought on board to review label copy for the exhibition text panels. Two of the scientists also appear in video presentations that play in corresponding areas within the exhibition in support of the science aspects, including a video that highlights how animals communicate. The video aims to teach visitors how and why animals choose their homes and how they use eye contact, color and sound, among other things, to communicate. Real world animals, such as chimpanzees, apes and dolphins, can be seen communicating with each other and with humans in a video in the forest section of the exhibition, accompanied by an interview with animal communications expert David Mizejewski, host of Animal Planet’s “Backyard Habitats.”

Visitors to the exhibition will view artifacts from C.S. Lewis’ personal study and experience exciting, iconic environments such as the famous attic and wardrobe that served as the portal into the Narnia adventures.

Once passing through the portal, guests will explore immersive, themed scenes, beginning with a wintry Narnia world, complete with falling snow and cold wind, as seen in the series’ first film, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” The tour then continues through other spectacles from the films, including the White Witch’s ice palace, Cair Paravel and additional displays and environments from “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.”

Incorporating the movies’ original props with newly created engaging and educational elements, the exhibition allows visitors to enter three-dimensional settings that combine both fantasy and reality. Some of these interactive and instructive elements include:

· A replica of the Witch’s Throne that delivers a unique sensory experience, where visitors have the opportunity to sit on the iconic, icy throne and feel the chill. A nearby display describes the impact of climate change on our planet and investigates whether our planet could be frozen for 100 years, like the world of Narnia.

· An area featuring King Miraz’s Castle from the most recent film, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” where visitors have the opportunity to build an arch, learning about the architectural structure and strategy involved in the design. Starting from the ground, visitors place pieces of the arch in their correct positions, complete the structure by placing the keystone at the top, and finally, step back to marvel at the architectural wonder.

· An area highlighting the mythical creatures of Narnia allows visitors to create their own creatures featured in the film. Three stacks of rotating, square blocks stand in 3-, 4- and 6-foot configurations, each level featuring different aspects of a creature – the lower level features creature legs, the center the torsos and the upper level the faces. By rearranging the different levels, visitors can create well-known characters from the Narnia films or mix and match the squares to create new characters.

· In an area of the White Witch’s castle, visitors have the opportunity to see and touch pieces of petrified history. Petrified specimens from around the world are featured in the exhibition, including a 5 million-year-old petrified cave bear tooth from Romania and a 45 million-year-old fish from Frontier, WY.

First published in 1950, more than 100 million copies of “The Chronicles of Narnia” series have been sold in more than 50 languages. The series’ first big-screen adaptation, “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” grossed more than $745 million worldwide. The second installment in the series, “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” was released this past summer and already has grossed more than $410 million.

About Becker Group

Becker Group, a subsidiary of Viad Corp (NYSE:VVI), is an experiential marketing company with more than fifty years of experience creating immersive, entertaining attractions and brand-based experiences for a wide variety of clients and venues including top consumer brands, movie studios, retail centers, television networks, theme parks, museums and casinos. The award-winning company is headquartered in Baltimore, and has operations in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Salt Lake City, Miami, Mexico City, and Sao Paulo, Brazil. For more information about venues for “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Exhibition,” please contact Lisa O’Keefe, director of venue partnerships, at 201-594-0582 or lokeefe@beckergroup.com.

About The Franklin

Founded in honor of America’s first scientist, Benjamin Franklin, The Franklin is a renowned and innovative leader in the field of science and technology learning, as well as a dynamic center of activity. It is dedicated to creating a passion for science by offering new and exciting access to science and technology in ways that would dazzle and delight its namesake. For more information, please visit www.fi.edu.

“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.”

