Fox developing third 'Narnia' film

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 29 (UPI) -- Hollywood's 20th Century Fox has agreed to help bring the third film in "The Chronicles of Narnia" series to the big screen, Variety.com said.

Fox's partnership with Walden Media on the project came about a month after Disney decided not to co-finance "Voyage of the Dawn Treader." Disney previously collaborated with Walden on the first two movies in the franchise -- "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian" -- and both became international blockbusters.

Variety.com said Fox has committed to developing "Voyage," but the studio and Walden are still trying to hammer out budget and script issues.

Director Michael Apted is tentatively slated to start shooting the movie at the end of summer for an anticipated holiday 2010 release, the entertainment industry trade newspaper said.

"Caspian" cast members Ben Barnes, Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley are set to reprise their respective roles of Caspian, Edmund and Lucy in "Voyage."