Great expecations for many projects but Narnia

Film news The credit crunch may have spread into the mystical realm of Narnia, if reports are to be believed.

Walt Disney Studios is reported to have cited "budgetary and logistical" reasons for backing out of the follow-up to Prince Caspian.

The credit crunch may have spread into the mystical realm of Narnia, if reports are to be believed. Hollywood trade publications have stated that Walt Disney Studios has backed out of co-producing and co-financing The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, one of CS Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia novels. The movie was expected to follow Prince Caspian and The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe into cinemas in 2010, but Disney cited "budgetary and logistical" reasons for the change of heart. The film may not be dead in the water yet, however. The other big force behind the films, Walden Media, may find another partner.

A new Hollywood version of Sinbad is sailing into development. Adam Shankman, the director of the 2007 musical Hairspray and the Adam Sandler comedy Bedtime Stories, has signed on to helm the project. Reports suggest the legendary adventurer and his crew will be marooned off the coast of China and set off to find Aladdin's lamp. Shankman told Variety that he hopes the film will give him the chance to "stretch my imagination as far as I can take it". The most recent live-action Hollywood outing from the infamous sailor was 1989's Sinbad of the Seven Seas, starring Lou Ferrigno of The Incredible Hulk TV series.

Speculation is rife that the director James Cameron's upcoming movie, Avatar - his first film in over 10 years - could be a "game changer".

The sci-fi epic will almost certainly be one of 2009's big hitters, but insiders are predicting it could even change the face of filmmaking forever - much like Star Wars did in 1977 and King Kong in 1933. Currently filming in New Zealand, the director is using cutting-edge 3D technology to bring the movie to life. Cameron's last outing was Titanic, the highest-grossing picture of all time. Prior to that he made his name with Terminator 2, Aliens and The Abyss.

The development of Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson's upcoming Tintin movie series is powering ahead, with reports that several actors have been cast in leading rolls. Although no name is currently confirmed for the eponymous hero, the Lord of the Rings star Andy Serkis is set to play Captain Haddock and the Shaun of the Dead duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost will play the detectives Thomson and Thomson, Aintitcoolnews.com has reported.

The semi-animated movie is expected to use 3D performance-capture technology, as seen in films such as Beowulf and The Polar Express.
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