Here we go! Our first look at Greta Gerwig’s anticipated Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is here…and it’s definitely not the stodgy, British fantasy film most of us remember from childhood. Empire Magazine revealed the images, which include our first glimpse of a reimagined Aslan, who is confirmed to be voiced by Meryl Streep.
Newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell star as Digory and Polly, with Emma Mackey as Jadis, the future White Witch. Along with Streep as the kingly lion, Aslan, there’s Carey Mulligan, Daniel Craig, Ciaran Hinds, Denise Gough, and Susan Wokoma. Excellent casting.
Gerwig said she wanted her vision of Narnia to be a “rock opera.” Chill out, her film isn’t a rock musical or anything like that, but it’s safe to say that Gerwig is pushing the limits and refusing to play it safe.
Gerwig told Empire about developing the film alongside Barbie: “I had the same idea with Narnia. I wanted a rock opera. I wanted it to be big and transporting.”
She continued, “David Bowie saved my life. Paul McCartney saved my life. David Gilmour saved my life. Pete Townshend saved my life. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant…“When I heard their music, I had this deep sense of [thinking], ‘You’re gonna be okay.’”
Gerwig connects those artists and their music to C.S. Lewis’ Narnia, which was sung into existence by the Christ-like Aslan… “Narnia is literally a world made out of music. It is a world sung to life by Aslan, and rock ’n’ roll to me felt like a world made out of music.”
The music is also key to Gerwig’s biggest change from Lewis’ novel. Instead of the early 1900s, Digory and Polly find themselves in 1950s postwar London, part of the generation that helped change British culture through music.
So yeah, it sounds like Gerwig is going all out with this one, and why shouldn’t she? Netflix has ponied up a hefty $200M, so they have faith in her create something fresh and groundbreaking as she did with Barbie. It has also promised Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew a 45-day theatrical window beginning February 10th with IMAX previews, followed by theaters two days later, and finally Netflix on April 2nd.
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