Narnian Source!

Greta Gerwig previews first footage of new 'Narnia' at exclusive IMAX sneak peek in New York

Tiger — Tue, 13 Oct 2026 21:02:27 GMT

Director Greta Gerwig and host Stephen Colbert led an exclusive presentation of Netflix's upcoming adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia. Organized for a limited audience, the event took place at the iconic AMC Lincoln Square theater in New York City. Attendees were treated to the world premiere of the first trailer, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage, and an extensive Q&A session with the creators.

One of the highlights of the trailer was the use of the iconic rock hit "Stairway to Heaven" by Led Zeppelin. Gerwig noted that the band members had historically almost never allowed their tracks to be used in feature films. However, an exception was made for the new Narnia due to the band's immense respect for Lewis's literary legacy. According to the director, the epic scale of the composition perfectly underscores the themes of spiritual journey and overcoming life's temptations.

The musical score plays a fundamental role in the film, as the magical world of Narnia is brought into existence by the song of Aslan the Lion in the original text. To ensure the music was part of the creative process from the very beginning, Gerwig brought Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt onto the project during pre-production. They composed themes in constant communication with the production team and even installed a real piano directly inside the set of the main character's house.

The lead children's roles—Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer—went to young actors David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell. Casting director Nina Gold screened thousands of candidates, but this specific pair caught Gerwig's attention due to their instant chemistry during in-person auditions. As an additional symbolic sign, McKenna happens to come from Belfast, the author’s hometown.

The film's adult ensemble features Meryl Streep, Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, and Kobna Holdbrook-Smith. While their characters remain under wraps, Gerwig emphasized that these Hollywood stars agreed to supporting roles solely out of love for the source material and to support their younger colleagues, continuing a classic British tradition in children's cinema.

Contrary to many fans' expectations, the new film franchise will not start with the series' most popular novel, but rather with its official prequel. Greta Gerwig shared that immediately after Netflix acquired the rights to the books, she personally approached the company's head, Ted Sarandos, with a proposal to adapt The Magician's Nephew.

The director was drawn to the unique, creative scale of the book. She explained that while most modern blockbusters focus on destruction, this story offers a rare opportunity to portray the birth and evolution of an entire universe on screen.

Gerwig worked on the initial drafts of the script in 2020 and 2021. In preparation, she not only re-read the entire Narnia series but also deeply studied C.S. Lewis's religious writings and personally visited places central to the author’s life in Belfast, Cambridge, and Oxford to capture his creative process as accurately as possible.

The creators are placing a special emphasis on minimizing CGI. On-set footage confirms that the team constructed colossal physical sets. Gerwig was most impressed by the work on the mystical Wood Between the Worlds, which the production crew managed to make look visually infinite.

To conclude the presentation, Stephen Colbert brought up the Christian motifs in the author's work. Discussing the religious undertones of the film, Gerwig drew a parallel between attending church and going to the cinema. She noted that in both cases, people gather for a shared spiritual and emotional experience, calling the process of making a movie on this scale a true act of faith.

Netflix's Narnia Scandal: Heresy, Sight Unseen PR, and the Battle for C.S. Lewis’s Legacy

Tiger — Sat, 10 Oct 2026 18:24:36 GMT

The upcoming film adaptation of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew", directed by Greta Gerwig for Netflix, has found itself at the epicenter of a fierce media and religious controversy. The catalyst for widespread outrage within the Christian community is the official casting announcement that the iconic character of Aslan the Lion will be voiced by a woman, the legendary actress Meryl Streep.

The situation has escalated into a series of full-length interviews broadcast on the major Christian television network CBN News, where experts have sharply criticized both the core casting decision and the unexpected reaction from the author's official heirs.

Ted Baehr: "This is a Tremendous Heresy, C.S. Lewis Would Be Turning Over in His Grave"

The alarm was first raised by Dr. Ted Baehr, the founder of Movieguide, a highly regarded Christian family guide to cinema. In his emotional interview with CBN News, he asserted that the decision to give the role of Aslan to a woman completely dismantles the Christian allegory intended by the author.

