Trailer Watch: Is Netflix’s Narnia Still CS Lewis’s Narnia?

Netflix finally showed the world its version of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, and the first trailer has already started more arguments. The film is directed by Greta Gerwig, carries a reported budget near $280 million, and arrives in theaters on February 12, 2027, before it lands on Netflix on April 2. That theatrical release gives Netflix something it can’t hide from: an audience, a box office number, and a verdict. C.S. Lewis wrote seven Chronicles of Narnia books, and Netflix clearly hopes this becomes the start of a major franchise. As Breitbart’s John Nolte says, the studio clearly wants its own Harry Potter. Instead, the first impression has left many longtime fans asking why Netflix chose this director, for this story, and with this approach. The biggest controversy involves Aslan. In Lewis’s books, Aslan is a male lion and a clear Christ figure, according to creator C.S. Lewis. Netflix and Gerwig cast Meryl Streep to voice him. The trailer shows Aslan as a cosmic figure who roars Narnia into existence, but he doesn’t speak, probably because they can only handle so much pushback at this point. Hearing Meryl Streep speaking for Aslan might be a bridge too far for some. For m...