You've Got Narnia

AOL and the Walt Disney Studios said on Friday they would partner on a marketing campaign for the upcoming movie version of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, the first volume of the C.S. Lewis children’s classic.

The AOL web sites, including Moviefone.com, will give movie fans a first look at photos, artwork, behind-the-scenes video, and extended footage from the film, which is set to open nationwide on December 9.

Time Warner-owned AOL has been enhancing its web properties as it moves away from relying on its Internet service provider business for revenue. The company is increasing its free offerings in an effort to attract more revenue from online advertising.

The Disney deal is likely to attract lots of eyeballs to the online promotion for the film, which Disney hopes will become a hit this holiday season."Audience anticipation for The Chronicles of Narnia is already enormous, and it will only grow as we lead up to December 9,” said Erik Flannigan, vice president of AOL programming.

Visiting Narnia

Fans of the Narnia books won’t have to wait to go to the movie theater, or climb into their wardrobes, to see Narnia in action. The two companies have created an online site, known as "The World of Narnia" to showcase the movie trailer. The site will also offer a video vault of Narnia videos, photo galleries, and an interactive map.

In the weeks leading up to the movie premiere, the site will feature the debut of behind-the-scenes video features, extended footage from the movie, a production photo gallery, interactive character guides, and additional content. “This online destination will provide great content and frequent updates about the film,” said Oren Aviv, president of Disney’s Buena Vista Pictures Marketing business.