The large studios never would have touched this had Mel Gibson single-handidly thrust The Passion of The Christ onto the scene. Once that happened the large athestic studios know there is a market for movies like this so here they come. With LOTR such a smash it only figures they’ll try to make the entire Narnia series into movies. I was distrubed to see my church play the narnia trailer during the service and reccomend we all see it. I know why my pastor did it..however recognizing the true motives behind these movies being released by Disney is equally important.
*note* One of the links in the linked story is simply a list of small posts so i am posting the relevant text here:
Say “Narnia,” Collect $1000
12/5/2005
posted by Philip Ryken
Sunday’s Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Walt Disney Pictures is offering a free trip to London and a thousand dollars in cash to the winner of its promotional sermon contest. To qualify, a sermon has to mention Disney’s new Narnia film. So welcome to a new medium of marketing: the sermo-mercial. It would seem that something more than Aslan is on the move. I wonder: Would mentioning the film while decrying the absurdity of the promotion qualify one’s sermon for the contest?