[davem]

Another take here http://www.joblo.com/cmon-hollywood-189

But the real question is what does this mean for the next Narnia film and THE HOBBIT? I think Narnia will get picked up by another studio and I think the next film will make even less than PRINCE CASPIAN. The Christian audience that Disney was banking on didn’t show up in droves like they were expecting and there’s no reason to expect they’ll show up for the sequel. As for THE HOBBIT…I have no idea. Personally, I’m not looking forward to it, but you (the fanboys/Schmoes) will ultimately decide its fate.

Interesting point that - & gives the lie to the idea that it was the boycott organised by the churches that did for Golden Compass - the 'Christian' fantasy fared no better than the 'athiestic' fantasy, & both franchises seem to have reached their end. Nope - it seems that its fantasy per se which is out of favour, whatever its philosophical underpinnings. Now, as to the TH movie & sequel, it looks like it will stand or fall by its link to the LotR movies - it will not, by the looks of things be attractive in its own right as a 'fantasy' film, because fantasy films are no longer what audiences want. Mr U has pointed up some fantasy movies in the pipeline http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showpos...&postcount=215

There are still fantasy projects being developed. I can think of two big script sales within the past six months or so -- Galahad and Round Table -- and there are projects like Clash of the Titans and a Dragonheart sequel that are moving down the tracks. They're still trying to reboot Conan, and I've seen a pilot script for a cable series version of George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series. I think what's feeling the squeeze are these megabudget tentpole fantasy films.

Now, they (& the Elfstones of Shannara movie, which is currently being put together) could all be brilliant, & revive the genre - or they could all be terrible, & turn off the average movie goer still further from fantasy. My sense is that Warner will try & avoid selling TH as a 'fantasy movie' & go for 'prequel to LotR' - so, they will want cameos (& probably much more) from as many LotR characters as possible. They will also want to get some female characters in there - & finally, as I said, they will want the first movie to be popular enough to get the audiences back in for the sequel.

TH is being looked at to do the same business as each of the LotR movies - as with Prince Caspian a moderate, or even a 'decent' profit will not be enough to guarantee the second movie being released - even if they complete principal photography on it the cost of completing it, adding the effects, music, all the post-production stuff, not to mention the marketing/publicity, will make them think twice if TH doesn't blow the Box Office apart. Let's face it, when the battle was begun to get TH made, when the go ahead was given & things began to get underway, fantasy was the genre to be involved in & TH was the Jewel in the Crown. Now it looks like fantasy is about as popular as the Western - & how many studios would be looking to put up $200+ million on a cowboy pic at the moment?