Thursday, 26th June 2008

Prince Caspian: Official launch video

The official 15th Anniversary blog has shared this collection of clips and soundbites from the events last Friday, providing a look at the unique medieval ceremony in front of Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant and the arrival of the stars outside Gaumont Disney Village:

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian Launch

The entire event was undoubtedly a huge success, bringing the magic of a brand new Disney film direct to Disneyland Resort Paris, raising the resort’s profile and providing a unique “I was there!” moment to guests on the day. We can only hope this is the start of more fruitful relationship with Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (formerly Buena Vista Distribution), that leads to more events like this and less giant billboards…

« Part 4 of our Prince Caspian series ‘¢

[Video © Disney]

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is released in the UK today! Have you seen the film yet? Share your thoughts and reviews on the magicforum topic!

Wednesday, 25th June 2008

Prince Caspian: Character debuts, White Witch returns

Since the White Witch’s appearances in the first half of 2006, following the release of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, Backlot has been the unlikely home of a little slice of Narnia magic — the frosty throne from her spectacular ice palace, housed within a covered black box as if a piece of the film set had been cut away and lifted here. To the side of the scene stands a figure of the Witch’s old assistant, Ginarrbrik.

We recently asked in our Question of the Week, “Which of the 2008 Disney Character would you most like to meet at Disneyland Resort Paris?”. Whilst an overwhelming majority of 79 votes to 21 voted for Pixar’s cute little waste-cleaning robot WALL-E to debut, the incredibly low likelihood of this means that, in reality, Prince Caspian has probably just won the competition.

Why? Because, he has arrived! The CharactersPhotos blog snapped the first pictures…

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The new Prince Caspian is certainly a rather dashing figure of royalty, and surprisingly close to the Ben Barnes original as seen in the film. Whilst using the same costume of a green armour, black cape, brown boots and gloves and green sword sheild as the character, the Paris equivalent is rather more fresh-faced than the prince recently debuted over at Disney’s Hollywood Studios in Florida.

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As Prince Caspian signed autographs for the first time this weekend, soon the reasoning behind keeping the ice palace scene in place — rather than replacing it with, for example, something like the overgrown ruins set used in Hong Kong — became clear.

Not only has Prince Caspian debuted at Walt Disney Studios Park, the infamous — and very popular — White Witch has returned!

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Her icy glare is just as startling as ever, returning the exceptional costume introduced in 2006 to the park, complete with brilliant white (fake) fur coat, crystal-blonde locks, frosted crown and an icy staff. Note also the speckles of frost running down her cheeks, and the tiny white icicles on her eyelids.

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The new guy Prince Caspian is going to have some competition for those autographs this Summer.

Exact times of the character appearances are not included in the regular park Programme leaflet, likely due to the small availability of these cast members that also affected the early appearances of Jack Sparrow. Keep an eye out next time you’re in Backlot, though — you never know when the door to Narnia might open.

Sooner than we thought, anyway — even if this isn’t yet the full attraction as rumoured recently.

« Part 3 of our Prince Caspian series ‘¢ Part 5 of our Prince Caspian series »

[Photos: © Characters Photos blog (more here) ]

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is released in the UK tomorrow, 26th June 2008.

Wednesday, 25th June 2008

Prince Caspian: Nighttime launch events bring Narnia to Fantasyland

Dramatic, colourful lighting, projections on Le Château de la Belle au Bois Dormant, fire-eaters, stilt walkers and many strange Narnian-esque creatures roamed the courtyard to provide an extra after-party of entertainment for the assembled guests and celebrities from across Europe.

Such a party in this area of the park is quite unusual and certainly hasn’t been seen for many years. With plans for Paris versions of Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party to be held in Fantasyland this October, this could even give an idea of the special mood lighting of those upcoming events.

Effects included smoke from inside the castle and lights up inside La Galerie de la Belle au Bois Dormant, changing colour to illuminate the stained-glass windows in spectacularl fashion throughout the show.

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Fire artists and mythological stilt-walkers take over the courtyard, lit in rays of rich red light.

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The film’s logo is projected on the gallery balcony behind, with the stained-glass windows illuminated in red as the creatures and stunt performers roamed around, interacting with guests.

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Dramatic lighting changes from fiery reds and pinks…

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…to cool blues and greens, with the stained-glass behind joining in.

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Guests stepped through a wall of smoke inside the Castle to enter this live version of a Narnia-like world.

Whilst Fantasyland appears to have been seized as the perfect place to host Narnian events for the launch of Prince Caspian, the royal figure himself had already made plans to make his daily appearance elsewhere…

« Part 2 of our Prince Caspian series ‘¢ Part 4 of our Prince Caspian series »

[Photos: © Disney]

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is released in the UK tomorrow, 26th June 2008.

Tuesday, 24th June 2008

Prince Caspian: French Narnia premiere at Gaumont Disney Village

The wide resort esplanade in Paris is usually a place of guests rushing hurriedly from hotel-to-park or park-to-park, eager to begin their Disney experience. Last Friday at around 7.00pm, however, they were in for a shock — the gateway to Narnia had sprung open right there, bringing the stars of the film and their medieval extras on a long route all the way from Disneyland Hotel to Disney Village…

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In the first car, William Moseley (Peter) and Georgie Henley (Lucy).

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Following, Anna Popplewell (Susan) and Skandar Keynes (Edmund) made their way through the gardens, past the train station, to the newly-green (is “Narnia-like” pushing it?) Disney Village.

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A large crowd was gathered well in advance of the arrival of the lead actors, thanks to plentiful publicity by the resort and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures — not to mention the many camera crews setting up outside the cinema doors. Each car, in fresh Narnia-like colours, was decorated with themed flags bearing the film’s logo.

