It seems The Chronicles of Narnia fans will soon be heading back through the wardrobe. Variety has revealed that Captain America: The First Avenger director Joe Johnston is set to direct a revival of the Narnia film franchise with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair.
Life of Pi‘s screenwriter David Magee has adapted the script with TriStar Pictures, the Mark Gordon Company, the C.S. Lewis Company and Entertainment One partnering on the project and Mark Gordon, Lewis’ stepson Douglas Gresham, Vincent Sieber and Melvin Adams producing the film.
The fourth book published in the Narnia franchise, The Silver Chair is about the Pevensie’s cousin Eustace Scrubb, who is called to Narnia by Aslan to save Prince Rilian, the kidnapped child of Prince Caspian.
“Joe is a wonderful storyteller who is equally at home in the biggest franchises and the most intimate character pieces,” Gordon said of Johnston’s hiring. “Because C.S. Lewis’ story is iconic and epic, but also tender, personal, and emotional, he’s the perfect choice to bring The Silver Chair to the screen.”
The film franchise began in 2005 with The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and spawned two sequels, Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Voyage was released in 2010, leaving it very unlikely that Will Poulter will return as Eustace given that the character is still a child in The Silver Chair.