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November 26, 2005 - December 07, 2005

News for Dec. 07, 2005

Box-office beasts of burden?

12/07/05, 7:51 pm EST - Xoanon

LOS ANGELES — With roughly three weeks left in Hollywood's mediocre movie year, it's up to a lion and an ape to save the day. Studio executives will be looking to The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which opens Friday, and King Kong, which swings onto screens Dec. 14, to help erase the half-billion-dollar deficit between last year's ticket sales and this year's. And though it's unlikely that the animals will muster that much magic at the box office, they could get moviegoers excited again about coming to theaters and propel the industry to a strong start next year. [More]

Nation builds on hobbits' momentum

12/07/05, 7:49 pm EST - Xoanon

It's a snowbound land, full of mythical creatures, that is entered through the back of a wardrobe. But for New Zealand, Narnia is a lot more than just the setting for a new Hollywood movie. It's the chance to generate another big series of movies to follow the phenomenon that was The Lord of the Rings. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, based on a classic children's novel by C. S. Lewis, has been made by the director Andrew Adamson (who also made Shrek and Shrek 2) on a reported budget of $US150 million ($200 million). It centres on four children who accidently enter Narnia then join a battle between an evil witch and a god-like lion. [More]

Narnia Interviews on About.com

12/07/05, 7:42 pm EST - Xoanon

Fred Topel from About.com writes: I thought you might be interested in my Narnia movie interviews for the Narnia site.

Andrew Adamson [Interview]

James McAvoy and Tilda Swinton [Interview]

The Boys [Interview]

The Girls [Interview]

Is this 'Narnia' true?

12/07/05, 7:39 pm EST - Xoanon

A beloved children's book, a Christian apologist, a "Lord of the Rings"-scale fantasy ... and Disney? It could only mean "Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" — the feature-film version of C.S. Lewis' story by the same name — is about to unfold on scores of movie screens near you. [More]

Britain's Prince Charles at 'Narnia' world premiere

12/07/05, 7:27 pm EST - Xoanon

LONDON (AFP) - Stars gathered in London for the world premiere of "The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe", one of the most eagerly anticipated films since "Harry Potter" or "The Lord of the Rings". The grandiose surroundings of the Royal Albert Hall in west London were transformed for the occasion into a giant ice palace to reflect Narnia, author C.S. Lewis's imagined snow-covered world of good and evil. The film recounts the classic tale of four siblings evacuated from London during World War II who discover the secret world through a wardrobe while playing hide-and-seek in a rambling country house. Wednesday's performance was being shown in front of guests of honour, Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, to raise money for trade charity the Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund. [More]

Narnia film premieres, aims to match Potter, Rings

12/07/05, 7:26 pm EST - Xoanon

LONDON (Reuters) - Move over Pottermaniacs. Here come the Narniacs. In the battle of the fantasy film franchise, Disney's first Narnia installment aims to match the huge success of the four Harry Potter movies and the Lord of the Rings trilogy. "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" gets its royal world premiere at the Albert Hall in London on Wednesday, with Britain's Prince Charles and his wife Camilla among those expected to grace the red carpet. No expense has been spared in one of the hottest box office battles in recent years. With an estimated production and marketing budget of $250 million, the first Narnia film is a must-win movie for the loss-making Disney Studios, and paves the way for up to six more films based on C.S. Lewis' seven-book series. A second film, based on "Prince Caspian," is expected to hit theatres as early as the summer of 2008. [More]

News for Dec. 06, 2005

NZ Post Talks Lions, Witches & The Wardrobe!

12/06/05, 10:17 pm EST - Xoanon

Sophie writes: As you will be aware, the much awaited retelling of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe is due for release this coming December. To celebrate this event, New Zealand Post is bringing out an exciting range of collectable memorabilia that will take you on the set with the cast of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. These will include a range of stamp and coin products, similar to those produced to celebrate the release of each of the movies in The Lord of the Rings trilogy and King Kong. You can read more about the range of The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe collectables from New Zealand Post by visiting our website. [More]

Narnia Podcast

12/06/05, 7:58 pm EST - Xoanon

The folks from Wired UK write: If any of your readers are interested in Narnia then we’ve just finished making a free podcast for movie so we thought we’d let you know about it. It’s available on iTunes right now and contains exclusive scenes, interviews and music. You can even download the trailer to your video iPod if you are flashy enough to have one.

