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One big question on the minds of all Narnia fans is how will the Prince Caspian movie be different from the book? Here are five changes that are being talked about around the web.
- Back story in England: In the book C. S. Lewis only spends a few paragraphs in England before sending the Pevensie children back to Narnia. The movie will spend some more time exploring the question: “What would it be like to return to England after ruling as adult kings and queens in Narnia? What would that year back in England have been like for the children?” This is a question that Lewis left largely untouched.
- Story sequence: In the book a dwarf tells the children about Caspian’s past as they sit around a campfire. The children don’t even meet Caspian until much later in the book. The movie will rearrange the sequence so that the story may be told in a more linear fashion. Peter Jackson faced a similar challenge in The Two Towers where the first half of the book focused on one set of characters, and the second half focused on another. What works for a book does not always work well for a movie.
- Caspian’s age: In the book Caspian is just a kid. In the movie he is closer to twenty. (Actor Ben Barnes who plays Caspian is actually 27.) This change was necessary in order to use the same actor for Caspian in the next movie. Remember, time works differently in Narnia, and Caspian is a grown man by the time we get to Dawn Treader.
- Return of the White Witch: In previews for the movie, the White Witch is shown in a block of ice. In the book she does not appear at all, although her return is contemplated by Nikabrik and his co-horts. As the Hag says in chapter twelve: “Who ever heard of a witch that really died? You can always get them back.”
- Romantic interest: There has been speculation as to whether there will be a romantic interest (perhaps even a kiss?) between Susan and Caspian in the movie. This would be very different, but then again in the book Susan could hardly have fallen in love with a young boy. Now that Caspian’s age has been changed for the story in anticipation of Dawn Treader, perhaps the directors asked themselves the question: “How would Susan react to a dashing young prince who was just a few years older than her? Might she fall in love?” Of course it could not be a lasting romance because of certain plot elements in Dawn Treader, but it will be interesting to see where the directors take this in the movie.
So, what do you think? Can you live with any or all of these changes in the movie? Have you heard about any other possible changes?
Related post: Prince Caspian – Adapting the Book into the Movie
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