Ben Barnes, the British actor who is best known for his role as Prince Caspian in The Chronicles Of Narnia franchise, is in negotiations to join Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore in The Seventh Son according to Variety.

Warner Bros. were previously in talks with Sam Claflin (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) but those talks fell through, so the studio moved onto Barnes.

The movie was previously known as The Spook’s Apprentice and is an adaptation of the Joseph Delaney book series. The story follows Tom (Barnes), a young apprentice to an exorcist (Bridges) who battles ghosts and witches in the 1700s. A long time ago the Spook had bound a witch called Mother Malkin (Moore), who sucks the blood out of young women to keep her youth, to a pit in the ground. However Mother Malkin breaks out of her pit prison and the Spook and his apprentice must use their powers to defeat her. Alicia Vikander will play a witch named Alice who joins Tom on his journey.

Mongol director Sergey Bodrov is directing and the aim is to begin shooting later this year.

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In what could be the final movie in The Chronicles of Narnia series, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader brings the same epic scale we’ve come to expect from the first two movies and provides a satisfying (possible) conclusion to the film series based on C.S. Lewis’ classic novels.

The Voyage of the Dawn Treader was always my favorite book of the series, so it stands to reason I was more optimistic about this film than the ones that came before it. To be clear, I’m a fan of both previous movies - Prince Caspian more so than The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. Director Andrew Adamson is replaced by former James Bond director Michael Apted (The World is Not Enough), and Apted doesn’t skip a beat making this feel right at home in the Narnia series. The tone, visual style, and effects are a perfect fit with the rest of the movies, and though the story is incredibly derivative from seemingly every fantasy story ever told, I still think this is my favorite among the three movies.

This story follows the younger Pevensie siblings Edmund (Skander Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) while they’re stationed in England during WWII. Their older brother and sister have been shipped off to America, but the former King and Queen of Narnia must stay behind, living with their insufferable cousin Eustace (Will Poulter) until they can travel stateside safely. When all three of them are suddenly consumed by the waves of a strange painting hanging in their home, they surface in Narnia, where King Caspian (Ben Barnes) is leading a ship called The Dawn Treader to find seven lost lords as an all-consuming darkness sweeps the land.

Apted does a fantastic job of translating this story to the big screen, and the addition of 3D fits pretty well in this world. Excusing some focus issues and slight blurriness at times, the 3D was well-executed and didn’t distract from the story or feel like a cash grab. The visual effects were surprisingly impressive, from the opening painting scene featured in the trailers to the sweeping vistas of the magical land in which the story takes place. Make no mistake, this is no How To Train Your Dragon – but it’s solid 3D in a movie climate that seems content with dumping crappy 3D on patrons and expecting congratulations for doing so. More impressive even than the visual effects was the way Apted framed the action, avoiding shaky camera work in favor of geographical awareness (a decision which almost always features the best possible outcome). An escape sequence on a seemingly deserted island was especially well choreographed.

Because the film centers around the youngest siblings, it features a great deal of “growing pain” scenes, in which Edmund and Lucy must overcome adversity and mature into adults, mirroring the same scheme used with Peter and Susan in Prince Caspian. For the most part, these moments are well-handled, though the premise of a darkness sweeping the land that tempts people is a bit heavy-handed. Speaking of this evil-incarnate, it serves multiple purposes in the film, from consuming human sacrifices to – in a move straight out of Ghostbusters - taking on the form of whatever fears it. It also appears as a green version of the Smoke Monster from LOST, which was almost as laughable as the concept of the smoke itself. Aside from that aspect being a little too on the nose, I didn’t have many problems with the rest of the movie.

Will Poulter has an interesting arc as the annoying cousin, Eustace Scrubb. He spends the first half of the film begging the audience to murder him with their minds thanks to his brash personality and haughty sense of higher intelligence. But as the movie progresses and he undergoes a bit of a transformation (I won’t ruin it in case you check it out), he actually becomes not only tolerable, but actually empathetic. His relationship with the brave mouse Reepicheep becomes a focal point of the movie and is one of the more entertaining elements on display.

