IMAX CEO: Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Is “Not Your Grandmother’s Narnia”, Will Feature Rock-Inspired Music
IMAX held its first Investors Day presentation in New York, where CEO Rich Gelfond shared new details about Netflix and Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew, scheduled for release next November. His most revealing comments centred on the film’s musical direction.
According to Gelfond, Gerwig’s Narnia will feature a contemporary, rock-influenced sound, with artists like Pink Floyd and The Doors cited as examples of the tone fans can expect. The film’s score is being composed by music producer Mark Ronson, who recently worked on Barbie. Producer Amy Pascal made a similar remark in 2024, when she infamously described the project as “all about rock and roll.”
This is a real blockbuster movie that’s being made for [IMAX and Netflix] and you know, I guess I do have to talk a little about why I’m so excited about it. This is not your mother’s or your grandmother‘s Narnia. The music in it is unbelievably contemporary music, which IMAX fans like. I’m not gonna say specifically, but things like Pink Floyd and The Doors. You know that kind of music which people go to see in IMAX.”
Gelfond also highlighted the scale of the production. Attendees at the in-person event were shown a brief clip from Greta Gerwig, and he described visiting the enormous Cardington Studios set, where the project is being shot across multiple stages and locations.
The movie itself is being filmed at the largest sound stage in Europe. I went on the set where there were hundreds of people and multiple green screens and it’s filmed at multiple locations. You’re gonna see a clip in a second and if you can’t see how passionate Greta is about it, then you’ll have to wait to see the movie to see how awesome it is.”
Gelfond also voiced strong confidence in the project overall, saying that Gerwig’s Narnia film — and IMAX’s partnership with Netflix — is “really going to change the world” and “create a cultural event.”
So this is one where, […] my team has to hold me back. Because I think, as I said before, that it’s really going to change the world. And I know that sounds like a lot of hyperbole, but Greta is making this movie for IMAX, and then fully understands that when word gets out about what this movie is, it’s going to create a cultural event.”
Gelfond also reiterated that The Magician’s Nephew will premiere exclusively in IMAX theatres, a decision he credited directly to Gerwig. The 28-day IMAX-only release window has drawn backlash from rival studios and exhibitors due to Netflix’s reluctance to adopt traditional theatrical runs.
What do you make of Gelfond’s comments? Head over to our Discussion Forum or Discord to break down all the implications!
I don’t know who Pink Floyd and The Doors are, but I DEEPLY dislike the idea of having rock and roll music in Narnia! I can’t conceive of a way in this would make sense. My hopes have been crushed yet again. Are they going to keep ANY of the aesthetic from the books? We already have a huge time change, we don’t need this too!
Man, I was kind of gratified when I heard about the IMAX thing because even though there are no IMAX cinemas near where I live, it’s nice to think of some people somewhere seeing scenes like the collapse of the palace in Charn or the creation of Narnia on as big a screen as possible. But if it means we have to have rock music, I’d rather it was on a small screen.
I am glad to hear that the Narnia movie was mentioned at the IMAX Investors event, because obviously we as fans want Narnia to get attention. And this movie seems like it’s a big investment and opportunity for IMAX. (How their financial deal works is a mystery to me, though.)
However, as it has been said, Netflix normally prioritises their streaming service, and doesn’t like theatrical releases. So I wonder how much the IMAX release will actually make in terms of money. For one thing, it’s going to need to be marketed much more than Knives Out 3. (Netflix’s recent theatrical release.)
As for the music, this is starting to sound a lot like a Gerwig’s Barbie and a lot less like Gerwig’s Little Women. More modern and less period piece. The result is yet to be seen and it could be great. Like, if you’d told me that Walden’s LWW would have electronic beats in the score, I wouldn’t have liked the idea. But it worked just fine, and added something nice to it.