Pre-Production Begins on the Next Installment of "Narnia"

Walt Disney Pictures and Walden Media, in collaboration with director Andrew Adamson, have begun pre-production on "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian," the next big screen installment of the "Narnia" Chronicles, and the follow-up to the international blockbuster, "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe,".

The latter film, based on the works of C. S. Lewis, has attracted legions of moviegoers all over the world and has grossed in excess of $637.8 million to date at the worldwide box office. It also received three Academy Award® nominations earlier this week.

Production is set to begin later this year for a Christmas 2007 release. "Prince Caspian" finds the Pevensie siblings pulled back into the land of Narnia, where a thousand years have passed since they left. The children are once again enlisted to join the colorful creatures of Narnia in combating an evil villain who prevents the rightful Prince from ruling the land. Prince Caspian was first published in 1951, and is the second book in the seven-book series written by Lewis. It was intended as a continuation of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.