Disney bails out of NARNIA franchise
Disney’s decision to pull the plug on co-financing the third movie in Walden Media’s CHRONICLES OF NARNIA series has left the future of the fantasy franchise in jeopardy.
“We are no longer going forward with the movie due to budgetary considerations and other logistics,” a Disney spokeswoman said over the weekend, though she declined to offer specifics on the studio’s decision to sever its ties with Walden on what was once envisioned as a seven-part series.
Execs from Walden didn’t return calls seeking comment.
Disney’s move comes on the heels of disappointing worldwide box office for the second NARNIA pic, PRINCE CASPIAN. CASPIAN, released in May, grossed $419 million worldwide compared with a haul of $745 million for the first NARNIA pic, THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE, in 2005.
