THE LION THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE - CHILDREN'S BOOK GETS THE SHREK TOUCH

Popular children's book THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE is to be made into a big-screen movie, filmed in New Zealand.

The CS LEWIS novel will be adapted by SHREK co-director ANDREW ADAMSON, and will have a budget of $105.4 million (GBP62 million).

Adamson says, "We are extremely happy and excited to be starting work on the film in New Zealand."

Work on the film - expected to be the first of five films based on the seven CHRONICLES OF NARNIA books - has already begun at Rings director PETER JACKSON's WETA WORKSHOP in Wellington.