The Silver Chair Will Be Joe Johnston’s Last Film

As previously reported, Joe Johnston attended Comic Con Paris last week and shared new information about the production timeline of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair. A new interview clip has now surfaced revealing more information about his future with the series and his film career in general. Check out the video and transcript below:

Q: Will the new Narnia movie will be your last movie?

JJ: That’s the plan.

Q: Could you talk some more about this movie and why it will be your last film?

JJ: It will take a couple of years to make the film. We won’t even be able to start shooting until next winter and we’ll be in New Zealand in the South Island, which will be summer down there. And then post-production and the visual effects will take another year, so it will be 2019. I’m think I’m just ready to go do something else now.

Q: Do you have any plans outside movies?

JJ: Yeah, I have a lot of dogs, and they demand walks. They demand long walks every day in the country. [Laugh]

Thanks to ‘FilmReel’ for the alert.

27 Responses

  1. narnia fan 7 says:

    I've seen almost all the film's he's directed and have enjoyed most of them. Hopefully he ends his career on a high note with Silver Chair.

  2. GlimGlum says:

    I share those "high note sentiments. Nice to have some concrete words about when actual filming is supposed to begin. Go for it, Joe! 🙂

  3. High king Peter says:

    Casting announcements are not too far now. I hope filming in 2018 doesn't mean at the end of that year.

  4. FilmReel says:

    Sadly it does.

  5. Rogin says:

    Kind of odd that he would say "I’m just ready to go do something else now" as he is making the film…

    Hopefully, he puts all his remaining creative energy into The Silver Chair. Really excited about what it could be!

  6. tom says:

    Me too i have seen all of his films. he in my top 15 list

  7. Gandalf the Grey says:

    I believe this movie will hold a much better representative of what Narnia could be.

  8. JFG says:

    I don't mean to be a Wet Blanket, but what's the point of waiting a year to start filming a film adaptation of a fall/winter-setting book when it will be summer on location, in New Zealand when they film? Why not cast and prep and start filming this July, when NZ is in fall/winter?

  9. JFG says:

    It is saddening that he wants to end directing now, because his career is admirable at best. But yes, I hope he ends on a high note with SC, while making it a good movie and a worthy adaptation of the book.

  10. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Maybe it's mainly well preparation. And it does not matter the season, only the good-New-Zealand images needed, and the rest is up to visual editing.

  11. edmundP17 says:

    What I don't understand is, why would Johnston announce that he's rebooting the Narnia franchise, making multiple Narnia movies, only to announce that The Silver Chair will be the last movie is his career?? That just doesn't make any sense. Does that mean that the franchise will all with The Silver Chair? Or will Johnston try to find someone who is just as much of a passionate Narnia fan as he is to continue this new franchise?

  12. High king Peter says:

    The release date could probably be on late 2019 or mid 2020

  13. Gandalf the Grey says:

    It only a plan. If turn out that there can be another after the Silver Chair, he may change his plan and direct again; or he could still hang around as a creative supervisor.

  14. Rogin says:

    He's not rebooting the franchise. Johnston was hired to direct one film, The Silver Chair. It was in development 3 years before he even came on board. The films are bigger than one director.

    The future of Narnia films (past Silver Chair) are in the producer's hands.

  15. Bob Hume says:

    I have little hope of consistency after the Silver Chair film. HOWEVER, something about this movie being his last makes me think it's going to be a passion project.

  16. Skilletdude says:

    Maybe the preparations will take a full year, or perhaps to make the shooting schedule easier and avoid harsher weather. Location shooting is already tricky enough.

  17. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Thanks for the inform!

  18. Reepicheep says:

    I don't know. Every time I look up to see when the movie will come out it is postponed longer and longer. If they make the silver chair and go on to make other movies does this mean "The Lion The Which and The Wardrobe" "Prince Caspian" and "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" will be remade or will they make a "Magician's Nephew" "A Hoarse and his Boy" and "The Last Battle". Further more I know Will Poulter won't be Eustace but will Ben Barnes be Caspian and Liam Neeson as Aslan and the same guy as Trumpkin. One more thing why would they wait till next winter to start filming when last winter 2016 they said they would start filming in early 2017?

  19. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Firstly, those three already-made-to-film books will not be remade. Secondly, it is the plan and wish to have the rest of the Narnia books made. And Ben Barnes, Tirian Lannister and Liam Neeson won't be back in the SC. And for the filming, it depend on the producers and the board that my guest is they were just being delayed by their previous works (films).

  20. Reepicheep says:

    Thank you for answering.

  21. TheeNarnianMeerkat says:

    …I’m just so not going to expect anything so great for this film.

  22. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Hope that he does not have a bigger say on the script. Better that he mainly be still, he is passionate but not that creative.

  23. Gandalf the Grey says:

    Quite the opposite dear 'TheeNarnianMeerkat', Andrew Anderson and has LEARNED (ruin) what he can in Narnia, now it time for Joe to TEACH us what Narnia should be.

  24. TheeNarnianMeerkat says:

    Really hope so, but I’m just saying that I’ve “learned my lesson” about expecting a lot about sequels to movies that have become favorites. ^^’

  25. JFG says:

    I hope Narnia 4 does not get lost to audiences in the 2019 release dates.

    On the pessimistic side, it's crazy and boring how all the BIG MOVIE PROJECTS, like Marvel and DC, are booking their release dates 3-5 years in advance. 2019 is packed! They'll drive out the small films, then cannibalize each other.

    On the bright side, I just realized that – after 'Frozen 2' on Novemebr 29th, 2019 – there is NO BIG MOVIE arriving in December, 2019 until the 18th with 'Masters of the Universe' or whatever…Because 'Wonder Woman 2' just moved its release date to November 1st of 2019 instead of December 13th.

    'The Silver Chair' might just find a 2019 release date by this Christmas!

  26. Aslan Return says:

    In December 2019 will be "Star Wars 9"

  27. theboys(big fans) says:

    hay, we are a big fan of C.S. lewis' books, and your movies!!! I think you should make THE MAGICIANS NEPHEW a movie because it was such a great book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!