The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (film)

The sequel to the Disney and Walden media films of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is due to be released to theaters December 2010, filming is due to start in May 2009. Michael Apted will be directing, and Andrew Adamson has returned as one of the producers.

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be a fantasy film based on The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, the Fifth published novel in C. S. Lewis' children's fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia. The third film in Walt Disney Pictures' and Walden Media's Chronicles of Narnia film series. On December 24, 2008, it was announced Disney would not go through with the film due to budget problems.

Plot
Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace, where they encounter King Caspian aboard the royal ship Dawn Treader. They join him on a quest across the eastern sea for the Seven lost Lords of Narnia; along the way, they encounter delights, dangers, and transformations before reaching the edge of the world and Aslan's country.

Returning Cast

 * Ben Barnes - Caspian X
 * Georgie Henley - Lucy Pevensie
 * Skandar Keynes - Edmund Pevensie
 * Liam Neeson - Voice of Aslan
 * Eddie Izzard - Voice of Reepicheep

New Cast

 * Will Poulter - Eustace Scrubb

Production
Michael Apted was announced as director on April 17, 2007; Andrew Adamson, director of the series' first two films, and Mark Johnson are slated as co-producers. Apted grew up reading the Narnia novels. Bob Beltz of Walden Media said the production company deliberately set up a fast-paced, staggered shooting schedule for the Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair films "in a way that it won't have to be two and a half years between them. We'll be able to bring them out sequentially a year apart". Michael Apted described taking over direction of the series as easy, "What’s fascinating about this particular franchise is how different all the stories are... there’s no element of Narnia in it at all. This is a journey that Caspian the Tenth is making into the islands, outside to the east of Narnia. So it’s interesting, it’s a whole different tone to the other things".

Production designer Roger Ford was replaced by Jan Roelfs. The owners of an AUD 2.1 million 40 metre by 30 metre by 5 metre water tank at Warner Roadshow Studios in Queensland are negotiating with the production company, in the hope that The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will be filmed there. Filming will began in May 2009.

Due to Prince Caspian (Disney movie) grossing less than expected, Disney wanted a $100 million budget. However, Walden Media wanted a $140 million budget. On December 24, 2008, Disney chose not to go through with the much anticipated movie. On January 28, 2009, Fox 2000 decided to pick up the franchise, joining Walden Media for the production.