The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
A 2008 fantasy film based on C. S. Lewis's novel.
The 2008 high fantasy film *The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian* was directed by Andrew Adamson, who co-wrote the script with Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. It adapts the 1951 novel *Prince Caspian*, the second book in C. S. Lewis’s children’s series, and is the second movie in *The Chronicles of Narnia* film series. Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, and Anna Popplewell returned as the Pevensie siblings. The story sees the four children pulled back into Narnia to help Prince Caspian reclaim his throne from his treacherous uncle, King Miraz.
Work on the screenplay started before the first film, *The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe*, was released, so filming could begin before the young actors aged too much. Adamson aimed to make this sequel more spectacular than its predecessor. The Narnian creatures were designed to appear wilder, reflecting their years in hiding from persecution and emphasizing the film’s darker tone. The filmmakers gave the antagonistic Telmarines a Spanish cultural influence. Principal photography began in February 2007 in New Zealand, but most of the shooting took place in Central Europe, where larger sets were available. To control costs, Adamson based post-production in the United Kingdom, taking advantage of recent tax credits there. Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media produced the film.
*Prince Caspian* premiered on May 7, 2008, at New York City’s Ziegfeld Theatre. It was released in the United States on May 16 and in the United Kingdom on June 26, both through Walt Disney Pictures. Critics generally gave it positive reviews, praising the special effects, storytelling, and faithfulness to the source material, though some criticized its runtime and underlying messages. The film earned $419.6 million worldwide against a $225 million budget, making it the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2008.
**Plot**
Nearly 1,300 years after the Pevensie siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy—left Narnia, the Telmarine prince Caspian is woken by his mentor, Doctor Cornelius. Cornelius warns him that his aunt has just given birth to a son, putting Caspian’s life in danger. He gives Caspian Queen Susan’s ancient magical horn, telling him to blow it if he is in dire need. Knowing his uncle Miraz would kill him to secure the throne, Caspian flees. Chased by Telmarine soldiers, he falls from his horse and meets two Narnia
- release_year
- 2008
- director
- Andrew Adamson
- writers
- Andrew Adamson, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely
- based_on
- 1951 novel Prince Caspian by C. S. Lewis
- production_companies
- Walt Disney Pictures, Walden Media
- budget
- $225 million
- box_office
- $419.6 million
Lore & Background
Work on the script began before the first film, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was released, so that filming could begin before the actors grew too old for their parts. Director Andrew Adamson wanted to make the film more spectacular than the first. The Narnians were designed to look wilder as they have been hiding from persecution, stressing the darker tone of the sequel. The filmmakers also took a Spanish influence for the antagonistic race of the Telmarines. Filming began in February 2007 in New Zealand, but unlike the previous film, the majority of shooting took place in Central Europe because of the larger sets available in those countries. To keep costs down, Adamson chose to base post-production in the United Kingdom because of recent tax credits there.
Reader's Guide
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian premiered on May 7, 2008, at the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City, and was released on May 16 in the United States and on June 26 in the United Kingdom, by Walt Disney Pictures. The film received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise for the special effects, storytelling, and faithfulness to the source material, though some criticized its runtime and underlying messages. It grossed $419.6 million on a budget of $225 million, becoming the tenth-highest-grossing film of 2008. The plot involves the four Pevensie siblings returning to Narnia to aid Prince Caspian in his struggle for the throne against his corrupt uncle, King Miraz. Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, and Anna Popplewell reprise their roles from the previous film.
Did You Know?
- Work on the script began before the first film was released, so that filming could begin before the actors grew too old for their parts.
- Director Andrew Adamson chose to base post-production in the United Kingdom because of recent tax credits there.
- The filmmakers took a Spanish influence for the antagonistic race of the Telmarines.
- Georgie Henley wore fake teeth during filming because her baby teeth were falling out.
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