Hoping for lion's share of Narnia sequel
Monday January 30 2006
Clancy
IRELAND is being targeted as a likely location for a sequel to the Christmas movie blockbuster 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'.
Disney scouts are here checking out locations in several counties for 'Prince Caspian', based on the next book in Belfast-born author CS Lewis's 'The Chronicles of Narnia' series.
Irish film industry chiefs are keeping their fingers crossed that Disney will opt for Ireland. More than €200m was spent on the production of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', which was made in New Zealand and has already grossed €600m worldwide since its December release.
There have been secret talks with Irish filmmakers who, if the venture goes ahead, would be involved as co-producers of 'Prince Caspian'. A top industry source said: "The location scouts have been here for two weeks. They have also been looking at sites in Britain.
Facilities
"They know from previous experience what is available in terms of production facilities in Ireland. We're hoping they will find locations here that suit.
"They have to make their minds up pretty soon. They want to start filming by autumn. They want to use the same young actors who played the characters in 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe'."
Director Andrew Adamson said: "If we don't make it now we'll never be able to, because they will be too old."
In general, the Irish film industry is gearing up for a resurgence of movie-making here after a lull of almost two years.
Several Bollywood projects are being pencilled in after industry leaders accompanied Taoiseach Bertie Ahern on a trade mission to India last month.
And last week 'America's Showtime' TV network announced that a 10-programme series, 'The Tudors', will be filmed in Ireland. Irish actor Jonathan Rhys-Meyers will play Henry V111 in the ambitious series.
Rhys-Meyers, who has just won a Golden Globe award for his portrayal of Elvis in a four-hour mini-series, 'The King', is expected to start filming 'The Tudors' by Easter for screening in the US in early 2007.
