NEW YORK — An emotional Greta Gerwig reflected on the influence of C.S. Lewis, the role of faith in her filmmaking and the daunting responsibility of bringing the beloved “Chronicles of Narnia” to a new generation during an exclusive IMAX sneak peek event for her upcoming Netflix film, “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew.”
The event, held at AMC Lincoln Square 13, offered journalists and content creators an early look at footage from the highly anticipated adaptation along with a conversation between the “Barbie” director, who wore a silver pin emblazoned with an apple and lion in honor of the film, and former late-night host Stephen Colbert.
The colorful, fantastical trailer offered a first glimpse into Gerwig’s interpretation of Lewis’ beloved world, introducing young protagonists Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, along with Daniel Craig as the eccentric Uncle Andrew and Jadis, the White Witch.
Set to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” — Gerwig revealed that Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page personally approved the use of the song because they’re fans of Lewis — the trailer featured up-close shots of the iconic Narnia wardrobe, along with soaring visuals of the fictional universe and Polly and Digory on the flying horse, Fledge.
The trailer concluded with one of the story’s most anticipated moments: the roaring outline of Aslan, the great lion and Jesus figure who serves as the central figure of Narnia, appearing before the children as they gaze in wonder.
Newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell play Digory and Polly, and Emma Mackey as Jadis. The larger cast includes Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough and Susan Wokoma. The movie will feature an original score by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, who previously worked with Gerwig on “Barbie.”
Gerwig told Colbert that for her, the project is the culmination of a lifelong relationship with Lewis’ books, which she credited with helping shape her imagination and understanding of the world. As a child, she didn’t grow up with a TV, but her parents plugged one in to show her the BBC’s 1980s adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia, a mini-series she said she “loves” and has “no notes” on.
“I don’t remember a time when I didn’t know the books,” Gerwig told Colbert, adding that the stories are “a part of the DNA of who I am. … These books created me.”
The filmmaker, who also directed “Lady Bird” and “Little Women,” said her affection for the source material ultimately became the driving force behind her approach to the film. She revealed that she began writing the first draft of the screenplay in 2020, embarking on a years-long process that included pulling quotes from Lewis’ books that gave her “chills” and using them as inspiration.
“It started from my complete love of these books,” she said of the project and its origins in Netflix’s partnership to adapt Lewis’ work.
To bring the story to life, Gerwig said she immersed herself in the author’s broader body of work, including his theological writings. As an adult, she read Mere Christianity and Surprised by Joy, Lewis’ spiritual autobiography, to better understand the famed apologist.
Gerwig, who identified Surprised by Joy as her favorite of Lewis’ works, said she not only read everything the apologist wrote, but also explored the authors who influenced him, including George MacDonald, the Scottish Christian writer whose fantasy literature helped shape Lewis’ imagination.
The research eventually took her to Oxford, Cambridge and Belfast, Northern Ireland, where Lewis was born, as she sought to better understand the man behind the stories.
Lewis, who died in 1963 and was close friends with Lord of the Rings author J.R.R. Tolkien, was one of the 20th century’s most influential Christian thinkers. His seven-book Chronicles of Narnia series, published between 1950 and 1956, has sold millions of copies worldwide, adapted for both film and TV, and is widely recognized for its Christian allegory.
The Magician’s Nephew, published in 1955, serves as a prequel to the more-adapted The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Set 1,000 years before the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the story chronicles the origins of Narnia and the entrance of evil into the newly created world.
The story follows Digory and Polly as they discover a means of traveling between worlds and encounter Jadis, whose actions threaten the innocence of Narnia. It also introduces Aslan as the creator of the magical land, a character long understood as the central Christ figure within Lewis’ universe.
When asked by Colbert how Lewis’ faith influenced her work, Gerwig reflected on growing up singing in the church choir and said “film and faith have always gone hand in hand,” mentioning the importance of community in both her personal life and the filmmaking process.
Despite the scale of the production (Gerwig stressed she makes movies for the “big screen”), the filmmaker repeatedly returned to her desire to preserve the story’s sense of wonder. She said she hoped viewers would “laugh, cry, feel like they’ve been on an epic adventure” and ultimately inspire viewers to create something of their own.
The appearance of Aslan comes amid controversy over Gerwig’s decision to cast Meryl Streep as the voice of the lion. In the previous “Narnia” adaptations, Liam Neeson voiced the Christ figure.
The casting has drawn criticism from some conservative Christian commentators who argue that having a woman voice the character undermines the theological symbolism central to Lewis’ work. However, the families of Lewis’ stepsons, David and Douglas Gresham, recently issued a statement expressing their support for Gerwig and her vision for the franchise.
“From our ongoing conversations with [director] Greta Gerwig, we have personally witnessed her sincere passion for the Narnia series. Her lifelong love of C.S. Lewis is apparent to everyone involved with this film,” the statement said.
Gerwig has not directly addressed the gender controversy but has said she wanted an actor capable of conveying wisdom and childlike wonder.
The film opens wide in theaters Feb. 12, 2027, after IMAX previews beginning Feb. 10, then lands on Netflix April 2.
Watch the trailer for “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” below.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: [email protected]
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