We have all read books and seen movies where the differences are astounding, and we sit and wonder if we were reading the same thing as the filmmakers, but this movie series was different. The Chronicles of Narnia was a film adaptation that was remarkably similar to the books, but there were also several things the movie left out.
We have compiled a list of things the movies have left out from the books that only true fans of the series would have noticed. Many of these were small details and had no effect on the storyline, but it was different from the way the words were portrayed on the page. Keep reading to learn about the ten things The Chronicles of Narnia leaves out in the movies!
Lucy Found The Wardrobe While Exploring The House
The movie left out the fact that Lucy first found the wardrobe while exploring the house. It has her finding the Narnia for the first time while playing hide-and-go-seek with her siblings, which was actually how she made it to Narnia the second time around. The filmmakers decided to make it more exciting and daring by adding this aspect to her discovery, but book lovers do miss the originality of the plot and her fervent mind of exploration. It may have worked for the movie, but we do believe the book had it right with the original storyline.
Susan Never Fought
The movie sought to give Susan a bigger role, so they made her into a fighter. The book had her staying with Aslan in order to restore Narnia to its former glory, but the filmmakers expected more from the young woman. They wanted her in on the action, instead of running off with Aslan because she was meant to empower women. It was easier to see her as strong and capable then forced to run off with the lion because she was too feminine to fight.
Giant Mr. Rumblebuffin
This important aspect of the books was left out, and fans are not sure why. Alsan blew on each of the stone statues to unfreeze them which is portrayed in the movies, but they never show how everyone managed to escape. Aslan actually unfroze a giant called Mr. Rumblebuffin and asked him to knock down the gate so they could all escape. He obliged and took it down with ease, officially releasing all of the captives she had held inside her wicked palace.
How Aslan And The Girls Got Into The Witch's Castle
The movies show Aslan running with the girls on his back and then the scene cuts to him walking into the courtyard of the castle.
Many people may have been confused about how he entered, especially with the large gate in the way, but the book fills in the details. Alsan actually jumped over the large wall like the powerfully built lion that he is and landed inside where he was able to free those the evil witch had imprisoned.
Eavesdropping Spell
The movie shows the scene where Lucy flips through a book of spells, but it does twist it away from the original story. The book had her rip out a page with an eavesdropping spell so she could see what her friends were saying about her behind her back, but after she uses it Aslan appears and tells her it was wrong of her to do. The movie has lucy rip out a page that will make her beautiful and Aslan immediately reprimands her for it. It makes her seem vainer, but also doesn't hold her as accountable for her actions.
Escape The Beavers House
The movie decided to add a scene of suspense when they escaped from the Beavers' house. The book had them fleeing the premises before the White Witch's hounds arrived, but the movie left them trapped inside. The filmmakers decided to have them escape through a secret tunnel they had kept hidden, rather than face the dogs waiting outside who were ready to chew them apart. It did not change the story but did add a sense of danger that viewers love to watch.
The Witch Hides When An Army Comes To Rescue Edmund
Edmund ends up strapped to a tree in both the book and movie, but what happens during his rescue is what differs. The book shows the White Witch standing over him with a knife, and readers assume she means to kill him, but then she sees his team of rescuers approaching.
The White Witch turns herself and the dwarf accompanying her into a boulder and a stump to hide from the assailants while they release Edmund. The movie never shows the witch in this scene or any inclination that she knew he was being rescued, and they even chain up the dwarf on the tree which never happens in the book.
Edmund's Betrayal
Edmund's betrayal of his family happens when they are with the Beavers, but the way they find out differs when comparing the book and the movie. The book has them noticing his absence when they are in the Beavers' home, but the movie has viewers witness rather than just assume. They watch from the ridge as he enters the White Witch's castle, and they changed the movie to be this way so viewers would understand what was happening. They wanted to make it clear as day that Edmund had turned on his family in favor of the witch and this was the best way they thought they would accomplish that.
Turkish Delights
The Turkish delights were the reason that Edmund chose to side with the witch, but the movie fails to make it clear that they influenced his decision with magic. The book makes it very clear throughout the story with not-so-subtle hints that the desserts are behind his loyalty, but the movie looks at it from a different angle. The filmmakers sought to have him learn from his mistakes, and make his betrayal more reliant on his own personal feelings rather than the magic in the dessert. It may have added another layer to his character, but it took something away that readers had originally loved.
A Sense Of Joy
A major part of the book was the sense of joy that it incorporated amidst the darkness of the rein fo the White Witch. They cut the part where Aslan and the two sisters play tag with one another despite the darkness of the times. The filmmakers decided to add more battles rather than add scenes where joy filled the air. People wanted to see they had not lost their sense of innocence as they worked to save Narnia, but since the writers did not think it would go well with viewers they decided to leave out this crucial detail.