Netflix’s Greta Gerwig-Directed Narnia Film to Get Unprecedented IMAX Release

J R. R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings franchise has undergone a resurgence in popularity over the last several years, with a big-budget streaming show, multiple video games, a recent anime adaptation, and several live-action movies in development. In stark contrast, the work of his beloved friend C. S. Lewis has been collecting dust on the Hollywood shelf for 15 years. The most recent adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia was the poorly received Voyage of the Dawn Treader back in 2010. But the wait is almost over, as Netflix continues to move forward with its plan to reboot the franchise under the guidance of Barbie director Greta Gerwig.  

Polarizing opinions on Barbie (2023) and remarks by producer Amy Pascal that Gerwig’s approach to the Narnia films will be “a very new take” and “all about rock n’ roll” have understandably left some people uneasy about the film’s direction. Only time will tell whether Gerwig is the right creative voice to revive Lewis’ beloved, theologically rich stories. Yet her status as an in-demand, powerful director is already being felt. 

Though Netflix has historically been opposed to theatrical releases of its original films, Gerwig’s Narnia adaptation seems to be a rare exception. According to Matthew Belloni at puck.news, Netflix has committed to getting the film onto approximately 1,000 IMAX screens on Thanksgiving Day 2026 before moving it to the streaming platform around Christmas. The news is sure to excite devoted Narnia fans who want to experience the stories on the big screen. The decision also hints at the level of commitment Netflix is showing the rebooted franchise.  Audiences will have to wait until next year to journey back through the wardrobe, but the days ahead should continue to shed more light on what version of Narnia they will discover once they do.