‘THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA: THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE’ BEGINS FILMING; ‘SHREK’s’ ANDREW ADAMSON DIRECTS BELOVED C.S. LEWIS BOOK IN HIS NATIVE NEW ZEALAND

Rupert Everett, Jim Broadbent, Ray Winstone, Dawn French join Tilda Swinton and James McAvoy in a stellar cast

Magical visual effects partnerships with Rhythm & Hues and Sony Imageworks

BURBANK, CA, July 26, 2004 — “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” a spectacular live-action/CGI motion picture adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved literary classic, began principal photography on location in Auckland, New Zealand, on June 28, 2004. The production, a joint venture between the Walt Disney Studios and Walden Media, is the first live-action adaptation of Lewis’ book for the motion picture screen, and represents one of the biggest undertakings ever mounted by both companies.

The film marks the first live-action directorial effort for New Zealander Andrew Adamson (the Oscar(r)-winning “Shrek,” “Shrek 2″), who also co-wrote the screenplay adaptation with Emmy Award-winner Anne Peacock (HBO’s “A Lesson Before Dying”) and scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely (HBO’s “The Life and Death of Peter Sellers”). The film is produced by Academy Award(r)-winning filmmaker Mark Johnson (“Rain Man,” “Bugsy,” “A Little Princess,” “The Notebook”) and is slated for a global release in December, 2005, through the Walt Disney Studios distribution division of Buena Vista Releasing.

Already in the planning and preproduction stages for two years, the project’s towering production schedule of eighteen months encompasses a six-month live-action shoot followed by a yearlong post-production schedule leading to its December, 2005, worldwide release. To bring his dazzling vision to the screen, Adamson has secured the talents of Oscar-nominated cinematographer Donald McAlpine, A.S.C., A.C.S (“Moulin Rouge,” “Peter Pan”), Oscar(r)-nominated production designer Roger Ford (“Babe,” “Peter Pan”), seasoned costume designer Isis Mussenden (“Shrek,” “Shrek 2,” “Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights”), film editors Sim Evan-Jones (“Shrek”) and Jim May (“Van Helsing”) and composer Harry Gregson-Williams (“Shrek,” “Shrek 2,” “Antz”). Industry veteran Philip Steuer (“The Alamo,” “The Rookie”) joins director Adamson as the film’s executive producer.

Inspired by Lewis’ imaginative creations, the story’s human cast will be complemented by a gallery of original and wondrous characters and creatures portrayed onscreen in the combined efforts of live-action and CGI animation under the supervision of visual effects supervisor Dean Wright (“The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King”) and VFX producer Randy Starr. They will collaborate with the movie magicians at two of Hollywood’s VFX giants: Sony Imageworks (“Spider-Man 2″) and Rhythm & Hues (the Academy Award(r)-winning “Babe”), whose dazzling array of computer-generated effects will breed such creatures as the mighty lion king, Aslan; Mr. and Mrs. Beaver, the kindly mammals who accompany the children on their journey; Maugrim, the savage gray wolf who serves as the White Witch’s henchman; and a host of other beasts including minotaurs, centaurs, cyclops, and broods of others not before seen on the motion picture screen.

The film’s creative team also includes four-time Academy Award(r)-winning visualist Richard Taylor (“Lord of the Rings” trilogy, “Heavenly Creatures”) and the wizards from his Weta Workshop, a collective group of artists based in New Zealand who designed and created the visual and makeup effects for all three chapters of Jackson’s landmark movie trilogy. Taylor’s team (who designed the film’s armour and weaponry, with early creature concepts) will team up with veteran movie makeup magicians Howard Berger and Greg Nicotero, partners in the award-winning company of KNB EFX Group, who will manufacture and apply hundreds of special makeup prosthetics for all of the unique and unusual characters in the story.

