Gresham Addresses The Silver Chair Release Date Rumor

The confidence in William Moseley’s voice as he proclaimed The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair would be filmed this autumn and release in late 2018 caused quite a stir. Co-Producer Douglas Gresham (stepson of C.S. Lewis) sent NarniaWeb a response:

“That is certainly what I hope to achieve. With movies you never know but I would very much like to have this be the case.”

This lines up with the previous update we received from Gresham. But apparently nothing is official yet. Here is what we do know about The Silver Chair.

Check back here on Monday for a podcast discussion on the future of the series.

Note: This is not an April fool.

45 Responses

  1. FilmReel says:

    I still think this is an April fools joke!

  2. Glumpuddle says:

    Promise it’s not. (It’d be a pretty lame one of it was)

  3. FilmReel says:

    So is this what I have been waiting for forever?

  4. Rogin says:

    What a day for Douglas Gresham to say somthing lol

    Any week now and we'll have a director announcement!

  5. Glumpuddle says:

    Don't think so. Nothing is official. All we know is that the current intention is to film later this year. We'll see if that pans out.

  6. FilmReel says:

    I think we will be getting a director announcement before the end of April.

  7. narnia fan 7 says:

    I'm glad we got some clarification on this. If they are hoping to film this fall a director announcement can't be far off.

    I know it's nothing official and a lot could change, but I can't help but get a little excited at the thought that Silver Chair could start film this year.

  8. The Rose-Tree Dryad says:

    I was totally expecting this to be an April Fool's joke when I clicked on it. 😛

    Very good to hear that this timeline is what Gresham is currently working for, even though he's also remaining understandably realistic about the potential challenges of movie production. (Honestly, after already waiting all these years, I'd probably still be excited about a 2019 release date. :P)

    Can't wait for the new podcast! 😀

  9. ChristianMan17 says:

    They had better not make the previous April fools joke from last year come true like the previous two did. Zombies don't belong in Narnia at all. If they make it come true, it would be stupid. I did not like the Susan and Caspian kiss either and I was shocked seeing Jadis in VDT.

  10. ChristianMan17 says:

    Same here, I would have liked to see it in like late 2019.

  11. ChristianMan17 says:

    I really hope that SC will be a good movie. I wasn't happy with VDT either, it was so bad! I have the Narnia series on Focus on the family radio theatres and whenever I listen to VDT, what I do is I just take some of the scenes from the film and just recreate and re-tell it differently in my imagination, minus the green mist, the mlg and the seven swords, of course.

  12. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Things will be more clear when the director is announced. As soon as we know who's directing, we might see where the SC is headed to.

    My confident for the SC to be great rest not in how much money they have for the film, not in the creative team, not even on it well-done script – but in the director's work.

    For the director is the head of the film processes, and if the head is unable the work is unable, if it be wrong the direction shall be wrong, if it be frustrate the work shall be with frustration.

    I know but one guy who had always a good head as being a director.

  13. Gandalf the Grey says:

    One of the difficulties for filming this kind of high fantasy story is that is no real places on earth seem to come close as definitive description, except some places might be.

    When the filmmakers brought in things that are magical or mythical or otherworldly and blend them with things we use to see on earth in our backward, through the television, and across the road – it is so dull and very unattractive. (We see that a lots in VDT.)

    Let's hope they will create a real place call Narnia this time very different in structures, fashions, colors, senses and atmospheres. Like what Peter Jackson had done with Middle Earth.

  14. The Rose-Tree Dryad says:

    Agreed! Narnia is so much more than a backdrop.

  15. The Rose-Tree Dryad says:

    And truly, if they need that extra time to get the right director and make a great film, then I'm fine with it. But I certainly won't mind a 2018 release! 😉

  16. Jack says:

    Ben Barnes was 27 as Caspian. Prince Caspian in the book is only 13!

    Could they do the same for Will Poulter? He's only 24. He could play 16-18 in Silver Chair. Perhaps, Experimental House is a boarding school for teenagers?
    He was a brilliant Eustace, in my opinion. And the best thing in Dawn Treader.

