Take the "Christian" out of the biggest Christian series of the 20th c? Marketing ploy, nothing more or less.

Disney does have an iron grip on the franchise now, and Disney isn't a religious company. They may be the world's biggest producer of "Family friendly" media but they're also a "think of the bottom line and take advantage of every marketing niche possible" secular company and they want this movie series to draw in the widest possible audience.

As for why many of the best are done by those who don't believe, I'm of the opinion that it's because they have the freedom to play around with the darker implications of theology.

True. I mean, plenty of Christian authors could deal with those same subjects but it could cost them a large portion of their Christian audience. Look at what happened to JKR.

and we both know what happens to the "sacrifice element" when a certain YA author got her hands on it ;)

Yeah. I was going ot say that I think the world is about due for another C.S Lewis but you know, more liberal and more feminist. Alas, it will not be her!