Netflix is all set to bring back the timeless ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ series to the screen with path breaking filmmaker Greta Gerwig at the helm. The Barbie director has been confirmed to lead at least two adaptations of C.S. Lewis’s iconic books and the executives at Netflix have offered some significant updates regarding this. Let’s take a look at what we know so far about Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia movies and explore what we can expect from them.
Production update on Greta Gerwig’s Narnia movie
News of Greta Gerwig’s collaboration with Netflix for the Narnia project has been circulating within industry insiders in the recent while. Now, Netflix’s Head of Film Scott Stuber has revealed that the movies will begin production in 2024, essentially confirming rumors.
#GretaGerwig: "I’m in the Wood between the Worlds." Dropping a hint? Or just describing how early in the creative process she is? https://t.co/bsYTjLL2Mn
— NarniaWeb (@NarniaWeb) November 4, 2023
Fans of both Greta Gerwig as well as the Chronicles of Narnia series are excited to see how the Lady Bird director will be able to pull off her specific vision for the fantasy books’ adaptations. The seven books and three feature films have a devoted fan base who look forward to it.
However, Gerwig herself has expressed her concerns about her expectations for adapting the film. In a recent interview, the 40-year-old director expressed that she is still wrapping her arms around the project and that she is scared of it but in a good way.
Which Chronicles of Narnia book will Netflix adapt?
The original series by C.S. Lewis comprises seven books out of which ‘The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe’, ‘Prince Caspian’ and ‘The Voyage of The Dawn Treader’ have all been successfully adapted for the big screen.
Therefore, it seems likely that Greta Gerwig will focus on either ‘The Silver Chair’ or ‘The Last Battle’ as they are part of the five main books. ‘The Magician’s Nephew’ and ‘The Horse and His Boy’ cannot be ruled out completely either.
While Disney’s feature adaptations of the Narnia saga were all mostly successful, they did face a lot of rights issues behind the scenes. This brought future projects to a halt. Netflix will aim to turn things around with some significant help from Greta Gerwig who recently made history with Barbie.
Cast, crew, and release date information
As of now, there is very little information regarding the confirmed cast and crew for the upcoming movies since the project is in its early phase. Writer-producer Matthew Aldrich who previously worked in Disney Pixar’s Coco has been roped in as the creative architect for the project.
"[Narnia is] a series of books that have meant a lot to me in my life. And C.S. Lewis as a writer [was] someone who had a lot of profound things to say." #GretaGerwig
— NarniaWeb (@NarniaWeb) November 4, 2023
Given that Netflix has confirmed that the upcoming Narnia movies will begin production only in 2024, a confirmed release date seems far away, most likely in late 2025 or early 2026. Fans will have to wait for more official updates from the streaming giant regarding the fantasy flick.
