New name in 'Narnia' frame

Michael Apted is to direct new Narnia flick 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'.

Chris Tilly | Apr 18 2007

Michael Apted

Coming off the back of po-faced William Wilberforce biopic 'Amazing Grace', Michael Apted is the last director you'd expect to be tackling a children's film, but that's just what he's about to do if Ain't it Cool News is to be believed.

The British-born director, best known for 'Gorky Park', 'Thunderheart' and 'Gorillas in the Mist', is soon to tackle CS Lewis by adapting the fourth of the 'Chronicles of Narnia', 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader'.

Revolving around Lucy and Edmund returning to Narnia with their mischievous cousin Eustace, the film will be an effects-heavy extravaganza that challenges all the tricks and CGI skills that Apted learned making Bond flick 'The World is Not Enough'.

Andrew Adamson, director of previous 'Chronicles' 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' (which grossed nearly $740m worldwide) and the forthcoming 'Prince Caspian' (due to hit UK screens May 2008), isn't jumping ship altogether however, as he will stay on to produce, with the film set to shoot early next year.