The Silver Chair: Your Thoughts on the Possible Film

[Bookwyrm]

I've noticed that lately we've had a ton of threads formed to discuss various issues relating to the possible film adaptation of SC. Director, what people want to see, what they think the important themes are, etc. Unfortunately most of the threads are covering more-or-less the same territory, so there's just a lot of duplication and clutter going on. So now there's this thread for you to discuss all of that in. Heck, you can even get real crazy and talk about the rating and I won't snarl about that subject coming up again.

[MagiciansNephew1]

Well, I'm looking forward to just about everything in this movie, if indeed it gets made. However, I am looking for the underground scenes the most. The "Under Me", seeing the creatures that will wake up at the end of Time, the LOTGK, her castle, and the wall of water that destroys her kingdom will all be fantastic. The scene with Riliian should also be great.

Who do you guys want to be director, and who do you want to see play Jill, Puddleglum, the Emerald Witch, and Rillian?

For me, I don't want Apted back. He doubts the source material. I think that he did a good job with VDT; however, he will make huge changes to the book, even when they are not necessary. David Yates, Andrew Adamson, or hech, even Peter Jackson (as long as he doesn't make it a LOTR rip-off), would be good.

As for the actors/actresses, I have a couple in mind. Granted, all of these will make the budget go up through the roof, and are very unrealistic. But my first choice for Puddleglum is Johnny Depp. I have been hearing he didn't do too well in The Tourist, but this somewhat weird/quirky roll would be perfect for him. For the Emerald Witch, (getting ready for the tomatoes) I would like Natalie Portman. I've been hearing that she was fantastic in her last roll in Black Swan. She just strikes me as being fit for this roll, as she seems like she would be a fantastic enchantress, which the LOTGK is. I have no clue about Rillian or Jill. I would like an up-and-coming, fairly unknown actress for Jill. For Rillian, I would just like someone who can act and bears some resemblance to Ben Barnes.

I'm not really going to go into the ratings, as there is already a thread for that, I will just say that I want it to be a strong PG, as Caspian was.

[Shastafan]

Only until now have I started realizing how much I want to see all 7 books made. SC is a big step for movie makers, especially since only two characters from the last book are back (Eustace and Caspian), and there's a whole new set of characters and a plot to tackle. I really hope that most of the scenes and moments are in it, especially when the three travelers are underground!

For director, I think we need someone new for this one, and whoever that is, I don't know. He needs to understand the core of the book and use that as the base of the changes, and if they must attach SC and VDT together, he has to be able to do this well so that we're satisfied.

As for actors, I can't say I really know who I want for any of them. Whoever plays LotGK must be beautiful and "charming," but she also must know how to be sneaky and villianous. The guy for Rillian should be somewhat new to acting in films, and has to know how to act enchanted, and normal. He also needs to look like a mix between RD and Caspian. I don't know who's able to play Puddleglum, but just like the book, this actor should know how to be pessimistic but wise. The actor of Jill should definitely be unknown or barely known, and should have little or no experience being in films like the Pevensie's actors and Will Poulter. She must have the skills of being a whiner or show-off, but show how Jill changes and how her confidence grows. And (of course) I want to see Will Poulter taking back his role of Eustace, and if they don't even expand his character's arch, I still want him back!

I'm sure I'll say more of what I think as time goes on (and SC is hopefully greenlit), but for now, this is what I think, and I'm crossing my fingers that we'll be lucky enough to see SC and the other books be made into great movies that are good adaptions.

[Tarquin]

But my first choice for Puddleglum is Johnny Depp. I have been hearing he didn't do too well in The Tourist, but this somewhat weird/quirky roll would be perfect for him. For the Emerald Witch, (getting ready for the tomatoes) I would like Natalie Portman. I've been hearing that she was fantastic in her last roll in Black Swan. She just strikes me as being fit for this roll, as she seems like she would be a fantastic enchantress, which the LOTGK

I actually love your choices for both Puddleglum and LOTGK. This would also add some star power to the films. Yes it would be more expensive, but Johnny Depp always proves to be a draw when he plays more eccentric character roles. Natalie Portman is an excellent actress, and very beautiful. So she fits perfectly. I believe Johnny Depp, however, would be the best investment because he could make up for his large salary with a good boxoffice drawing power. Now I know some people are going to hate this, but I honestly believe that they need to add some action sequences to this film. For it to appeal to non fans they need something to keep things going. Nothing drastic. For instance I could see the scene in the book when the giants are throwing the stones. Turn that into the giants chasing them and throwing stones. It's not true to the book, but it is a minor change that adds an exciting chase sequence. Also, when the meet the LOTGK soldiers maybe have a fighting scene before they are overpowered. Finally they could draw out the scene a little longer when the LOTGK turns into a Serpent. They could also show a distance shot of all the the LOTGK troops amassing to invade. Show thousands of them lining up in rank. That would actually be true to the book and be a visual they might choose to leave out. Overall the source material makes the best story. I don't want to see whole subplots added. I didn't mind it when they added the fights in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Or switched around the order of the events. The subplot, however, that they added I was not pleased with. So as long as they just flush out, and add minor scenes I think we will have a great movie.

