New ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ Movies Coming to Netflix from ‘Barbie’ Director
The magic of Narnia has seemingly diminished in recent years. While The Lord of the Rings has remained in the cultural forefront due to several movies in development, an expensive Amazon show, various video games, and even buzz-worthy Lego sets, C. S. Lewis’ fantastical land of Narnia has remained largely dormant since the release of Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). But that appears to be about to change. According to several entertainment outlets, Aslan is once again on the move.
Greta Gerwig (Barbie, Little Women, Lady Bird) is allegedly set to write and direct two new Chronicles of Narnia films for Netflix. No information has been given as to which of the seven books in the series will be adapted, nor when the films are set to release. This ambiguity did not prevent many people from expressing their excitement or concerns on social media. Reactions ranged from joy at finally returning to Narnia, to fear that secular Hollywood won’t handle the stories with the care they deserve.
After the largely lukewarm reception of The Rings of Power, as well as a growing distrust of Hollywood and streaming services in general, some Christians are understandably hesitant toward modern adaptions of such cherished classic stories, particularly with the deep theological underpinnings of those tales. Even so, the previous movie adaptations (2005-2010) remained mostly faithful to the Christian elements and allegory of Lewis’ series, so there is hope that the new films will do likewise, rather than diluting these components to be more accessible to fans of modern fantasy shows like The Witcher or House of the Dragon.
Only time will tell how these adaptations will turn out (or if they will even get made at all). Given the typically lengthy production schedules for projects of this scale, the Narnia films are likely several years away from release. Nevertheless, the quick and passionate reaction to the announcement testifies to the love that many people still have toward C. S. Lewis’s enchanting stories, and the fact that we are long overdue for a journey back through the wardrobe.
