Picture: Parixit / Wallhaven
2025 will mark the seventh anniversary of Netflix’s first announcement that it had acquired the rights to adapt new Chronicles of Narnia movies and series. In 2026, the first movie, helmed by Oscar-winning director Greta Gerwig, will be heading to theaters and Netflix. Here’s the latest on everything we know about the Netflix adaptations, why it’s taken so long, all those casting rumors, and much more.
Note: This article is live, meaning we’ll keep it updated with the latest as and when we learn more.
What are The Chronicles of Narnia?
Let’s start with the basics. The Chronicles of Narnia is a fantasy series by the famed author C.S. Lewis, published in the 1950s. The series transports us to the fictional realm of Narnia. Seven books were published in total under the Chronicles of Narnia banner, with those being:
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – Published in 1950
- Prince Capsian – 1951
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader – 1952
- The Silver Chair – 1953
- The Horse and His Boy – 1954
- The Magician’s Nephew – 1955
- The Last Battle – 1956
Over the years, the series has seen a myriad of adaptations, including a BBC TV series, a radio series, and, of course, the Walt Disney-distributed movies.
The first of the Disney movies was released in 2005, when it collaborated with Walden Media and released the first movie, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. The second movie was released in 2008, adapting Prince Capsian with the third movie, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, released two years later (this time distributed by 20th Century Fox) and released in 2010. A fourth movie, based on The Silver Chair, was planned but never materialized.
The Chronicles of Narnia book by C. S. Lewis. – Picture Credit: Shutterstock
How and when Netflix scored the Narnia franchise
The news of Netflix teaming up with The C.S. Lewis Company dropped back in October 2018. At the time, Netflix struck a “multi-year deal,” whereby it would have multiple film and series projects on the go, all based on the books of Narnia. Alongside the original announcement, Ted Sarandos, the then-chief content officer and now the co-CEO of Netflix, said:
“C.S. Lewis’s beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world. Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we’re thrilled to be their home for years to come.”
It was also reiterated multiple times that Netflix would be adapting Narnia into a Universe, positioning the series to go up against the likes of Game of Thrones and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, albeit for a more family-orientated audience.
Picture: Walt Disney Pictures
The original press release still remains live on the Narnia Facebook page and on Netflix’s company blog, but here are the main lines:
“Netflix will develop new series and film projects based on C.S. Lewis’ beloved The Chronicles of Narnia series. Under the terms of a multi-year deal between Netflix and The C.S. Lewis Company, Netflix will develop classic stories from across the Narnia universe into series and films for its members worldwide.
All series and films produced through the deal will be Netflix productions, with Mark Gordon of Entertainment One (eOne) alongside Douglas Gresham and Vincent Sieber serving as executive producers for series and as producers for features.”
The most important aspect of the Netflix deal, which makes it more unique than before, is its access to all seven books. This means some of the later books that have never been adapted before could be coming to Netflix, which previous license owners haven’t been able to do. At the time, Mark Gordon, Douglas Gresham, and Vincent Sieber will be involved with most of the upcoming Netflix Narnia projects.
History of the Development of Narnia at Netflix
So Netflix acquired the rights in 2018, so what’s taken so long? Let’s review the timeline:
2019 – Matthew Aldrich Becomes Architect of Narnia’s Universe
Months after waiting for more information on Narnia on Netflix, we finally got some news on June 12th, 2019. That news was that Matthew Aldrich would serve as the “creative architect” of the Netflix franchise.
The news came that the co-writer for Disney Pixar’s Coco, a double Oscar-winning movie, will work on Narnia. The press release said:
“Netflix has announced that Matthew Aldrich has come on board to oversee the development and creative live-action adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved The Chronicles of Narnia series. All series and films produced through the deal will be Netflix productions, with Mark Gordon of Entertainment One (eOne) alongside Douglas Gresham and Vincent Sieber serving as executive producers for series and as producers for features.”
Matthew Aldrich and his projects: Coco, Spinning Man, and Lightyear – Credits: Disney / Lionsgate
2020 – All quiet on development with dribs of information
In January 2020, Narniaweb posted that Douglas Gresham (stepson of C. S. Lewis) has little knowledge of where Netflix is at with production.
Jordan Raynor: What is the latest on this partnership between Netflix and the C. S. Lewis Company?
Douglas Gresham: Yeah, to be honest, I can’t tell you very much at all. We did the deal quite some months ago and I haven’t heard a word since. I mean, I am listed as the producer, but I’ve heard no word on what they plan to do or how they plan to do it or when they plan to do it for that matter. Looking at things, I don’t know whether Netflix is ready to rock ‘n roll on this or not, but we will find out in due course.
~2020-2021 – Matthew Aldrich Splits From Netflix
In a podcast released in September 2024, Alrdich shared that he had only worked with Netflix on Narnia for about a year and a half before departing because of “creative differences,” comparing the venture to “uphill sledding.”