Ben Barnes continues to stand out as Caspian, and I honestly believe he has that movie-star quality about him that could easily earn him some choice roles in the coming years. I expect great things from him, and expect this guy to quickly become a rising star in Hollywood. The other actors bring their same acting styles from the earlier films across here, which is to say that they are adequate but not breathtaking. Voice work from Liam Neeson and Simon Pegg was as good as you’d expect from actors of their stature, although Neeson’s role is much more brief than previous installments in this franchise.

I haven’t read the book on which this is based in probably 15 years, so I can’t speak to the accuracy in that regard, but the film version basically presents us with an alternate telling of Homer’s The Odyssey. By sea, the crew travels to various lands in search of these lost lords and is tested at every turn, from magic spells to cursed food and everything in between in a morality tale about having faith and overcoming temptation. Since The Odyssey is one of my favorite stories, that explains my enjoyment of this movie. The same themes are present to a degree; actions have consequences in Narnia, a lesson learned for when the characters return to the real world.

Issues of faith are tackled head on, with the film embracing its Christian undertones – let’s face it, overtones – and though this movie borders on sanctimonious at times, I didn’t think it ever crossed the line into being overly preachy. This series has proudly flown its flag from the beginning, so you know what you’re getting yourself into here: if you can’t handle a little positivity in your movies, stay home for this one.

The film plays an interesting game in its final minutes, effectively wrapping up the Pevensie storyline but leaving an opening for another sequel just in case this one makes bank at the box office. If I were to guess, I’d say this is the last we see of Narnia until the inevitable reboot in 10 years, and I’m OK with that. If you have kids, or you’re a sucker for adventure tales, I’m sure you’ll find something to enjoy with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Until next time…

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20th Century Fox hasn’t been promoting The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader a whole lot, but with around 2 months until its release the marketing will no doubt ramp up.

Today sees the release of a new international trailer for the film, which contains a lot of new footage and as the special effects will be near completion by now we get to see a few interesting money shots.

Watch the trailer below:

Here’s the synopsis for the film, which will be released on December 10th:

Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb – find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world.

Joining forces once again with their royal friend Prince Caspian and the warrior mouse Reepicheep, they are whisked away on a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands, and beyond. On this bewitching voyage that will test their hearts and spirits, the trio will face magical Dufflepuds, sinister slave traders, roaring dragons and enchanted merfolk. Only an entirely uncharted journey to Aslan’s Country – a voyage of destiny and transformation for each of those aboard the Dawn Treader – can save Narnia, and all the astonishing creatures in it, from an unfathomable fate.

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20th Century Fox has released the first official trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It looks a lot like the previous films despite the franchise being under new ownership, and we even see familiar faces such as Tilda Swinton as the White Witch along with a quick shot of Susan and Peter.

Watch below:

Here’s the synopsis for the film, which will be released on December 10th:

Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb – find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world.

Joining forces once again with their royal friend Prince Caspian and the warrior mouse Reepicheep, they are whisked away on a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands, and beyond. On this bewitching voyage that will test their hearts and spirits, the trio will face magical Dufflepuds, sinister slave traders, roaring dragons and enchanted merfolk. Only an entirely uncharted journey to Aslan’s Country – a voyage of destiny and transformation for each of those aboard the Dawn Treader – can save Narnia, and all the astonishing creatures in it, from an unfathomable fate.

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According to The Lion’s Call the first official trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader will premiere on June 18th with Toy Story 3. The third Toy Story film will probably be the biggest family movie of the year, so this is a good move by new owners 20th Century Fox.

Fox took over the film after Disney felt Prince Caspian underperformed. It took over $400 million worldwide, but compared to the $750 million made by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe it was seen as a disappointment.

The same cast and producing team are behind Voyage of the Dawn Treader so it should look and feel the same, although there have been a few changes, such as the accent of (now) King Caspian played by Ben Barnes.