Acclaimed cast drawn from both international and local New Zealand talent

Starring in the film is acclaimed, award-winning actress Tilda Swinton (“The Deep End,” “Orlando,” “Constantine”) as Jadis, the powerful, evil White Witch. Joining Swinton as the Pevensie children are screen newcomer Georgie Henley as Lucy, the youngest of the quartet and the first to enter the portal to the magical land of Narnia; Skandar Keynes as Edmund, the younger boy who follows Lucy into Narnia, only to fall under the bewitching spell of the White Witch; seasoned British actress Anna Popplewell (“The Girl with A Pearl Earring,” “Mansfield Park”) as Susan, the cautious and practical older sister skeptical about entering the kingdom of Narnia; and, in his motion picture debut, William Moseley (“Goodbye, Mr. Chips”) as Peter, the eldest of the siblings whom the others look to for leadership during their adventurous journey.

Co-starring in the film are Scottish actor James McAvoy (HBO’s “Band of Brothers,” “Wimbledon”) as Mr. Tumnus, the kindhearted faun (half-man, half-goat) who risks his own fate to ensure Lucy’s safety in Narnia; diminutive British talent Kiran Shah (“Lord of the Rings,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark”) who portrays Ginarrbrik, the White Witch’s dwarfish sleigh driver; Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Jim Broadbent (“Iris,” “Moulin Rouge!,” “Gangs of New York,” “Topsy-Turvy”), who appears as Prof. Kirke, whose lavish country home houses the magical wardrobe; and veteran Scottish performer James Cosmo (“Troy,” “Braveheart”) as Father Christmas.

Adamson has also cast several Kiwi performers to portray a variety of human and Narnian creatures in the film, including Judy McIntosh (“Arriving Tuesday,” Ngati”) as the matriarch of the Pevensie family; Elizabeth Hawthorne (“The Frighteners,” “The Tommyknockers”) as Mrs. MacReady, the caretaker of the mansion; Patrick Kake (“Hercules: The Legendary Journeys”) as Oreius, Aslan’s head Centaur; and Shane Rangi (“Lord of the Rings”) as Gen. Otman, the fierce Minotaur and leader of the White Witch’s army.

To bring the story’s magically computer-animated creations to life, Adamson has cast a host of acclaimed performers to lend their vocal talents to the film, including Ray Winstone (“Sexy Beast,” “King Arthur”) as Mr. Beaver; Rupert Everett (“The Madness of King George,” “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” “Shrek 2″) as The Fox, another ally of the children; and veteran British comedienne Dawn French (“The Adventures of Pinocchio,” “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban,” BBC’s “The Vicar of Dibley”) as Mrs. Beaver. Additional casting announcements are forthcoming, including that of Aslan the Lion.

An enchanting, timeless adventure

Lewis’ timeless adventure follows the exploits of the four Pevensie siblings — Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter — in World War II England who enter the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe while playing a game of ‘hide-and-seek’ in the rural country home of an elderly professor. Once there, the children discover a charming, peaceful land inhabited by talking beasts, dwarfs, fauns, centaurs and giants that has become a world cursed to eternal winter by the evil White Witch, Jadis. Under the guidance of a noble and mystical ruler, the lion Aslan, the children fight to overcome the White Witch’s powerful hold over Narnia in a spectacular, climactic battle that will free Narnia from Jadis’ icy spell forever.

“The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” is the first (appearing in 1950) of Lewis’ seven-book “Chronicles of Narnia” series, long regarded as one of literature’s most enduring and imaginative classics. Since its publication between 1950-56, Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia” series, with a long and loyal following, has sold over 85,000,000 books in 29 different languages, making it the second biggest book series (after J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter” tomes) the world over. In addition to the first novel, Lewis wrote six additional books, with one published annually between 1951-56. Those titles include “Prince Caspian,” “The Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader’,” “The Silver Chair,” “The Horse and His Boy,” “The Magician’s Nephew” (the prequel in chronology to the first book) and “The Last Battle.”

“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” will film on both the north and south islands of New Zealand over a five-month period. After almost four months of sound stage work in Auckland, the company will move to the breathtaking locales of Queenstown, Oamaru and the Christchurch area in the nation’s south island before heading to London and the Czech Republic for additional filming. Production will conclude in January, 2005, before Adamson embarks on a yearlong post-production schedule leading to the December, 2005, worldwide release.