In the soon-to-be-legendary Clash Of The Fantasy Epics, the first round has gone to Sony.
Disney/Walden Media’s Narnia follow-up Prince Caspian was originally scheduled to open, like the first movie, in December of 2007. But now Sony has grabbed the date of December 8 2007 for its own mythical tale, The Water Horse. Disney has blinked and decided to shift the Prince from 14 December to a summer release slot in 2008. The tragic irony in all of this? Both films are co-produced by Walden Media. They’re so successful, they’re shifting themselves from release dates!
"We're going to movie Prince Caspian to summer of '08," blabbed Disney’s Dennis Rice to The Hollywood Reporter. "Sony and Walden wanted to announce Water Horse and the best we can do is move into summer which will open up the holiday frame that Walden wanted." Isn’t that nice? We feel all warm inside.
"We still have lots of work to do coming off the great success of the first Narnia," Rice added. "Our follow-up will be an equally terrific picture. And as a result Andrew Adamson can take more time rather than try to jam it into the holiday. We think Prince Caspian will be great movie that will stand the test of summer or the holiday season." Translation: “Andrew Adamson, you now have more time to finish the movie. Make it good or we leave a horse’s head in your bed. A water horse’s head! Muahahahahahahhaaaaa!”*
*Statement may not be actual Disney language.