The Upcoming Greta Gerwig Directed ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ Films May Feature a Female Aslan
Author C. S. Lewis’ imaginative and theologically rich fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia, includes some of the most cherished and beloved books ever written. But it’s been over a decade since fans have been able to experience the stories on the big screen. The last theatrical film, back in 2010, was the underperforming The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The wait is almost over, however, as new adaptations are currently in development at Netflix from Barbie director Greta Gerwig.
Earlier this year, it was announced that the film is set to receive an IMAX release, an almost unprecedented feat for a Netflix property. Unfortunately, not all the buzz has been so positive. First, there was producer Amy Pascal sharing in an interview that Gerwig’s approach to the Narnia films will be “a very new take” that is “all about rock n’ roll.” There are many possible ways that fans have described C. S. Lewis’ fantasy tales, but “rock n’ roll” is likely not one of them. For fans hopeful of receiving a faithful adaptation of the books, the news became even more grim this week.
Deadline released a new exclusive with some shocking news about the next Hollywood star to voice Aslan, the great lion of Narnia, after the widely praised work of Liam Neeson for the previous films. The article reveals that, according to sources, the earlier online rumors are true and Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep is indeed in talks to voice Aslan, although the contract has not yet been signed. Meryl Streep is a wonderful actress, but her possible casting as Aslan raises some serious questions about Netflix and Gerwig’s entire approach to these upcoming films
The article goes on to say: “In the novels, Aslan is a talking lion who serves as Narnia’s guardian and a guide for the human children. Generally portrayed as a male, Aslan was created as an allegory for Jesus by author C.S. Lewis.” However, as book readers will be quick to point out, that is an inaccurate statement. In the mind of Lewis, Aslan was not merely some sort of archetypal, metaphorical representation of Jesus—he was, in fact, intended to be the person of Jesus himself.
In an often-quoted letter to a young fan, he once wrote: “I don’t say, ‘Let us represent Christ as Aslan.’ I say, ‘Supposing there was a world like Narnia, and supposing, like ours, it needed redemption, let us imagine what sort of Incarnation and Passion and Resurrection Christ would have there.” In other words, the casting decision would essentially amount to gender-swapping Jesus and, thus, would represent a significant alteration to the story.
The decision, if finalized, also has the potential to be catastrophic for the viability of the new franchise. Many within the mainstream audience are familiar with the Narnia stories, and Greta Gerwig is an A-list name in Hollywood after the enormous success of Barbie, but for the films to truly succeed, they will need to be embraced by Christian audiences, a demographic of increasing importance within the industry. Yet, it’s hard to imagine a creative decision that might ostracize and turn Christian audiences against it as quickly as a gender-swapped Aslan.
The unexpected casting decision is sure to add fuel to the fire of the existing narrative that Hollywood is being driven by ideological concerns rather than listening to its audience, particularly on the heels of the contentious release of Disney’s live action Snow White adaptation, which has become a major box-office bomb largely due to what many perceived to be a revisionist take and unwanted “modern update” on the classic story.
As reported in Deadline, the deal with Meryl Streep is not yet finalized, and Netflix may change course. Even so, that Netflix and Gerwig are even seriously considering this casting choice likely provides a glimpse into the creative philosophy being taken toward these adaptations, and it is unlikely to quell any of the growing concerns felt by fans of the classic book series.