When asked about his initial reaction, Baehr stated:

“Well, first place, you know, I know that C.S. Lewis, his stepson, is the godfather of my daughter-in-law, my granddaughter, and his son, I stay with him. He's got a couple of sons when I go to Australia, and they are very concerned about it because they're worried that it's gonna destroy the brand. Now, so there's lots of issues. One, it's beloved. One, it's gonna destroy the brand. But there's a deeper issue, which is the theological issue, because God, the Father, and Jesus, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and of course, the whole process leads toward the last battle, and the last battle represents Jesus in heaven. And if God is a father, he is not Meryl Streep pretending to be a father. He's not trans, he's the father, he's our father. He loves us, he adopts us. So I had to fight for this way back when we did the first version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe for CBS television. [...] And the story is biblical. The story is about Aslan representing Jesus. I got thousands of letters. One man wrote a letter that I still remember, and he said, my wife has been nagging me for years about accepting Jesus, but it wasn't until I saw Aslan on the stone table and the resurrection that I understood who Jesus is. So this whole story, The Magician's Nephew, of course, is the beginning. It’s Genesis. You have to have God as a father. or you can't have God being voiced as a woman. This is not theologically correct. I mean, it may work as a movie. I think Greta Gerwig is a big movement within Hollywood. You know, Christopher Nolan didn't do justice to the Odyssey. He had it, but I liked it. And this is probably gonna be very likable and a lot of people are gonna go see it. And the problem often is that people put money and box office before accuracy. Theologically, this is a tremendous heresy and it's a tremendous problem. And we can go back to Pulcheria and other people back in Christian history to find out how bad it is. So it shouldn't happen. C.S. Lewis would be turning over his grave. His family is very upset about it. And I think we should be upset about it.”

Baehr also added that he has been in communication with Tim Gresham, the son of Douglas:

“I know them. I just stayed with Tim Gresham, C.S. Lewis's stepson's son in Sydney. They did a big campaign. They're trying to regain control of the C.S. Lewis company in order to... The problem is, and this happens quite often, no, I shouldn't tell you that, but anyway, things happen.”

As a final word of guidance to the audience, the critic stressed the vital importance of protecting traditional values:

“Yes, you gotta talk to your children about it, especially if it becomes a big hit. And the only way you can really understand it is go to movieguide.org or listen to Billy. He'll repeat some of the things we've said and you'll see deeper issues. So you've gotta talk to your children about it. You've gotta educate them. I teach how to educate children to keep their values. And this is one of the movies that is gonna be intended to break their values. So understand what the truth is so you can defend the truth, because the truth will set you free.”

Plot Twist: Is the C.S. Lewis Family Defending Netflix "Sight Unseen"?

Shortly after Baehr's public remarks, the situation took a sudden turn. Breaking their silence, the C.S. Lewis family issued an official statement through Netflix, offering absolute support to the film's production team:

“From our ongoing conversations with Greta Gerwig, we have personally witnessed her sincere passion for the Narnia series. Her life-long love of C.S. Lewis is apparent to everyone involved with this film. We saw this enthusiasm during our visit to the set in London. We are thrilled to be working with such a talented and accomplished director and production team, and are keen to continue working with them on future projects. Our vision is for this movie to be enormously successful and for this calibre of talent to be applied to all of The Chronicles of Narnia.”

This effort to smooth over the conflict only triggered further skepticism among commentators. Tré Goins-Phillips, an American Christian journalist and editor for CBN News, expressed bewilderment at the fact that the family is essentially doubling down on a project that does not yet even have a viewable final product.

Commenting on the heirs' statement, Tré noted:

“I think the first, most obvious thing to say about the statement is they're releasing it sight unseen, right? They, they haven't seen reportedly any content that's been created by Gerwig. They have no idea what this is actually going to look like once it makes it to the silver screen. another thing, Billy, that strikes me is they're excited about working with this caliber of artist. I think that's great. I think it's awesome to have a high caliber, big-name people associated with something, but not if it's to the exclusion of sticking with the source material, right? I think that's a debate that people have had over a lot of Christian content. It's like, okay, you can get this big-name actor, but is it going to muddy the intended message? And if it's gonna muddy the intended message, I don't know that that exchange is worth making. So that's, that's part of the debate. But I think the big thing is they're doing this sight unseen. And also, we need to remember who Greta Gerwig is. Now, again, none of us have seen the movie, so we don't know what it's going to look like. Maybe she is going to stay surprisingly close to C. S. Lewis's intended message. But the fact that she's casting a gender bending voice to play Aslan, you know, even if the voices changed, it's still, why would you cast a woman to voice? Now, this is not a holy text, Narnia is not scripture, but it is an allegory intended to reflect scripture. And it's very clear from what C.S. Lewis said over the course of his career, and from, of course, the context of the books, that Aslan is a representation of Jesus. So why would you ever cast a female male voice to play Jesus, who is a male figure, obviously. - So I think you have to keep that in mind, too. And also the fact that in 2018, Gerwig, who's a universalist, by the way, said that she finds the idea of Jesus and finding salvation in Jesus creepy. Those are the words that she used. So I think there are a lot of layers to this that cause me to have some questions that it's like, I don't know, really, that I would, if I was the CS Lewis family, why would I release another statement doubling down when I have not yet seen what it is I'm doubling down on supporting that's, that's kind of where I am on this.”