[stateofgreen]

I really hope now that Apted doesn't return. I was watching bits of LWW yesterday and remember all Andrew did to get the directing job for that film. If he writes up a treatment for SC and contributes to the script it would be far better than anything Mr. Apted can contribute. If one thinks about it PC was really better than VDT plotwise except for a few lapses. I can't help thinking what would have happened had Disney not dropped VDT and Andrew directed and contributed to VDT's script.

[Clive Staples Sibelius]

My thread...my beautiful, beautiful thread . Destroyed.

Well, I'm looking forward to just about everything in this movie, if indeed it gets made. However, I am looking for the underground scenes the most. The "Under Me", seeing the creatures that will wake up at the end of Time, the LOTGK, her castle, and the wall of water that destroys her kingdom will all be fantastic. The scene with Riliian should also be great.

Agreed. I would love to see those scenes on film. The realization of what Under Me means, and the flight from the giants.

For me, I don't want Apted back. He doubts the source material.

AGREED! He made VDT in his own image, his "aptedation."

As for the actors/actresses, I have a couple in mind. Granted, all of these will make the budget go up through the roof, and are very unrealistic. But my first choice for Puddleglum is Johnny Depp.

. See, I was with you up until this point. Yes, commercially having Johnny Depp play Puddleglum would be a good idea. Artistically, it would be a disaster. Think about it: what does Johnny Depp do with all his quirky roles? He infuses them with jumpiness and quirk-a-dilloes. Is Puddleglum really a quirky character only because he is funny in the way that he expresses "glum"-ness?

Secondly, Johnny Depp is too young and has too much of a square jaw. He isn't "droopy" enough. Google images of Johnny Depp. I think Jack Sparrow has influenced peoples' idea of what Puddleglum should be too much, and I must stop in front of this train and say: NO.

Much better, in terms of looks (not to mention talent) is Rupert Everett. I can already anticipate objections to him, but first of all, look him up on google images as well. Here: http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... CDsQ9QEwBA

Compare that to this:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... CFsQ9QEwBw

Now, the objections to Everett. He's played in the Narnia films already, as the voice of the Fox in LWW. I don't see this as an obstacle in the least. We only heard his voice in LWW. In playing Puddleglum his accent would be changed considerably. The other thing is his voice: again, I think people rely too much on the 'idea' of an actor more than what the actor can actually do. Just because he voiced Prince Charming in Shrek 2 doesn't mean that he actually looks like his character. And as I said before, accents can be changed. British actors are particularly good at that, especially when it's imitating a particular accent of the United Kingdom.

Not only does Rupert Everett look more like Puddleglum, but there's no danger of anyone saying: "oh look, they're copying from Jack Sparrow because Johnny Depp is playing this quirky, funny guy that we are supposed to laugh at." Bad. Malo.

I would like Natalie Portman. I've been hearing that she was fantastic in her last roll in Black Swan. She just strikes me as being fit for this roll, as she seems like she would be a fantastic enchantress, which the LOTGK is.

Agreed about the enchantress part...but Natalie Portman?! If anything, I have even more problems with this than with Johnny Depp playing Puddleglum! She's too young. She has too much of naturally-honeyed voice that booms "I'm still a kid." Too immature. The thing about the LotGK for me is that she's a fully matured woman who is stunningly beautiful. As such, she must be able to have presence and be dignified. I liked someone's suggestion earlier that Helen McRory might play the LotGK. She plays Narcissa Malfoy in the HP series, and does a magnificent job. She's both beautiful and dignified. At the very least, Helena Bonham Carter, if she wasn't hamming it up, would be a decent LotGK.

[Josh]

My dream cast:
Puddleglum: Johnny Depp
The Lady of the Green Kirtle: Gemma Arterton
Prince Rillian: Ian Somerhalder
Jill: Unknown.

Dream rating: Whatever stays closest to the book. If that means PG-13, so be it. I don't want them to water down the final fight witht he snake. Or the very powerful scene in the end where Caspian is ressurected with Aslan's blood.

Dream Director: Tim Burton or Guillemero Del Toro.

Dream Composer/Score Guy- James Horner

Dream Budget: 200 million

Dream Gross Revenue: 895 million dollars.

[adamie]

I haven't seen the movie yet, but we should stop blaming Apted for the changes they made. He did not write the script after all, he just made a movie out of the script.