Tomorrow (Wednesday Dec 7th) were going down to the Royal Albert Hall for the World Premiere so expect another podcast episode on Thursday with news from the stars and more exclusive material.

Give me a ring if there’s anything more you want to know – you can even have the podcast MP3 file for your site if you like. The podcasts are on iTunes (“Narnia Official Movie Preview”) or can be downloaded directly from here.

Narnia Music Press Release

12/06/05, 7:53 pm EST - Xoanon

Narnia Soundtrack CD Cover Walt Disney Records will release two versions of the soundtrack for Walt Disney Pictures/Walden Media’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe on December 13, 2005. The first is the Original Soundtrack, featuring score composed by Harry Gregson-Williams and songs performed by Alanis Morrissette, Imogen Heap, Tim Finn and Lisbeth Scott. The other is the 2-disc Special Edition Soundtrack, which includes a Special Edition CD, containing the original soundtrack plus a 40-page souvenir booklet, and DVD. [More]

Oscars That Way!

12/06/05, 6:49 pm EST - Xoanon

Tom Scott Cartoon Ataahua writes: Cartoonist Tom Scott comments on the prospects of three New Zealand films: King Kong, The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe, and motorcycle movie The World’s Fastest Indian. [More]

The Bottom Lion from Narnia

12/06/05, 6:19 pm EST - Xoanon

It's a tale of good vs. evil. Lion vs. Witch. Minotaur vs. Marsh-wiggle. The long-awaited screen adaptation of the cherished fairy tale "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" (the first of seven books in author C.S. Lewis' "The Chronicles of Narnia") finally hits theaters on Friday. In short: The four Pevensie children find a magical wardrobe that leads to a parallel universe and a land called Narnia, with an evil White Witch (played by Tilda Swinton) and talking animals, one of which is a magnificent lion, Aslan (voice by Liam Neeson). [More]

News for Dec. 03, 2005

Will this 'Lion' roar?

12/03/05, 10:54 am EST - Xoanon

Director Andrew Adamson could have been negotiating a story point for "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" with the estate of author C.S. Lewis. He could have been fretting over fauns, goblins, unicorns, satyrs, ogres, sprites, centaurs and dryads. Or over the four actors so young the littlest member still sucks her thumb. Or over the crew of nearly 800, or the $180-million budget or some 1,700 special effects shots. [More]

News for Nov. 30, 2005

Narnia Gets McAvoy's Goat

11/30/05, 5:43 pm EST - Xoanon

James McAvoy, who plays the half-human, half-goat Mr. Tumnus in the upcoming fantasy film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, told SCI FI Wire that the character's goat-like leg was realized with computer imagery, but he still needed to get around on set as if he had a human torso and a large, single goat leg. In the film, Mr. Tumnus befriends, betrays and then helps Lucy Pevensie (Georgie Henley), a young girl who's stepped through a wardrobe into the mysterious land of Narnia. [More]

A Star is Born Aged 10

11/30/05, 5:41 pm EST - Xoanon

Georgie Henley has to be the envy of every budding actress in Britain. The 10-year-old has left her ordinary schoolgirl life behind to take a lead role in the epic new movie of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe. And considering her most challenging roles to date have been on stage as a monster and a Morris dancer, the starlet is taking the transition in her stride. She admitted: "I don't want to sound selfish or anything, but I kind of like being in the spotlight. It's nice to be noticed." [More]

Dawn French tells why she took Narnia role

11/30/05, 5:27 pm EST - Xoanon

Dawn French has starred in two of the most famous children's films of recent years . . . but refuses to pick her favourite. The roly-poly star appeared in Harry Potter And ThePrisoner Of Azkaban as the Fat Lady in Painting and next week is the voice of Mrs Beaver in The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. But Dawn,mum of 14-year-old Billie, said: "Speaking as a parent, I would have to say hurray for having two fantastic films like Harry Potter and Narnia to be taking kids to. I don't think there's anything more to say about it. [More]

The Chronicles of Narnia

11/30/05, 5:24 pm EST - Xoanon

Another epic fantasy movie is coming to the theatres: “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe.” It is an ambitious movie by Disney that cost about $150 million, and is based on the famous novel written in 1950 by C. S. Lewis of the same title. It is also the motion-picture debut for Andrew Adamson, who directed “Shrek” and its sequel. It will open in theatres on December 29, and is rated G. [More]

