How old should the other "kids" be?

[Valiant_Lucy]

Teenagers, like in the movies. I've always actually DISLIKED the ages of the kids in the books. Sure, it's fun, and charming, but realisticly, even with the extra "power" they get from being in Narnia, a kid is a kid, and they're not going to be able to fight, or anything at age 12 before they've even physically matured. So I was happy that LWW upped the ages a bit.

Plus, older kids (teenagers) makes for a wider audience. I think that if I movie were with much younger kids, it would be more of the younger kids, preteens, grandparents who would be into it. And I think that if they did the movie like they did, with younger kids, you'd be watching Peter fight the White Witch rather disbelieveingly.

Anyway, Will Poulter is in his later teens, so I'd assume the actress who plays Jill will be the same age. Aravis and Shasta should *Definetly* be older teens (17-ish), because I think their story will be more mature, and there might be hints of romance which would look silly if the kids were merely 14. Plus, Aravis was going to be married off, and even if for Calormen that was perfectly normal, I think audiences would fine it more believable and relateable if she was slightly older, like around 17, maybe like Susan in the PC film.

The only "kids" I could see actually being played as kids, would be Polly and Digory. I think that having them older would kind of take away from some of the charm of the story...like it would have if Lucy in LWW-movie had been 13 or as old as Georgie in the PC film. I think keeping Polly and Digory looking about 13-14 would suit the story visually much better then if they were 16-17.

So there's my $0.02

[CharlotteRose]

@ Valient Lucy
I totally agree with you! A higher character age would deffinatly improve the audience age range. Plus you are right about the HHB Romance...
And having a 12 year old Jill next to an 18-20 (Depending on when if/when SC is made) Would just look rediculus!
For Polly and diggory, Polly seems about 23-13 while Diggory seems about 14-15 IMO, so yeah...

[Aslans Country]

For Polly and Digory, they're definitely kids - around 11 or 12 in my mind. They behave like kids, and the story works because they are. I really can't see teenagers exploring parts of their houses, just because. It would be an different story if they were teens. Since this is one where they don't have problems with the actors aging, they should just go with the kids.

Shasta and Aravis, on the other hand.. I'm going back and forth on this. It would be.. interesting, if they were made older teenagers, and it would certainly make some aspects of the story more believable. On the other hand, I always pictured them at around 12 or 13, Aravis a bit older than Shasta.

For Jill.. well, we all know that's an issue. Just make her look around the same age as Eustace, and I'm happy with it.

[Anfinwen]

Just an idea, maybe the children should start out the about a year older than in the books and then sort of grow up during the movie. In LWW I'm always struck by how young Lucy looks in the goodbye scene, but by the coronation she looks and acts much older. So, start out just like the books, then add more makeup to make the kids look a little older, a slightly more grownup hair style, and gradually add older clothes.

[Liberty Hoffman]

I actually like the way they have been casting the kids older in the films! maybe it's because I'm older myself, but it's just right to me somehow!

[juniperberry]

I think that the actor that plays Jill should be around 15 or 16 which may help give Eustace an edge, maybe make him look stronger and larger then her, as boys generally are.

[daughter of the King]

I voted other. Jill has to be a teenager because Will Poulter is a teenager. Shasta and Aravis being teenagers would also work, as long as they weren't too old. I think somewhere around 14-15 rather than 16+.

However, Polly and Digory need to be kids. And I mean kids. I don't think the story will work as well if they're over ten. If they were older, I would have a hard time taking them seriously, especially the parts in England before they get to Narnia.