[Liberty Hoffman]

I hope so much to see SC get made! I love the changes thus far, so if there are changes in SC I would not mind!
*ducks to avoid rotten tomatoes*

[Clive Staples Sibelius]

I don't like making this into a game, but *grumble grumble*....following Josh's format:

Dreamcast
Puddleglum: Rupert Everett
Lady of the Green Kirtle: Helen McRory (best idea so far)
Rilian and Jill: too early to choose

Director: Kenneth Branagh, or go back to Andrew Adamson
Composer: either Harry Gregson-Williams, or Nicholas Hooper
Rating: They can get away with a mild PG-13.
Dream Budget: 200 Million, but they could easily get away with less and still make a great movie.
Release Date: Christmas 2012

One scene/element they are allowed to cut out: hmm. The Bism sequence, at the very least. Though even there I would hate to see it cut.

What they must NOT cut under any circumstances: Caspian coming alive out of the stream.

[FriendofNarnia2]

My dream cast:
Puddleglum: Johnny Depp

Dream Director: Tim Burton or Guillemero Del Toro.

Johnny Depp needs to be saved to play the role of Uncle Andrew (not that I think Depp will ever appear in a Narnia film.)

And please no Tim Burton or Del Toro. Burton is just too weird, and honestly doesn't make that good of films (IMO), and Del Toro is too dark, (all they you may be able to more easily convince me that he would make a good director).

[Clive Staples Sibelius]

Johnny Depp needs to be saved to play the role of Uncle Andrew (not that I think Depp will ever appear in a Narnia film.).

I must stand in front of this train and yell NO!


Eleventh Commandment: Thou Shalt Not Cast Johnny Depp in ANY Narnia film WHATSOEVER, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, under pain of sin!

[Lucy of Narnia]

For the Emerald Witch, (getting ready for the tomatoes) I would like Natalie Portman.

Wow, never would have though of her but...fantastic! I think that she could do it! She's young enough for Rillian to fall for her beauty, and sweet enough that he could be tricked. But I bet she could change for the worse when the witch is angry! That would be so cool!

*ducks tomatoes as well*

Only thing against her is she's known. I just prefer unknowns (at least, unknown to me ) so that I can really believe in the character, and not be like "Look! It's Padme!" Still, she'd be excellent. I could get over it.

Jill now...she HAS to be unknown!!!

[MagiciansNephew1]

OK, as the game Josh created goes, here are my dream predictions:

Puddleglum: Johnny Depp
LOTGK: Natalie Portman
Rillian: Unknown
Jill: Very Unknown

Rating: PG-13 for Fantasy Violence and some disturbing images.

Release Date: Not Christmas 2012, because that is probably when The Hobbit will open. But then again, 2011 is too soon and 2013 is WAY too far away, so because these are just my dreams, Christmas 2011.

Director: Andrew Adamson, David Yates, Peter Jackson, Christopher Nolan

Budget: $150 M
DOM Gross: $292 M
WW Gross: $1 B

[_GREEN_]

Dream Cast
LOTGK- Angie Harmon, she is mature, maybe a little too old for the part, but from watching her in the Glass House, she can be brutely evil
Puddleglum- I like the idea of Rupert Everett
Jill- I don't know, maybe someone like Abigail Breslin?
Rilian- don't know about this one either, depends on what age he should be, even though he is to be mid 20's I still think of a young prince maybe 18-23ish

Scenes
Definently the scene with prince caspian at the end
I think they could add to the underground scenes, espcially where the kids are running from the giants at the ruined city.
They could play out the scene with the prince being enchanted, that would make a good trailer, and the fight with the witch

I think they should stick to relatively low key actors, I think that is what made the other movies magical was that the stars weren't the center of the movie, Narnia was.

[MagiciansNephew1]

Clive Staples Sibelius, I really don't think that Johnny Depp would be bad at all. He might put his own little spin on things, but those are normally for the better. If he is too young, just make him look older with a little makeup. I think that Puddleglum will already be part CGI anyways, so he could also be made a little more droopy. He's been fantastic in everything I've seen him in, taking into account that I haven't seen The Tourist, and probably never will. He truly is a fantastic actor, and he would bring in bucks.

Same with Portman. The only thing that I have seen where she wasn't great was in Star Wars. And don't get me started about the dialogue she was given. She's not that young, as she is 29 already, and would be at least 30 by the time filming was started. Her voice isn't necessarily young-sounding, just soft and sweet, which is perfect for an enchantress. But after hearing about how good she was in Black Swan, I'm almost certain that she could pull off being evil when Puddleglum stops her.

However, I wouldn't mind if these people weren't cast as these parts, as there are many other good actors/actresses out there.