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Production
Blog # 3 - May 4th: Adapting Caspian
ADAPTING
CASPIAN
BY
CHRISTOPHER MARKUS & STEPHEN MCFEELY (CO-SCREENWRITERS)
 It's rare for a screenwriter to have the
opportunity to deal with
characters in more than one movie. Actually, let's rephrase that --
it's rare for a screenwriter to have the opportunity to deal with
characters in even one movie. The odds against a story making it from
screen to camera to multiplex are wildly high. The odds against making
that trip two or even three times are frankly just silly. But that's
where we find ourselves, in an uncommon position and feeling very lucky
to be here.
And that's where again? Oh, yes. Narnia. But hardly the same Narnia the
Pevensies left at the end of the last film. Thirteen-hundred years have
passed, and they haven't necessarily been pleasant. Prince Caspian sets
us down in a torn and troubled land where new villains stalk the
battlefield and entire races find themselves on the brink of extinction.
As writers, the biggest challenge we faced was connecting the
Pevensies' story to that of Prince Caspian. In C. S. Lewis' book,
they're essentially two separate narratives which only come together
near the end. While this is perfectly entertaining to read, it makes
for a strangely structured movie where your favorite characters are
absent for long stretches at a time.
Consequently, we decided to weave the two plots together early,
bringing the Pevensies into Narnia near the start and giving them a
greater role in Caspian's journey. This not only helped on a structural
level, it also allowed us to take advantage of the alliances and
antagonisms that would evolve when we tossed three kings and two queens
together into the same room -- or underground chamber, as the case may
be.
Another intriguing thing for us in revisiting these characters has been
exploring the effects their experiences in the first film might've had
on them. It's an area Lewis leaves mostly untouched. He memorably
examines what it would be like for a 1940's schoolkid to become King of
Narnia. However, he doesn't much consider what it would be like for a
King of Narnia to return to being a 1940's schoolkid.
That year back in London must have been awkward at best. Imagine going
from giving orders...to taking them. From fighting wars and throwing
royal balls...to doing homework. Given their different personalities,
each Pevensie handles the situation with varying levels of success.
Some are resigned, others frustrated, and their sudden return to Narnia
should push different buttons in each.
Those are just a few of the things on our mind as we wind down the
writing end of things on this film. What's next? It's hard to say. Who
can know the future? Perhaps a nice, long ocean voyage...
[ Read the rest of this article at Narnia.com
]
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Narnia
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
The
Chronicles of Narnia - Prince Caspian
The
Chronicles of Narnia - LWW
