The announcement of Greta Gerwig adapting the beloved Narnia books based on the work of cherished author C.S. Lewis has undoubtedly caused a stir of interest in fans of both literature and cinema. Her addition to the project, which is being produced for Netflix, is a welcome choice for many, given Gerwig's current status as one of the hottest directors working in Hollywood and her ability to handle content that explores religious themes.
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Many details of the production, including the cast and release date, remain up in the air, with the movie still in the pre-production period. However, plenty of speculation and some confirmed details about the production are starting to give fans an idea of what they may be able to expect with the upcoming Narnia films. Here are all the details we know.
Greta Gerwig's Narnia Movies Will Likely Stay Close to the Source Material ✕ Remove Ads
Details on how Greta Gerwig will approach the source material have yet to surface, and it is unknown whether she will offer a modern interpretation or adapt the source material closely. Gerwig herself comes from a religious background. She was raised in a Unitarian Universalist household but attended a Catholic high school, which she has discussed influenced her work. This is most obvious in Lady Bird, which directly tackles a woman's relationship with religion and power figures, and Little Women, which is heavy on traditional Christian values (albeit without adhering to direct doctrine). Gerwig has also drawn parallels to biblical narratives in her record-breaking box office hit Barbie.
"It's a series of books that has 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." Greta Gerwig
Gerwig's inclusion of religious themes in her previous work suggests that she will likely adhere closely to the themes of C.S. Lewis's novels or at least incorporate elements of Christian allegory, Biblical parallels, and spiritualism. Still, this remains speculative, and the plot details, or even which books will be the first adapted, remains unknown, though most speculate that the film series developed with Netflix will start with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
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Books That Could Be Adapted for Greta Gerwig's Narnia Series:
Book Title
Original Publish Date
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
October 16, 1950
Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia
October 15, 1951
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
September 15, 1952
The Silver Chair
September 7, 1953
The Horse and His Boy
September 6, 1954
The Magician's Nephew
September 8, 1955
The Last Battle
September 4, 1956
✕ Remove Ads Cast and Crew Confirmed for Greta's Gerwig's Narnia Films Close
While it was initially announced that Louis Partridge was cast in the upcoming Narnia movies, this has since been proven to be incorrectly reported. The other actor attached to the movie is Saoirse Ronan, who is also listed on the IMDb page without a confirmed role. However, in a recent appearance on Jimmy Fallon, the actor stated that she has not yet been approached to star in the upcoming movies. No cast has been confirmed to be working on the project, despite early reports stating Ronan and Patridge's involvement. However, Ronan's work with Gerwig on Lady Bird and Little Women makes the speculation of her inclusion in the Narnia films more plausible.
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Matthew Aldrich is listed on IMDb for writing credits alongside Gerwig (besides C.S. Lewis). Aldrich only has a few screenwriting credits under his name, but they include the phenomenal Pixar feature Coco. Netflix, Midnight Road Entertainment, eOne Films, and The C.S. Lewis Company are producing Greta Gerwig's Narnia films. Composer Harry Gregson-Williams saw praise for his work on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) and Prince Caspian (2008), though this also remains unconfirmed; Alexandre Desplat seems a likely candidate given his work with Gerwig on both Little Women and Barbie. At this point, the details of the crew involved in the various aspects of production are yet to be confirmed.
Release Date of the First Narnia Film Close ✕ Remove Ads
The release date for the first movie in Greta Gerwig's Narnia films is yet to be confirmed. However, there has been some speculation that the first entry could be looking at being released on Thanksgiving 2026 in theaters before making its way to Netflix. This has extended from Gerwig's desire to get the movie in theaters instead of being a Netflix exclusive. Specifically, there have been talks of the Narnia movies hitting IMAX screens. However, beyond talks happening about showings of the film on the screen, there has been no confirmation if this will be a certainty.
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In an article published on March 11, 2024, Deadline speculated that Narnia was "more than likely" to begin filming either late 2024 or early 2025. However, as we approach the end of the year, production is more likely to begin sometime in early 2025, especially with current details on cast and crew being scant. As more details emerge, we will cover them here on Movieweb; both Gerwig and Narnia fans will undoubtedly remain on the edge of their seats waiting for more confirmation of what they can expect.