    What do you all think? I can't see a babyfaced 9 or even 12 year old play the role. I feel like the remaining films need slightly older main characters, but without adding any adult emotions (like romance) into the story.

  17. waggawerewolf27 says:

    I'd be more certain that it wasn't an April fool's day joke, if I was sure it wasn't April Fool's Day. Fortunately as I post this comment I am informed it is nearly 11.00 AM on 2/4/2017 and the April Fool's day deadline passed 23 hours ago. We can only wait and see.

  18. waggawerewolf27 says:

    No it isn't because whatever you think and wherever you are, the sun shone on April Fool's Day yesterday.

  19. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Fool or not, SC is coming!

  20. Gandalf the Grey says:

    I don't know why did they cast a 27 Caspian and not a 13 Caspian. There couldn't have been a romance between Caspian and Susan if he was cast as being 13. And we can see here that this is one of the reasons that they had to change some part of the story.

    There is a different reaction that we have when children appear on the scene, the same with youth and older cast.

    They can cast again Will Poulter as Eustace if there's a trick for make-up design, and of course he will only play again in LB but for the sake of being childish and having childlike behavior, they should make sure to cast children (12 years or younger), if not possible, then they cast from teen years.

  21. ChristianMan17 says:

    I think so too, and they better choose a good one.

  22. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Mel Gibson direct Hacksaw Ridge in just 65 days with just $20 million US dollar, if he will direct the SC, we shall definitely see it in mid-year 2018 (June or July).

  23. ElaineL says:

    Oh man, Will is like 6" tall or taller. He's even taller than Ben Barnes now. I'd love to see him as Eustace once again though. I wonder if they'll recast his character. I just hope they don't include unnecessary romance again. All the best to the cast and crew of SC!

  24. Michael says:

    Even though the Narnia books are considered children stories, they are for all ages. So there must be a diverse age range represented in the cast. Remember, most people watching the films have not really read and loved the books as much as we do. And there's so much competition, we need to get the best actors we can.

    I believe they can cast older actors and still avoid romance. Age doesn't stop people from kissing. It's the story! Think of Peter Pan and Wendy…

    And we need to get over this whole Susan and Caspian thing. It was one mistake. I feel like they wanted to portray Susan as 'feminine and mature'. I can imagine that even C.S Lewis would perhaps say that a kiss from Susan would not have been out of character. At least, that's what I tell myself to forgive the kiss, though it makes me cringe to this day.

    I can't see anything romantic between Jill and Eustace. They are just best friends, that's it.
    The ONLY other kiss I will accept in this series may be in HHB with Cor and Aravis on their wedding day in the final scene. I think that would be cute – but that's it!!

  25. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Of course.

  26. JY says:

    My thoughts on why an older Caspian and the Susan romance angle was the setup for when she was absent from The Last Battle. In the books it was clearly stated that she had moved away from Narnia and her family as she went to America with her parents and was into her looks, boys and other things if the world. I have the original set of these books and have been reading them every year for many, many years and CS Lewis clearly was able to tie each book together with one another. I had waited for these movies for over 50 years and I thought they were brilliant! Best so far and I was saddened they stopped production. My hope is that they get finished before I die so I can finally see them on the screen!

  27. Eustace says:

    Technically, guys there is a kiss scene in SC the book. Jill kisses Puddleglum. Depending on her age and how she kisses him, this could be taken wrongly. But, my siblings are convinced that Jill and Eustace will end up having a romance in SC movie no matter their age. I think that depending on how the actors play the scenes with Jill and Eustace will really be the deciding factor. Because it could look like they like each other even if it wasn't scripted that way. This why I believe younger is better but, I don't know I have seen elementary kids in movies have romance so it could have nothing to do with age.

