Silver Chair or Magician’s Nephew?

In a recent interview with the Examiner, Mark Johnson discussed the next film:

I know you get asked this question a lot, but I’ll ask anyway: Will there be a fourth “Narnia” movie?

Johnson: Keep in mind that the two youngest Penvensie kids, Lucy and Edmund, don’t come back, so the next movie will have Eustace. We could do “The Silver Chair” or we could do “The Magician’s Nephew.”

Which book do you think fans want to see more as the fourth “Narnia” movie: “The Silver Chair” or “The Magician’s Nephew”?

Johnson: That’s a really good question. I couldn’t tell you. We should put it to the fans [to decide]. I know we have to do “The Magician’s Nephew.” I love that book! The question is: “Do we do it now and let our Eustace grow older? Or do we do β€˜The Silver Chair’ and then do β€˜The Magician’s Nephew’?”

Johnson has asked the fans, so let’s answer him. What do you think? Should the next film be The Silver Chair or The Magician’s Nephew? Click here and go to the bottom-right to answer our poll and let us know in the comments below what you think.

The order of the Narnia stories has always been a debate among fans. SC was published fourth, and MN sixth. But chronologically, MN is #1 and SC #6. Read more.

Original cover art: "The Silver Chair" (1953) and "The Magician's Nephew" (1955)

312 Responses

  1. TrueNarnianWithWill says:

    Silver Chair of course πŸ˜€

  2. I agree, Silver Chair!

  3. Colin says:

    I say do The Silver Chair next, because they have been released in the published order, but you need to at least shoot some of the scenes from The Last Battle with the current cast of Penvensie children before they get too old. Film it Lord of The Rings style.

  4. bwcaboy says:

    Silver Chair. The filmmakers have a big enough challenge in evolving Eustace from 'annoying brat' to a main protagonist whom viewers will actually *want* to see. Let alone, dealing with a much older Will Poulter if Magician's Nephew is made first.

    I hope they do a good, fresh, inventive take on Puddleglum.

  5. Sara says:

    Silver Chair, but it's going to be hard for them to match the brilliance of Tom Baker as Puddleglum.

  6. Boy Scout says:

    Silver chair! I'd tell you why but I'm busy (and its already been said)

  7. Luke says:

    Seriously people? They would HAVE to do the Magician's Nephew! Jadis would give them the constant character thread, and the Magician's Nephew has a great, beautiful story that transfers well onto screen.

    Let's not forget that the BBC made a great movie of the Silver Chair, and that the Magician's Nephew has yet to be put onto screen. I say Magician's Nephew should be next.

    Besides, filming the Magician's Nephew next would be ideal for Will Poulter, because then he'd age a few years to be about the age of Peter Pevensie in LWW/PC when the Silver Chair is released. An older age for Will would give the movie an older tone/more cross over appeal to kids and teens. Let's not miss out on a fantastic opportunity to make "The Magician's Nephew" next!

  8. wolfloversk says:

    I hope they don't HHB is my favorite. That's a bit ironic because I always figured that if they skipped any it'd be MN, but so far it looks like that shalln't be the case πŸ™‚

  9. wolfloversk says:

    I would too.

  10. Lucy of Narnia says:

    the silver chair!

  11. Luiz Alves says:

    I totally second that.

  12. kittengirl says:

    The Magician's Nephew!

  13. Carrie says:

    Silver Chair, Horse and His boy, Magician's Nephew, Last Battle… =)

  14. seamusberen says:

    The Magician's Nephew

  15. Bother Eustace says:

    Silver Chair. There's never been any question in my mind there. For one thing, I've always been a "publication order" fan. But more importantly, I think it will work better doing SC first, or else Eustace will get much older.

  16. dave says:

    It needs to be Silver Chair. In that book it was only a few weeks or months (I can't remember) in between Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Silver Chair for Eustace. So there is no reason to do a movie in between to let Will get older.

  17. Valiant Queene says:

    'The Silver Chair' without a doubt. We don't want Eustace to get too old.

    I am praying that all seven will be done, though. I was so disappointed to learn that the Wonder Works versions stopped after 'The Silver Chair'. 'The Last Battle' is one of my favorites, and I would love to see it.

  18. AJAiken says:

    Completely agree. πŸ™‚

  19. Violet Fire Krazed says:

    Hhhhhmmmm… this is a tough question….

    If we do MN next, then we run the risk of Eustace growing TOO old. But if we do SC next, we run the risk of producers putting the nix on MN…..

    I'm going to have to say MN next, it's a more complete, beautiful story when it has the creation. So there ya go. Silver Chair.

    ~VFK~

  20. Violet Fire Krazed says:

    Oooops, I meant, MAGICIANS NEPHEW! >.<

  21. GlimGlum says:

    I agree with that as well. πŸ™‚

  22. King_Cor_the_Great says:

    SILVER CHAIR! SILVER CHAIR!

  23. checkers says:

    I definitely think Magician's Nephew should come after Silver Chair. πŸ™‚

  24. checkers says:

    So there won't be problems with people during the Last Battle wondering why Digory's there.

  25. eustacegirl says:

    silver chair all the way

  26. Meggie1996 says:

    Silver Chair. We don't want Eustace to get to old now do we?

  27. Bob says:

    Wow, tough question being I enjoyed both books immensely. MS had me in hysterics and SC had the old familiar narnian drama, I say do SC. Definitely.

  28. Rilianluvr4evr says:

    Silver Chair, most def

  29. Bob says:

    I agree with you, there. I'm half way through LB and I gotta say before LB the lion, witch and wardobe easily my fav, but LB is so far is my favorite.