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The biggest star of the film arrives — Prince Caspian himself, Ben Barnes, joined by director Andrew Adamson.

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Prince Caspian will likely be Adamson’s final time directing a Narnia film. For the third, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, due in 2010, British director Michael Apted has already been signed on. Adamson will remain as a producer.

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Many fans like those hoping for an autograph and photo here, will be glad to hear that all the principle cast have already been signed onto the third film.

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For William Moseley, that means another long line of adoring (and mostly female) fans.

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But now, he has competition — Ben Barnes has been thrust head-first into the big time as lead character Prince Caspian, with Disney trumpeting its choice to begin promotion of the film with a single one-sheet poster featuring just this star. / Andrew Adamson asks if the throne (behind) is intended for him

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Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Ben Barnes, Anna Popplewell

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The young cast with producer Mark Johnson (left) and Vincent Grass (right), who plays Doctor Cornelius

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The entire company pose for the bank of photographers and journalists in front of the entrance doors to Gaumont Cinemas in Disney Village, surrounded by actors from the earlier medieval ceremony.

Numerous French celebrities and personalities, such as Emilie Dequenne, Geraldine Pailhas, Jovanka Sopalovic, Clovis Cornillac, Antoine de Maximy, David Halliday, Richard Dacoury, Laura Flessel and Julie Gayet also attended the premiere, posing for photographs and interviews on the throne positioned in front of the giant ‘Prince Caspian’ backdrop.

« Part 1 of our Prince Caspian series ‘¢ Part 3 of our Prince Caspian series »

[Photos: © Disney]

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is released in the UK this Thursday, 26th June 2008.

Tuesday, 24th June 2008

Prince Caspian: Medieval ceremony and Narnia stars launch new film at Disneyland Park

In December 2005, Walt Disney Pictures broke box office records and enchanted millions when they took us through the wardrobe into the magical world of Narnia. Now, the stars are back, the budget is bigger and the stakes — for both the land of Narnia and Disney — are higher than ever.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is finally released in cinemas across Europe this week and, in an exceptionally smart move, Disneyland Resort Paris welcomed the actors to Disneyland Park last Friday, 20th June 2008 with a motor car parade along Main Street and a dazzling medieval ceremony featuring everything from jugglers of fire to birds of prey.

The sequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe moved much of its production to the Czech Republic, with the young actors appearing to take part in this special ceremony and sign autographs for fans less than 24 hours after they attended the film’s official British premiere at The O2 in London, where 10,000 eager fans in The O2 Arena and an enormous screen purpose-built for the occasion made history as the biggest ever UK film premiere.

We’re sharing the full series of official photographs from the daytime event at Disneyland Resort Paris, with a few from our friends at Photos Magiques thrown in for good luck. As the wise professor told us at the end of the first film, the door to Narnia will probably only open again when we’re not looking for it — for the unassuming guests enjoying a regular day at Disneyland Park last friday, quite a surprise was waiting…

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At 5.00pm sharp, against a typically dull sky for a major press event, the Central Plaza Stage was overtaken by medieval characters carrying bows, dressed in orange, teal, green and brown, as the public became aware something special was about to begin.

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The archers performed a routine of practice fires and defence movements from the stage, before the first special guest was welcomed onto the stage — a live bird of prey, with its handler.

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In Narnia, everyone needs to be prepared for battle.

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Jugglers of fire practiced their skills against a backdrop of the medieval bows and the magnificent Sleeping Beauty Castle.

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A warm flash of sun brings out the brilliant colours of the archers’ costumes against the dark skies.

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The routine featured a mixture of regular show and parade (EPC) performers with specialists brought in just for this occasion.

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As knights and warriors carrying shields and swords joined the ceremony…

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…A burst of royal golden, silver and red streamers joined a fanfare to herald the arrival of the real-life Narnia stars.

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Even more medieval pageantry brought Main Street to life — horses dressed in full costume with knights of varying styles led the way for the suitably-coloured motor cars.

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By this time, a sizeable crowd had gathered right along the length of Main Street, everyone clamouring to get a glimpse –and a photo — of the actors they saw step through the Wardrobe, along with a new addition…

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Georgie Henley (Lucy Pevensie) and William Moseley (Peter) / Ben Barnes (Prince Caspian) and director Andrew Adamson

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The medieval actors are spooked by the arrival of their modern Hollywood rivals / Skandar Keynes (Edmund) and Anna Popplewell (Susan) walk to the stage

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From left to right: Vincent Grass (Doctor Cornelius), Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Skandar Keynes, Ben Barnes

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Once on-stage, resort ambassador Arnaud Gayet joined the cast to answer questions about the film and their visit to Disneyland — most keen to take the microphone, and apparently as thrilled by the whole experience as her initial steps into the snowy lamp-lit forest of Narnia, Georgie Henley

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Colourful flags are waved behind the stars as the sky fills with glittering purple confetti. Second photo, far left, also shows Mark Johnson (producer) and Andrew Adamson (director)

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Georgie Henley still has the “you’ve just stepped into Narnia” wonder in her

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For guests at Disneyland Park on Friday, this was a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity — Disney (and Narnian) magic, known by billions around the world, live before your own eyes

In Part 2, see the events continuing with a second motor car parade to Gaumont Disney Village, where the actual French premiere of the film was held, along a red carpet stretching all the way from Disneyland Hotel to the entrance of the cinema itself…

— See the full Photos Magiques gallery from the daytime launch event here.

‘¢ Part 2 of our Prince Caspian series »

[Photos: © Disney and Photos Magiques]

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian is released in the UK this Thursday, 26th June 2008.

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