Barnes told Mouth Magazine:

It was a great experience reprising the role. It’s a different take on the character with a new director and new studio involved. We decided that Caspian and the Telmarines would no longer have European accents, as they felt CS Lewis is a quintessentially English writer. The story is my favourite of the seven books and it has a feel of a roving, mythical, adventure tale.

Here’s the synopsis for the film, which will be released on December 10th:

Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb – find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world.

Joining forces once again with their royal friend Prince Caspian and the warrior mouse Reepicheep, they are whisked away on a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands, and beyond. On this bewitching voyage that will test their hearts and spirits, the trio will face magical Dufflepuds, sinister slave traders, roaring dragons and enchanted merfolk. Only an entirely uncharted journey to Aslan’s Country – a voyage of destiny and transformation for each of those aboard the Dawn Treader – can save Narnia, and all the astonishing creatures in it, from an unfathomable fate.

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20th Century Fox has unveiled the first bit of marketing for The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader in the form of a poster.

In 2008 Disney made the mistake of releasing Prince Caspian in the summer amidst competition from the likes of Iron Man and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It took over $400 million worldwide, but compared to the $750 million made by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe it was seen as a disappointment by Disney who bailed on a third film.

20th Century Fox, who were keen on landing a profitable fantasy franchise, stepped in to produce Voyage of the Dawn Treader and set a release date for December 10th 2010. It’s only major competition is Tron Legacy which, along with a more suitable release date, means the third film should do better than Prince Caspian.

Here’s the synopsis:

Edmund and Lucy Pevensie, along with their pesky cousin Eustace Scrubb – find themselves swallowed into a painting and on to a fantastic Narnian ship headed for the very edges of the world.

Joining forces once again with their royal friend Prince Caspian and the warrior mouse Reepicheep, they are whisked away on a mysterious mission to the Lone Islands, and beyond. On this bewitching voyage that will test their hearts and spirits, the trio will face magical Dufflepuds, sinister slave traders, roaring dragons and enchanted merfolk. Only an entirely uncharted journey to Aslan’s Country – a voyage of destiny and transformation for each of those aboard the Dawn Treader – can save Narnia, and all the astonishing creatures in it, from an unfathomable fate.

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It has been one month since Disney decided to ditch the Narnia franchise, however it has now found a new home at 20th Century Fox. If all goes to plan the film will start shooting at the end of summer this year, with a release date of December 2010. 

From Variety:

Ultimately, Fox’s commitment to the summer start date is contingent upon Walden’s selection of a writer. Richard LaGravanese penned the most recent draft that both Walden and Fox were happy with, but there’s a question about his availability because he has been adapting Sara Gruen’s bestseller “Water for Elephants” for Fox 2000.

After budget and script concerns are settled, Fox and Walden are expected to greenlight the film.

Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley are reprising their roles as Caspian, Edmund and Lucy, respectively. New to the production is Will Poulter (“Son of Rambo”), who will portray Eustace Clarence Scrubb. Pic is being directed by Michael Apted, with Mark Johnson and Andrew Adamson producing.

This is good news. Fox have been looking for a fantasy franchise for a while so this seems like the perfect match for them. With most of the creative team returning it will be hard to screw this up. Even if Fox are making it.

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ShockTillYouDrop got the first look at Ben Barnes and Colin Firth in Dorin Gray.

Lensing has begun at London’s Ealing Studios on Oliver Parker’s Dorian Gray, an adaptation of the Oscar Wilde story that producers are calling a “visceral, dark horror story.” Shock received a first look at the production through the photo you see below featuring Ben Barnes, as Gray, and Colin Firth.

Gray tells of a corrupt young man who somehow keeps his youthful beauty eternally, but a special painting gradually reveals his inner ugliness to all.

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The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe took the world by surprise. Not many thought that the success of the Lord of the Rings trilogy or the Harry Potter series could be repeated, yet it happened again with The Chronicles of Narnia. The first movie went on to gross over $730 million worldwide and left audiences all over the globe wanting MORE.

