DAWN TREADER Finds Rest In Fox

Last month, Walden Media unwrapped a distasteful Christmas gift from Disney which decided to walk out on THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TRADER. Nothing’s worse than abandonment. The company that has worked with Walden Media in the first two installments doesn’t want to co-finance and co-produce the third movie anymore.

But fear not, Aslan fans, because 20th Century Fox has come to the rescue.. now I know Fox can be a serious A-hole sometimes and I’m just hoping it won’t file a lawsuit against Walden for some stupid reason or that hopefully it won’t mess with the director’s head by demanding changes and reshoots because the story is too Christian.

According to Variety, Fox has made a commitment to develop the project. Both Fox and Walden are still working out budget and script issues, they will split production and P&A costs which is projected to go into production at a $140 million budget, both sides also need to find writer because even though they like Richard LaGravanese’s draft, he won’t be available due to other project, once all those aspects are taken care of, Fox and Walden are expected to greenlight THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER and filming is expected to start at the end of summer for a holiday 2010 release through the Fox Walden label.
One interesting thing, they’re going to move the production from Mexico to Australia. Blame the drug violence and kidnapping habits that happen frequently south of the border… plus the unlikely but possible ‘excess baggage’ scenario in the back of the trunk.

Last year’s Narnia movie, PRINCE CASPIAN didn’t do so hot at the box office, as a matter of fact it bombed pretty bad, earning only $141 Million, considering it took $200+ Million to make the movie. I think it was because it opened on the weekend before Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull but critics point the finger at how dark and violent it was for younger viewers to see. So Fox and Walden are determined to bring back that family-friendly charm from the first movie Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and incorporate it into THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TRADER.