Going on further, Aldrich said, “I had a very specific idea about what I wanted to do with the Narnia material. I had laid out for them a sort of strategy of film and series to adapt the seven books in a way that was both respectful and not precious, and try to update them in some fun ways. Ultimately, that’s not the direction Netflix wanted to go.”
2021 – A mention from Netflix’s then head of film, but still quiet.
In January 2021, Scott Stuber, who at the time headed Netflix’s film division, told the New York Times that Narnia was among the projects predicted to release “beyond 2021,” meaning that although we might hear of projects this year, we’re not expecting the release of any.
2022 – Greta Gerwig eyed for movies + series still in development
In early 2022, we spotted that Ted Biaselli, a network executive at Netflix who is a “Director of Original Series,” lists Narnia in his LinkedIn bio at the time (Narnia has since been removed), reading:
“Spearheaded the formation of the 4-quad Family Programming slate including development and production of Netflix Original Series Fuller House, Haters Back Off, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Lost in Space, The Umbrella Academy, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, Raising Dion and Green Eggs and Ham, Sweet Tooth and the upcoming Chronicles of Narnia.”
Picture: Getty Images
Then, in late 2022, we got the big news. We exclusively reported in November 2022 that Netflix was eying director Greta Gerwig to direct two movies. The year after that announcement came the sensation of Barbie, which grossed over a billion dollars at the box office. Before that, Gerwig had worked as an actress, director, and writer on over 40 projects, including Lady Bird, Mistress America, Frances Ha, and Little Women.
2023 – Greta Gerwig Confirmed To Direct
Our scoop was confirmed in July 2023 in a profile on the toy manufacturer Mattel, where The New Yorker confirmed that Greta Gerwig was on board to direct at least two movies for Netflix.
Around the time of the release of Barbie, Gerwig spoke about the upcoming Netflix movies for the first time, saying she was “terrified” of them. She told GamesRadar:
“I haven’t even really started wrapping my arms around it. But I’m properly scared of it, which feels like a good place to start. I think when I’m scared, it’s always a good sign. Maybe when I stop being scared, it’ll be like, ‘Okay. Maybe I shouldn’t do that one.’ No, I’m terrified of it. It’s extraordinary. And so we’ll see, I don’t know.”
In November 2023, Scott Stuber revealed to Variety that Amy Pascal (who worked with Gerwig on Little Women) would be a producer alongside Mark Gordon. Speaking about why Gerwig is perfect as the director, Stuber said:
“[Gerwig] grew up in a Christian background. The C.S. Lewis books are very much based in Christianity. And so we just started talking about it.”
Collider also spoke to Scott Stuber in November 2023 about acquiring Narnia and Gerwig’s involvement with the upcoming movies. They somehow managed to decipher from his thin comments that filming would start in 2024. However, this has turned out not to be the case.
Scott Stuber and Ted Sarandos – Photo by Taylor Hill/WireImage
2024 – To IMAX or Not To IMAX and Non-Stop Rumors – 2026 Christmas Release
Although production never got underway in 2024, the rumor mill surrounding the development of Greta Gerwig’s first movie went into high gear.
Much of the reporting surrounding the movie revolved around how Netflix would be releasing the movie. Beyond very limited theatrical releases for its award contenders, Netflix, except for Knives Out 2, has never given its movies broad theatrical slates. Numerous reports from the Hollywood trades, plus contributions from Puck and Bloomberg, suggest that Netflix is in talks with IMAX to get the movie into select theaters from Thanksgiving 2026, with an expected Christmas Netflix release. The movie will be exhibited in over 2,000 theaters globally if the deal is pulled off. Bloomberg reports that the budget for the upcoming Gerwig Narnia movie “will almost certainly exceed $200 million.”
Beyond the IMAX question, rumors have been flooding in about production starts. We heard (incorrectly) that the movie was eying an August start in London, and more recent production dates suggested the movie would start filming in January 2025 in New Zealand. None of those are correct, with no production start penciled in, although it would need to begin filming in 2025 for its planned Christmas 2026 release.
Rumors were also aplenty throughout 2024, including that Gerwig was reportedly getting out of the project, citing the director’s adamant attitude toward a theatrical release.
2025 – Filming to begin in London in the Summer of 2025 + casting rumors galore!
In an interview with Deadline, producer Amy Pascal revealed some new details about the upcoming production. She expressed that this version will have a “very new take” and intriguingly described it as “all about rock and roll.” The producer emphasized Greta Gerwig’s impressive track record and unique vision, confirming they are scheduled to begin shooting in July, although we’ve since heard the movie aims for a late June start with a planned wrap for Christmas.
Shortly before this interview, a Times article revealed that Shepperton Studios, just outside of London and the home to a number of big Netflix Originals, will be filming the home of the movies.
Who is in the cast for The Chronicles of Narnia?
