Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe filming begins

3.30pm

Four children are about to discover a wardrobe in the corner of a room in their uncle's house that will open up a whole new world.

The first scene in CS Lewis's 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' is being shot today at the old Hobsonville Air Base.

Kiwi director Andrew Adamson, famous for his work on Shrek 2, has been put in charge of the multi-million dollar production.

Movie publicist, Ernie Malik, says they are holding back on announcing who the four main child actors are until filming is well underway.

But he says they will be involved today in shooting the first scenes from the book.

Filming of the C.S. Lewis classic will be done in Auckland until mid-October, when the production will move to the South Island. Filming is expected to take six months to complete.

The movie is expected to be released in the United States at the end of next year.

- Newstalk ZB