Michael Apted to direct 3rd 'Narnia' film

NEW YORK, May 15 (UPI) -- New Zealand filmmaker Andrew Adamson said that after directing two "Chronicles of Narnia" epics, he is ready to hand the franchise off to someone else.

"Michael Apted is directing the third one ('The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,')" Adamson recently told UPI while promoting the second "Narnia" film "Prince Caspian."

"I'll be producing (the third one)," Adamson added. "I think (Apted is) up for the challenge. He'll bring a different perspective to it. He's very cognizant of what we've done and what we're building and the places and locations we've established and, at the same time, he wants to make his own film."

Adamson said one reason why he loves the "Narnia" books and movies is because each story is so different.

"I think this film is very different than the last film I did. In some ways it looks like they could have been made by two entirely different people," he said, adding that the various stories will also mean cast changes in future installments.

"I don't think it's going to hurt the franchise for that to happen. The stories stand alone. It's kind of like C.S. Lewis actually wrote them for this purpose. Because he sort of passed the baton."

Copyright 2008 by United Press International