Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Prince Caspian News

Last January I mentioned that Andrew Adamson would be following up the Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe with another book from the Narnia series, Prince Caspian.

There was a number of reasons this book was chosen as the follow up. First, because this book contains the Pevensie children (Lucy, Edmond, Susan & Peter) and so if the series was to have the same actors they needed to make the film versions with these actors as soon as possible.

Secondly, the Prince Caspian story is less controversial than the book "A Horse and his Boy" which traditionally follows the Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. No, it's not controversial for the same reason's of Equus, it is controversial because of the potential of being interpreted as an anti-Muslim film.

Andrew Adamson, director of the first Narnia film as well as the first two Shrek films, has recently begun releasing names of people who will join the cast.

The most important name for this second release is Ben Barnes (right), who has been announced as the new Prince Caspian. Barnes who is 25, will actually be playing the part of a 13 year old in this first film. Barnes, who has recently been "playing young" will be leaving his role as a character in the London stage version of The History Boys, he also appears in this years fantasy film Stardust.

Also of interest, Peter Dinklage (of one of my favorite films, The Station Agent, pictured left) has been cast in this film playing the role of Trumpkin the Dwarf.

Other cast announcemnets include Vincent Grass as doctor Cornelius and Spanish actress Alicia Borrachero as Prunaprismia, the wife of Narnia's evil king.

ALSO...Andrew Adamson appears will not be directing the entire franchise, as filming of the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will begin filming before Prince Caspian is in the can. (source)

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm happy to see another Narnia movie on the horizon. I only hope that it's a little 'darker' than the first.

Grete said...

I actually saw a screening of Stardust a few weeks ago... It was unfinished (and slightly odd overall - I'd be interested to know what changes they'll make), but for the brief time that Ben Barnes was onscreen, he did a very good job. (Robert DeNiro by far steals the show in Stardust however - He plays an effeminate pirate!)

Richard McElroy said...

I appreciate you bringing this subject to light, and I understand the controversy you are highlighting, but I need to point out one thing. Prince Caspian really is the second book. Traditionally it was what Lewis wrote second, and only recently was the series reordered in chronological order (in which The Magician's Nephew should really have been first). I like Lewis' ordering, so I'm perfectly happy with this being released next. Although I'd be okay with any of them because I love all of them so much.

crackers and cheese said...

I'm with Richard on this one - I'm quite a purist on reading them in the original order. Plus, though the Horse and His Boy is one of my favorite's, if they are only going to make 5 films (which I read once), that would be one of the ones that would be very easy to cut. Plus, as a film, it would make an odd sequel, leaving viewers who had never read the series wondering where all the characters went.

Marina, if you read the source article, Adamson does say that this film will be darker. I imagine there probably will be elaborate battle scenes.

Scott Roche said...

I'm looking forward to this. Darker or not though I hope it's a little less...flat.

Anonymous said...

I just saw The Station Agent recently for the first time. I gave it 5 stars on Netflix. I just absolutely loved it and I'm recommending it to everyone.