Disney’sChronicles of Narniaadaptations ended after just three films, and there are a few reasons why. Written by C.S. Lewis,TheChronicles of Narniabooksare an iconic seven-volume series, regarded as some of the greatest children’s fantasy of all time. They’ve been adapted multiple times, withThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobebeing developed as a TV series in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The ’80s version, which was brought to life for BBC, actually managed to cover the first four novels.
In the 2000s, Walden Media and Walt Disney Pictures obtained the rights to develop film adaptations, which became the definitive versions for many young audiences in the 2000s. The 2005 adaptation of Lewis’s first novel featured Liam Neeson as Aslan, Tilda Swinton as the White Witch, and an excellent cast of young actors to play the Pevensie children. The Disney versions of thebestNarniaadaptations available, but they only made it through three of the books before being discontinued. Now, Netflix is taking a stab at the iconic fantasy franchise withGreta Gerwig’sNarniamovies.
Conflicts Between Disney & Walden Contributed To The Narnia Movies Ending Early
Disney Abandoned The Franchise After Prince Caspian
Disney and Walden’sNarniafranchise got off to a fantastic start withThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobein 2005, which grossed $745 million. At the time,Narniaseemed like a title that could grow to rival the likes ofHarry PotterandThe Lord of the Rings, but the companies almost immediately began to experience issues. The release date for the next film,Prince Caspian, was delayed until the summer of 2008, finding its release just betweenIron ManandIndiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
This Netflix Sequel With 91% On RT Could Be The Solution To Narnia’s Lack Of Theater Release
Netflix has set a precedent for providing theatrical releases for certain movies, and the Narnia remakes could benefit from this past success.
Prince Caspianperformed far below expectations, and Disney immediately withdrewtheir involvement in the series. This left Walden to scramble to find a collaborating distribution company for the third installment, eventually teaming with 20th Century Fox forThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Without Disney, theNarniafranchise struggled to live up to its once-possible potential.
The Chronicles Of Narnia Movies' Box Office Returns Played A Role In The Decision
Each Narnia Movie Declined In Box Office & Critical Acclaim
It’s incredibly difficult to keep the momentum going with a film franchise. In some cases, likeDuneorThe Dark Knighttrilogy, a sequel can overtake the acclaim for the original and result in an increase in box office and cultural acclaim. As for Disney’sNarniaseries,Prince Caspianwas a far less popular follow-up to the first film, and the second and third installments fell short ofThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’sbox office by a significant margin. See the chart below for the box office info and review score for each installment:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
75%
66%
$415 Million
49%
Not only didPrince Caspianhave a lower box office yield, but it also had an increased budget of $225 million, meaning it would’ve, in theory, had to earn about $600 to hit the ideal profit numbers.The Voyage of the Dawn Treaderhad a much lower budget of $145 million, and the resulting effect was a significantly worse movie, with a 49% score on Rotten Tomatoes. While there was certainly a pool of audiences who hoped for a fourth installment, three declining movies over a five-year period didn’t signify a worthy investment for another.
Netflix’s Narnia Remake Is An Opportunity To Adapt C.S. Lewis' Entire Series
Greta Gerwig Could Succeed Where Disney & Walden Failed
WithBarbiedirector Greta Gerwig on board to develop Netflix’s first twoChronicles of Narniamovies, the modern remakes could be the first films to adapt the entire series. Gerwig is undoubtedly the most talented director to be involved with the title, and she could provide C.S. Lewis’s adaptations with a definitive film version, equivalent to what Peter Jackson did forThe Lord of the Rings. If she puts together the right cast and lays the foundation for a complete series,audiences could eventually get to seeThe Last Battleplay out on screen.
Directing a seven-film series is an immense challenge, as they’ll need to maintain popularity over the span of at least fifteen years
Importantly, Greta Gerwig is only on board to direct the first two films, and the state of the franchise after those two is far from determined. Directing a seven-film series is an immense challenge, as they’ll need to maintain popularity over the span of at least fifteen years and find success with multiple filmmakers' differing visions. Not to mention, theChronicles ofNarniabooks don’t keep a consistent cast of characters, so the films wouldn’t be as direct and fluid as theHarry Pottermovies. It’ll be a huge but worthwhile challenge for Netflix.
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narniais a fantasy franchise based on the seven-book series written by C.S. Lewis between 1950 and 1956. The series is set in the magical world of Narnia, where children from our world are transported to fulfill prophecies, battle evil forces, and restore peace under the guidance of Aslan, a mystical lion. The franchise has seen multiple adaptations, including a BBC television series in the late 1980s, three major Hollywood films between 2005 and 2010, and an upcoming reboot by Netflix, which has generated significant anticipation. The franchise is beloved for its rich allegorical storytelling, blending Christian themes with epic fantasy elements.