  30. Bob says:

    I know this is off topic, but who is everyones favorite vilian? Mine has to be shift. What a nasty little ape he is.

  31. Lord of Cair Paravel says:

    I think the Silver Chair. That story only takes place a couple of months after the Dawn Treader, whereas if you do the Magician's Nephew first, Eustace will be a lot older, which is not in the book.

  32. HappyAccident says:

    What….did…..you…..say????

  33. Silver the Wanderer says:

    Absolutely Silver Chair. There's no question about it, really. SC takes place shortly after VDT, so it must be filmed before Will gets too old. I love MN, and I can't wait to see it on the big screen, but we're just going to have to wait a little longer.

  34. I like the MN more then SC personally… MN is my fave but we don't want Eustace to grow to old now do we…. S o hard to decide… But, I voted for MN as it is my Fave book…

  35. Abbey says:

    The Magician's Nephew!

  36. -centaur- says:

    Silver Chair because a)it's my favourite of all the books and b)I'd just like them to keep to the current order.

  37. LucyTheValiant says:

    i'd love to see the silver chair next, but i think the magician's nephew would make more sense, since tilda swinton has is in the magicians nephew, so she can't age too much for the film since she's supposed to be younger. in addition to that, ben has to be older for the silver chair too, unless he's willing to sit through 3 hours of make up πŸ˜‰ i can't wait to see what they decide πŸ™‚

  38. BJfaketooth says:

    most definitely

  39. Maenad says:

    Silver Chair! They've got to finish out the main story line before they can start jumping into the past.I say Silver Chair, Horse and His Boy, and market Magician's Nephew as a prequel, "see how it all began", then Last Battle "You've seen how it all began. Now see how it all ends". EPIC.

  40. CmdrHawk says:

    The Silver Chair is my least favorite of all the seven books. I couldn't care less if they skipped it. But that is a bad reason to skip it. It makes more sense to make it now, while the actor is at the age he is now (in the next two to three years).

  41. Anna's Sister says:

    Silver Chair first. After that it's hard to decide cause if they wait until the end to do the Last Battle Will Poulter will be in his twenty's.

  42. Jill Pole says:

    Silver chair all the way πŸ˜€ Fave book so it WILL be a great movie

  43. always narnian says:

    Silver Chair!!! Eustace is in it!!!!

  44. John Freeman says:

    Totally the Silver Chair!! They already have a Eustace and
    re-casting sucks on all accounts!! Silver Chair would be more practical!!

  45. Narnian Moon says:

    The Silver Chair: they started by going in the order they were published. They should stick to that order. Just please, please, please get to The Last Battle. That's the one I want to see the most.

  46. ChristProclamer says:

    I vote Silver Chair next because it's next chronologically, and because Will won't stay little forever. Then MN so that the original Pevensie actors (especially Georgie) can age and take on their roles again in HHB if they so desire. And LB last.

    Also, if they were done with HHB 6th and LB 7th, the last two films would be essentially guaranteed successes, seeing as will both translate a lot better onto the screen than MN will.

  47. Maki says:

    The Silver Chair! I need to act as Jill Pole already!
    Plus it would be less confusing for the people who haven't read the books.

  48. Lady Polly says:

    do the silver chair next,just like the order c.s.lewis wrote them.

  49. narnian resident says:

    i think it is best to do Silver Chair. it will make sense because they are already in the order that the books were published, and so it is just a better idea to keep it that way. also, it will confuse the fans that have not read the books to suddenly go to a whole other story with completely different characters. they will wonder "What? what is this? who are these characters? what happened to the other ones? huh?!" they wont be able to understand, and then once they figure out its a Narnia book that happened before these past films, they'll be like "Well then whats this story? where did these two kids come from? which book is this one? when did it happen? huh?!" its just a little much for them. and also, speaking from a fan that has read the book's point of view, it may be a little strange for me as well. i mean, i'll know what it is and who the characters are and such, but it'll just be kind of wierd to suddenly jump to different people when i got used to the other characters and actors, and to another story completely (i mean, this is the one that is about the creation of Narnia! thats a major jump). i think, to mainly keep fans happy (which will mean greater success, hint hint), it would be best to do Silver Chair. there you are, thats my opinion and answer.

  50. Rodolfo says:

    Silver Chair! Is a far better story for the silver screen than TMN.

  51. narnian resident says:

    excellent, ChristProclaimer! thats a very good, practial answer. exactly what i was thinking

  52. Movie Aristotle says:

    Absolutely. Publication order. It makes the most sense as far as what each story reveals about Narnia, but more importantly, it makes sense as far as the actor's ages are concerned. The Magician's Nephew should be a masterpiece. Let us not rush into it.

  53. CricketCat says:

    "The Silver Chair" definitely. It's no contest. After that, I suppose they should just stick to the publishing order and adapt "The Horse and His Boy." Although, I wouldn't object if they decided to do "The Magician's Nephew" fifth instead of sixth. It's my favorite, too.

  54. A_Narnian_Ship says:

    My order exactly!

  55. A_Narnian_Ship says:

    Silver Chair, Magician's Nephew, Last Battle. I believe MN and LB should not have any film released on between them. Silver Chair next!!!!

  56. Charles says:

    Silver Chair, Silver Chair, Silver Chair!
    It'll lick the real world hollow with meaningful movie magic!

  57. Charles says:

    After Silver Chair, would be perfect for the magicians nephew! I love both stories but they need to be in that order

  58. Marjorie says:

    Silver Chair !!!

  1. September 28, 2010

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