In Prince Caspian, the world of Narnia has been ravaged by time and the harsh rule of a race of humans called the Telmarines, a people who do not believe in magic. In the 1300 years since the Pevensie siblings left Narnia after serving for years as Kings and Queens, the Telmarines invaded and managed to drive Narnians almost to extinction.

The King of the Telmarines is dead and his son, Prince Caspian, is waiting for a time when he can take the throne. In the meantime, Caspian’s uncle, Miraz, serves as Regent of the realm. However, when Miraz’s wife gives birth to a son, Caspian’s life is suddenly in danger and he is forced to flee in order to survive. In the throes of his escape, he blows a horn with a mysterious past, and in doing so summons the Kings and Queens of old to help in his plight.

It has only been a year for the Pevensies, yet the transition from royal adults back to ordinary “children” hasn’t been easy for all of them. Peter, for one, hates being treated for his age and starts fights with other school-aged boys just to prove his manhood. Yet one day they feel an strange pinching in their stomachs as they’re waiting for the train to school, a pinch that feels oddly like magic. In the blink of an eye, the children are back in Narnia and they are faced with fighting two battles: the advancing Talmarine army, and their waning faith in Aslan and in themselves.

From the moment I stepped out of the theater after watching the first Narnia installment, I instantly wanted to watch the next one. It has been two and a half years, and six months longer than the original release date, and I’m very pleased to say that the wait has been well worth it. Through most of the two and a half hour movie, I literally had chills running up my spine. This movie, in my opinion, is even better than the first.

What makes it so great is that director Andrew Adamson didn’t try to recreate the look and feel of the first movie. This is a much darker movie, one with severe moral undertones about acceptance and prejudice, and it shouldn’t feel as fluffy as the first one was. A number of reviews I read about the movie complained that there wasn’t enough magic in this one, yet what did they expect? The Pevensies come back in an age where magic is all but gone, so there naturally wouldn’t be any magic to see. There are still a number of Narnians left: from centaurs and minotaurs, to talking badgers and mice to dwarves. There was plenty of magic in that respect, and certainly enough action, to let the audience leave feeling satisfied.

Another interesting element of this movie is the level of emotion that the young actors were able to bring to their roles, as well as the feelings the characters themselves were feeling. In the first Narnia, it’s obvious that it was their first real acting job. Yes, they did the best they could at the time, but they have all grown as actors, resulting in much more three dimensional characters this time around. They actually FELT like they were the Kings and Queens of Narnia past stuck in the bodies of teenagers and children. It was something in their eyes, a sense of knowledge far beyond their years, and the very way they held themselves that made it so believable. They have all grown, and I can’t wait to see what they do next.

My favorite transition was in the character of Edmund who, in the first movie, betrayed his family for his own gain. In Prince Caspian, you can tell he is still trying to make up for this betrayal and will do anything for his family. Not only does he defend his brother, stick up for Lucy when no one believes that she’s been seeing Aslan when none of the rest of them has, but he’s turned into a calculated, badass warrior. He’s very confident in his position as a King, gets right into the thick of battles, and even slides down a roof to kick a Talmerine soldier over a balcony. He is able to stand in front of the Telmarine usurper, surrounded by enemies, and shoot off a witty sort of banter that lets Miraz know exactly who Edmund is: a Narnian King.  Not to mention how much older he seems, considering actor Skandar Keynes’ voice dropped about three octaves!

Newcomer Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian only added to the great cast. The only thing I was confused about was his accent. He’s British, yet he had some sort of Italian accent in the movie, which didn’t exactly match up with the rest of the Telmarines. Other than that, I’m glad we’ll be seeing more of him in the upcoming The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader movie in 2010.

Overall, really incredible movie. The action is enough to keep anyone’s eyes glued to the screen, but the sarcasm and wit will keep you in your seat, and the emotion will leave you longing for more. This is one of those movies that you really need to see in theaters, and one you’re likely to see multiple times (like I’m surely going to do myself!): 10/10.

GO SEE THIS MOVIE.

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