As it stands, Netflix’s Narnia has no publicly attached cast members, but there are plenty of rumors. Before we dig into those, we should note that Nina Gold is handling an open casting call for the new movie and they’ve been on the lookout for two kids to play the leads.
The casting call reads:
“Nina Gold (PADDINGTON, STAR WARS, THE CROWN, GAME OF THRONES) is looking for two exceptionally talented kids, a boy and a girl, to play important roles in a new NARNIA film that Oscar nominated Greta Gerwig (BARBIE, LITTLE WOMEN, LADY BIRD) has written and will direct.
We want to hear from all interested young actors, regardless of experience.
We are looking for a boy and a girl to play characters that are 10/11 years old.
The film will rehearse and shoot from June – Christmas 2025 in the UK.
Parents and guardians are asked to apply by email to [email protected] with name, age, location, height, along with a short piece to camera (on a phone is fine, approx. 30 seconds) about their happiest memory.
Parents and Guardians must state their relationship to the applicant and that they have their permission to be considered for a role in this production.
Please only use this email address to apply. [email protected]
Netflix is committed to inclusive, diverse casting. For every role, please submit qualified performers, without regard to age, sex, ethnicity, disability, race, color, national origin, sexual orientation or gender identity or any other basis prohibited by law unless otherwise specifically indicated.”
Many have speculated that the two kids they’re searching for are Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer. Their adventures set the stage for the creation of Narnia and the events leading to the series’ later stories.
Cast in Talks and Rumored for Narnia on Netflix
Charlie XCX, Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep – Picture Credits: Getty Images and Alamy
Who’s been rumored to star in Narnia? Well, rumors have been flying left and right. World of Reel has long insisted that frequent collaborator Saoirse Ronan is eyed for a role with Louis Patridge being a high-profile attachment early on. However, we quickly confirmed that was not the case.
In March 2025, The Hollywood Reporter suggested that recent Oscar winner Mikey Madison is being considered for a role but wasn’t in active talks.
Deadline followed that up in March 2025, suggesting Charlie XCX may be up for the role of Jadis, the White Witch. Deadline’s report states she’s among the top choices, meaning it’s by no means a done deal.
Also in March, we got word that Daniel Craig (James Bond, Knives Out) was being considered for the role of Uncle Andrew Ketterley. That was followed up in early April with a report from Nexus Point News (with subsequent confirmations from more prominent outlets shortly afterwards) that Meryl Streep was being considered for the role of Aslan.
Where is Netflix’s Narnia in Production? Who else is involved?
Filming is scheduled to kick off this Summer, as cited above, but when exactly cameras will begin rolling in London at Shepperton Studios is currently unclear. Some casting grids suggest that filming will get underway in late June 2025, while other trackers like ProductionIntelligence suggest a production start in August 2025. Either way, the movie will be filming right through to the end of the year.
Beyond Greta Gerwig on directing duties, it’s been confirmed that Seamus McGarvey has been tapped to serve as director of photography on the new project. Previous projects include Atonement, The Avengers, Anna Karenina, and Godzilla.
Where will The Chronicles of Narnia on Netflix start?
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is the natural starting point for Narnia, given that it’s the first book and where Disney chose to start, but that won’t be where Netflix begins…
Actor Jason Isaacs, in a feature in the news outlet called The Week in November 2024, seemed to reveal that Netflix’s starting place will be The Magician’s Nephew. The actor said, “I loved all the Narnia books as a kid. When Peter was told he wouldn’t be coming back, I understood something devastating about mortality. I picked [The Magician’s Nephew] because Greta Gerwig is about to make a film of it, which I can’t wait to see.”
Seperately, we’ve confirmed with a source that The Magician’s Nephew will be the starting place, and the aforementioned casting rumor fits into that too. In The Magician’s Nephew, Jadis is introduced as a powerful, ambitious sorceress from another world whose actions set the events leading to her infamous role in Narnia. Later, in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, she is recognized by her title as the White Witch, ruling over Narnia with a cold and tyrannical grip. The title we’re hearing is currently being used for the project is Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew.
In November 2023, in the Variety piece mentioned above, then-head of film at Netflix, Scott Stuber, suggested that the movies may not be adapted in order, saying:
“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 [producer] Amy Pascal and Mark Gordon and they’re trying to figure out how they can break the whole arc of all of it.”
As a reminder of the order Netflix could choose to take, here are the books in the so-called “Harper Collins” order:
- The Magician’s Nephew
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- The Horse and His Boy
- Prince Caspian
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
- The Silver Chair
- The Last Battle
In chronological order, however, the order is as follows:
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
- Prince Caspian
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
- The Silver Chair
- The Horse and His Boy
- The Magician’s Nephew
- The Last Battle
That’s all we know so far. There’s a lot to be announced, a lot to be excited about, and a lot to be learned. We’ll be there every step of the way to see what’s in store for Narnia on Netflix.
Are you excited about Narnia on Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