  28. NarniaFan20 says:

    I feel Eustace and Jill are going to be friends with moments of 'oh I like him/her', a few endearing moments like that.
    Younger is safer, but why would we want to be safer? So not too young though. 12-14-ish.
    Kids these days are being intimate with each other before you know it, so it seems no matter what age they cast, theres' always going to be some tension.

  29. NarniaFan20 says:

    I find it interesting how the remaining books have boy & girl leading characters. I wonder how they will distinguish Jill and Eustace relationship from Polly and Digory in MN. They all are around the same age. At least Shasta and Aravis are known to always be fighting and eventually get married. I find that hilarious.
    But they shouldn't all just seem like the same characters. I think the key here is diversity in age and finding out each one's personality.

  30. NarniaFan20 says:

    After seeing Will in We're the Millers, I just don't see him going back to Narnia.

    but then again, once in Narnia, always in Narnia?

  31. Lily says:

    Regarding age, it just doesn't seem logical for Eustace and Jill to be teenagers. I hope they cast kids for the roles.
    I can see Shasta and Aravis to be in their late teens or even early youthful twenties because there's talk of Aravis's marriage, slavery, and certain grown up themes in HHB, but the other characters have to be children!

  32. Michael says:

    Agreed. Wonder who those lucky kids will be!

  33. Michael says:

    Interesting take on Susan's story. Though I don't fully agree with the hint that Narnia is a place without adult themes like romance. After all if killing is there, why not a kiss?

  34. Gandalf the Grey says:

    My hope for you 'JY' that you will see all the narnia stories before you die for i see that you are an old fan. Hopefully!

  35. coracle says:

    Excuse me mentioning it, but I think you mean 6' not 6" !
    Will is a big strapping man well into his 20s, with a deep voice and broad shoulders and is really tall as you say.
    We understand that the production is not looking to use him in this film, as he cannot play the same boy aged 13/14 (it's just a few months after the previous story, so that Jill has noticed he is different 'this term').
    Comparing him with Ben Barnes being used to play 16/17 is not helpful.

  36. Jill says:

    I agree. I don't think I'd like to see a child being engaged to a 60 year old. Or being clawed by a lion. Horse and the Boy is a weird book. A good weird though.

  37. ♥Lucy Pevensie♥ says:

    I AM NOT AFRAID TO SHOW THAT I AM A HUGE NARNIA FAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NARNIA FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    I LOVE NARNIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  38. ♥Lucy Pevensie♥ says:

    WHY ON EARTH, WOULD YOU PUT ZOMBIES, IN NARNIA!!!!!! NO!!!! IT IS WRONG!!!! ZOMBIES. NARNIA. I DON'T THINK SO…. NO NO NO!!!!! I SWEAR, IF ZOMBIES ARE ADDED IN NARNIA, THAT WILL BE THE DEATH OF ME!!!!!!!!

  39. FilmReel says:

    If The Silver Chair comes out December 7, 2018, then the next weekend is Mortal Engines and Peter Jackson is produceing, so this is really interesting because it might be like when The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe came out and then the next weekend was king kong another Peter Jackson movie. It would be funny if this happens.

  40. Artex says:

    It's totally happening and it's all going to be announced soon and the director is a legend. Serious legend!

  41. NarniaFan1583 says:

    I can't wait!

  42. NarniaFan1583 says:

    I hope it comes sooner, but oh well. I relly wish that they make a movie for each book. I hate when good movies end☹

  43. aleppanen says:

    Yes, Will was the perfect Eustace and did really make the movie, so I would be very disappointed if they waited so long to put this movie into production that Will would be too old, or would not agree to star in the film. The Silver Chair should not have taken this long. We just get promises it will be out next year, next year, next year….

  44. John W. says:

    I've grown up all my life on Narnia and was really disappointed with the possibility of SC not coming out. But my bro lives in Chicago and HE JUST MET D. GRESHAM!!!!!!! Gresham said that they're already writing the script! So I'm really excited!!!

  1. April 29, 2017

    […] that late 2018 is probably the earliest the film could be released. UPDATE (4-3-17): Gresham hopes to start filming this Fall and release in late […]