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Netflix’s Narnia Movies: What We Know

Netflix’s Narnia Movies: What We Know

Updated: September 6th, 2025

Netflix is developing new live-action adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, starting with ‘The Magician’s Nephew’. This page is updated regularly with the latest information.

The Director

Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird, Little Women, Barbie) is set to write and direct at least two Narnia movies for Netflix.

Unfamiliar with Gerwig? Here is everything she’s said about her Narnia movies.

I’m slightly in the place of terror because I really do have such reverence for Narnia, I loved Narnia so much as a child. As an adult, C.S. Lewis is a thinker and a writer. I’m intimidated by doing this. It’s something that feels like a worthy thing to be intimidated by. … As a non-British person, I feel a particular sense of wanting to do it correctly… it’s like when Americans do Shakespeare, there’s a slight feeling of reverence and as if maybe we should treat it with extra care. It is not our countryman.”

Greta Gerwig (Jan. 2024)

Release Date

Theatrical Release: The first Narnia film will debut on at least 1,000 IMAX screens worldwide beginning Thanksgiving Day 2026 (Nov. 26), with the potential to expand to 1,800 screens depending on approvals in key markets like China. IMAX has guaranteed a two-week run, with the option for a third week if demand is strong.

Streaming Release: Arrives on Netflix on Christmas Day 2026.

This marks Netflix’s first-ever theatrical wide-release with IMAX. Greta Gerwig personally approached IMAX and pushed Netflix to agree, with CEO Ted Sarandos eventually approving the deal after months of negotiations. Netflix has committed to marketing the film as a “Netflix/IMAX” title, positioning it as a major theatrical event, along with dedicated marketing spend.

Cast

In January 2025, NarniaWeb first reported that UK casting director Nina Gold began the search for the film’s lead roles: a boy and a girl, aged 10–11. After initial self-tapes, the next phase of auditions involved reading a scene between two characters named Isadore and Frannie. NarniaWeb obtained this script, which appears to have been written specifically for audition purposes and is not expected to appear in the final screenplay.

From thousands of applicants, David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell appear to have been chosen to play Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer.

Beatrice Campbell and David McKenna on set.

Here are the names that have been linked to main roles in The Magician’s Nephew:

Earlier in development, Charli XCX and Mikey Madison had been linked to the role of Jadis, whilst Margaret Qualley reportedly screen-tested for the role alongside Emma Mackey.

Saoirse Ronan, a longtime collaborator of Gerwig’s who missed out on Barbie, hinted that she might appear in Narnia, joking that she’d be happy “even if I’m just making tea in Narnia.”

Filming & Locations

Producer Amy Pascal revealed that filming for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia would begin in July 2025, with The Times reporting that Shepperton Studios in the UK will serve as the production base.

By August, the first set photos emerged, showing a 1950s street scene in post-war, reconstruction-era Britain. This confirmed our earlier reporting that the filmmakers had shifted the story’s setting from the novel’s Victorian 1900 setting to 1955.

Since then, production has moved across London and Northern England, with fans and onlookers catching glimpses of key scenes being filmed. Confirmed locations include:

1950s era extras on set in London, England

Director of Photography Seamus McGarvey confirmed that they are shooting the film on 35mm using VistaVision cameras.

Crew

Netflix’s Narnia is being produced by Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, and Vincent Seiber, with Patty Whitcher serving as executive producer and Christine Crais as co-producer.

Heads of Departments

Which Books are Being Adapted?

In 2023, it was confirmed that Greta Gerwig had signed on to direct and write at least two Narnia films. While neither Gerwig nor Netflix has officially announced the first title, multiple crew members have confirmed that it will adapt The Magician’s Nephew.

Producer Mark Gordon has suggested that Gerwig will tackle “the first two” books, implying that The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe would follow. Former Netflix film chief Scott Stuber also spoke about the scope of the project in late 2023:

“Obviously, ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’ is kind of the preeminent one, but there’s such an interesting narrative form [to the Narnia series] if you read all of them. And so that’s what she’s working on now with Amy Pascal and Mark Gordon and they’re trying to figure out how they can break the whole arc of all of it.”

Scott Stuber (Nov. 2023)

Want to hear what NarniaWebbers think on which book Netflix should have started with? Check out our podcast discussion.

A Brief History of Narnia 4
(2010-Present)

Walden Media

After The Voyage of the Dawn Treader grossed $407 million in 2010 (less than the previous two Narnia movies), Walden Media hoped to do either The Silver Chair or The Magician’s Nephew next, but ultimately lost the rights.

The Silver Chair

In 2013, The Mark Gordon Company announced they were developing a film adaptation of The Silver Chair. David Magee came on as the screenwriter, and Joe Johnston as the director.

The production petered out after a change in leadership at Sony and creative differences with Douglas Gresham.

What would this Silver Chair movie been like? Here is everything we know, and our exclusive interview with the screenwriter.

Enter Netflix

In 2018, Netflix acquired the rights to The Chronicles of Narnia, and intended to create “both movies and series.” This was the first time the rights to all seven Narnia books have been held by the same company. According to The Sunday Times, Netflix paid nearly $250 million.

The original press release included the word “universe” 3 times, which caused some fans to speculate that we would see original content that expanded on the canon of C. S. Lewis. Mark Gordon said, “the pitch [to Netflix] was that we would be selling not just one movie or one book as a series. There were 3,000 characters in Narnia. So there was this very ripe opportunity.”

In 2019, Netflix announced Matthew Aldrich as the “Creative Architect” of their Narnia movies and series, but he ended up leaving the project approximately 18 months later. “It actually was creative differences,” Aldrich said. “I had laid out for [Netflix] a strategy of film and series as a way to adapt the seven books in a way that was both sort of respectful, but also not precious, you know, and try to sort of update them in some fun ways. And ultimately that’s not the direction Netflix wanted to go.”

Greta Gerwig

In 2023, it was revealed that Greta Gerwig is set to write and direct at least two Narnia movies for Netflix. The titles have not been officially announced, but based on comments from Netflix Film Chief Scott Stuber, a total reboot of the series appears likely.

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