After the blockbuster “Barbie,” director Greta Gerwig is immersed in the relaunch of a saga that, in the early 2000s, won over both the general public and fans of the original work. Set for release in November 2026, the reboot of “The Chronicles of Narnia” promises to be a respectful adaptation of CS Lewis’ novels, but at the same time will offer a fresh look compared to previous titles, to best suit the director’s expressive sensibility.
After the announcement last January, we know that the title will be the result of an unprecedented collaboration between Gerwig and Netflix, with filming scheduled to begin next month. The project, which will keep the director busy for at least two films, has been the nature of the partnership, which will expose the film mainly to the streaming market, potentially penalizing the results in theaters.
While confirming a limited theatrical release - two weeks in theaters that support the IMAX format - Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos took the opportunity to reiterate, during a conference call, the company's long-term goals : "Our main strategy is to offer our members, exclusive films in first-run on Netflix. The Narnia IMAX release is a distribution tactic. We regularly release films in theaters a couple of weeks early for awards qualifiers, to meet festival requirements and to generate some publicity. In the case of Narnia, it's a special two-week event. I think that's very different than other circumstances, because I doubt that anyone has a screen as big as an IMAX screen at home."
According to the latest rumors circulating online, distribution issues have repeatedly hindered the development of the project and put a strain on the relationship between Netflix and Gerwig. In the meantime, rumors are that the first film will be based on “The Magician’s Nephew,” and as revealed by cinematographer Seamus McGarvey, a guest on The Filmmaker’s Podcast, the film will be shot entirely in 35mm VistaVision, a format also recently used for the acclaimed “The Brutalist.”
Even about the cast, very little is known. In April, the most accredited names for the role of the White Witch were Margaret Qualley and Emma Mackey, but there also seems to be a third name in the running, currently unknown. Among the other interpreters, there has also been talk of Mikey Madison, winner of the Oscar for best leading actress for “Anora”. The news, reported by The Hollywood Reporter, does not clarify the role that the actress could play. It is known, however, that she had already positively impressed Gerwig during the 2024 edition of the Cannes Film Festival, when the director was part of the official jury. According to Deadline's sources, there would even be the possibility that Daniel Craig will join the cast, currently still in negotiations.
Also according to Deadline, Mark Johnson - already a producer of the previous film adaptation and also involved in this new chapter - expressed great enthusiasm for what awaits us: «I'm fascinated. First of all I'm a huge fan of his, so I can't wait to see it».
Regarding the secrecy surrounding the project, and teasing that it will be something very different from what she has done in the past, she added: "I can't say what she's doing. Whether she's doing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which we obviously did a few years ago, or whether she's doing something different. Or whether it's a combination of the two. I don't know how it's all secret, I don't know the details, but I'm not competitive. I'm looking forward to seeing it because whatever Greta Gerwig does is going to be really good and I'm sure it's going to be radically different from what we've done."
