Narnia film to save Disney

The classic children's stories by Belfast-born C.S. Lewis are being tipped to save troubled Hollywood giant, Disney.

The Donald Duck studio has gone through a traumatic time with boardroom battles, the loss of highly-successful partner Pixar (who made such recent hits as Nemo),sackings and an unfriendly take-over bid, but plans for a major screen version of the Narnia fantasy tales are in hand.

The Oscar and Box Office success of The Lord of the Rings trilogy has prompted all of the top Hollywood studios to search for their own fantasy stories and Disney has landed on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

The seven-book Narnia series would, say Lewis fans and experts, be just right for the need-a-hit studio.

Shrek director Andrew Adamson is down to direct the $100m film, it's to be shot in New Zealand and casting is going apace for the planned five-month shoot.