Adamson hopes fans enjoy intimate Narnia moments

11/30/05, 5:23 pm EST - Xoanon

It may be an epic fantasy full of sophisticated visual effects, but Andrew Adamson hopes viewers enjoy the intimate moments in The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe as much as the effects-laden ones. New Zealand filmmaker Adamson, the man behind the hugely popular Shrek movies, was yesterday promoting what is hoped to be the first of several movies based on C S Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia books in Auckland, where much of the film was shot. But though modern computer technology has enabled him to create quite realistic talking lions, wolves and beavers, Adamson says the story is just as much about the human journey of the four Pevensie children. [More]

NZ filmmakers generate a tourism boom

11/30/05, 5:21 pm EST - Xoanon

It is a snowbound land full of mythical creatures, and is visited through the back of a wardrobe. But, for New Zealand, Narnia is a lot more than just the setting for a huge Hollywood movie this Christmas. It is the chance to generate another big series of movies - a "franchise" in industry terms - to follow the phenomenon that was the Lord of the Rings trilogy. [More]

Close Up: Andrew Adamson interviewed

11/30/05, 11:33 am EST - Xoanon

It would be fair to say that the New Zealand film industry is home to some of the most imaginative minds in the business. This Christmas the international box office belongs to not one but two New Zealand directors. Peter Jackson's lifelong dream comes to fruition next week when King Kong premieres in New York. While Andrew Adamson shares the last four years of his life with the release of that magical C.S. Lewis classic, The Chronicles of Narnia - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. [More]

News for Nov. 28, 2005

9 Minutes of LWW Online!

11/28/05, 10:08 pm EST - Xoanon

Tom writes: This may not be LOTR but hey it's WETA and it looks pretty darn good. This clip was just released today online but was apparently released on Starz earlier. There is also a Minotaur doing a very good impersonation of a certain Orc at Helms Deep. Spoilers!! [More]

News for Nov. 27, 2005

LWW Screening at Saddleback Church

11/27/05, 10:34 am EST - Xoanon

Mignon writes: For folks who have been having problems getting tickets for the December 8th advance screening of LWW in Orange County, California (I’ve been trying to get tickets through Barna/Disney for 3 months)…..there is a solution. Saddleback Church has arranged private screenings December 8th at 5:00 and 8:00 pm (20,000 seats). They had no idea their arrangements would preclude the 6:45 screenings…..They are more than willing to share and have plenty of tickets available!!! E-mail TooMignon@socal.rr.com for more info.

News for Nov. 26, 2005

'Narnia' seen as chance to fill churches

11/26/05, 10:19 am EST - Xoanon

LONDON (Reuters) - For Christian church leaders across Britain, Disney's "Narnia" blockbuster film could be the ideal way to pack the pews. Evangelical publishers have sent out special packs to churches, Methodists prepared themed sermons and one Anglican church is giving out free tickets to single parents for "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe." For Walt Disney Co. the film based on the C.S. Lewis classic offers a chance to recover at the box office after its latest quarterly losses. [More]

Americans sniffing around Weta Digital animators

11/26/05, 10:15 am EST - Xoanon

Some giant American studios are trying to fill a shortage of movie animators by poaching from New Zealand special effects companies, including Weta Digital. The commercial success of New Zealand director Adam Adamson's Shrek movies, and other animated features such as Finding Nemo has created huge demand for staff skilled at computer graphics. Recruiters at Glendale-based DreamWorks Animation - which produced the Shrek films - recently returned from a trip to New Zealand to woo workers away from Weta Digital, the computer effects operation co-owned by director Peter Jackson, the Los Angeles Times reports. [More]

Will Narnia cause mania?

11/26/05, 9:59 am EST - Xoanon

The Chronicles of Narnia almost became a modern-day American tale set in Brentwood, California – until a certain Harry Potter came along and made Britishness cool. The much-anticipated movie will open nationwide on Dec 8. The Narnia stories, beloved of British, Australian, and to a lesser extent, Malaysian children, are finally coming to the big screen. The only prior adaptations having been made-for-TV movies, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe promises to be a full-blown, CGI-driven spectacle. Based on C.S. Lewis’ books, Narnia is about four London children who are sent away to a country home during World War II. There they find a magic wardrobe which leads to a mystical land called Narnia, where animals talk and Aslan, the Lion God rules. [More]

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