'Dawn Treader' to Be Released in December 2010

A little over three months ago, this project looked like it was on the ropes. But now, with a new studio and a renewed sense of purpose, The Chronicles of Narnia will embark on its third chapter, Voyage of the Dawn Treader in a little less than two years. Sci-Fi Wire reports that Walden Media and Fox have set their sights on December 10, 2010, a date that is otherwise wide open. The move marks a return to the holiday season for Narnia, where it fared much better than as a summer blockbuster. Last year's Prince Caspian did about half the business that The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe managed a few years earlier. Fox stepped in when Disney bowed out of negotiations to make the third film in the series with Walden. That's almost purely a financial move; Caspian cost a ton of money, Disney didn't feel the return was that great, and the studio was really displeased with the proposed budget for Dawn Treader. It makes sense for Fox and Walden to pair up, having worked on projects before. Expect the Pevensie kids and Prince Caspian to set sail aboard The Dawn Treader, fighting...well, more of the same stuff, I guess.