Chasing the Brand: At What Cost?

Journalists at CBN News point out that the ongoing drama might simply be a cynical strategy to drum up free publicity in the media, but playing such games with a beloved classic carries significant risks. Concluding his thoughts, Tré Goins-Phillips emphasized that what is truly at stake is the spiritual legacy of an author whose writings led millions of people to faith:

“Well, look, I think my last thought on this is if they're using this to advance the brand, it's like at what cost, right? At what cost am I advancing the brand? Just to go back to what I was saying earlier, is it's great to have high caliber artists, it's great to have big names, it's great to see this stuff in headlines, it's great to see C.S. Lewis's legacy living on, but at what cost are we advancing the legacy? And also, you have to remember that we're, not we, but the C.S. Lewis family is protecting, protecting, they should be, protecting the legacy of C.S. Lewis. And part of the legacy of C.S. Lewis is, as you said, being one of the most prolific writers of the modern era, somebody who's, many people came to faith, have come to faith because of the writing of C.S. Lewis, and he wanted his work, his artistry to be a reflection of Jesus. So that's legacy that you're protecting is an artist, a writer, a speaker, a novelist who created content that was intended to advance the gospel. And if the work that they are now putting forward is not advancing the gospel, then you're not protecting a legacy, you're starting a new one. So that's just something to keep in mind as we continue to see where this goes. You know, we don't know yet. Again, as you said, and as so many have said, we have not seen the final product yet. So this is a lot of wait and see, but it certainly is an interesting story.”

The Gresham family is going through a very difficult period

David Gresham passed away back in 2014. Douglas Gresham spent decades serving as the creative consultant for The C.S. Lewis Company and was deeply involved in the production of the 2005–2010 Narnia trilogy. While he still nominally holds an executive producer credit for the new Netflix film, he has effectively stepped back completely from day-to-day operations.

Recently, Douglas Gresham’s family released an official statement via NarniaWeb, revealing his terminal illness:

“Dad is at home in Malta, being cared for by family. We are unsure how the illness will progress from here, but he is not expected to make a recovery. The family is asking for prayer and privacy at this time.

The C.S. Lewis business with all its commitments will continue as per normal.”

The global theatrical and IMAX premiere of "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew" is scheduled for February 12, 2027, followed by its release on Netflix on April 2.

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew Explained – From The Wood Between The Worlds, To The Magic Rings

Tiger — Mon, 21 Sep 2026 18:49:30 GMT

A new era of Narnia is upon us. While audiences have already witnessed takes on The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and Voyage Of The Dawn Treader in the form of big-screen epics, animation, and a seriously scary BBC series, Greta Gerwig is set to bring The Magician’s Nephew to screens for the very first time. This particular instalment of C.S. Lewis’ much-loved book series introduces familiar characters anew, discovered by two young world-hopping adventurers who set the events of the whole literary franchise into motion. Although it may not be the most widely known of the seminal franchise, The Magician’s Nephew shows Narnia like never before.

Here’s what you need to know before venturing into Gerwig’s bold new vision:

1) It’s the first story chronologically

Despite being the sixth in a seven-book series, The Magician's Nephew actually kicks off the timeline, and serves as an origin story for Narnia itself. Its aforementioned two heroes are a pair of plucky London kids: Polly (played by Beatrice Campbell in the film) and her neighbour Digory (David McKenna), who grows up to become the Professor who houses Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy Pevensie some 40 years later in The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (Lewis’ debut Narnia book).

2) There are magic rings

Digory shares a house with his family, including his gravely ill mother (Carey Mulligan) and Uncle Andrew (Daniel Craig), an amateur magician who believes that he’s found the key to jumping between different worlds by using a set of two magic rings. After a series of seemingly failed attempts involving some rather unfortunate guinea pigs, Andrew sends Polly and Digory off to do his mystical bidding with a set of rings each, unaware of just what (or where) he’s sending them into. This clueless sorcerer holds more power than he thinks.

3) There’s a Wood Between The Worlds

Along their travels, Polly and Digory crash land into the Wood Between The Worlds (see above), an intricate, seemingly endless network of moss-cushioned pools that lead to, well, lots of different worlds – alongside their own homeworld, the kids also step into Charn, an eerie land that has faced total disaster. Their journey through the worlds sees them encounters various friends and foes – towering witch Jadis (Emma Mackey), Uncle Andrew, as well as a London local called Frank (Kobna Holdbrook-Smith), and his loyal horse Strawberry, accidentally tagging along for the ride.

4) It sets up the Witch and the Lion…

Cosmic lion Aslan (here voiced by Meryl Streep) was a major figure right from Lewis’ first Narnia novel – but The Magician’s Nephew gives him a proper magical introduction. And during the course of the story, we’ll witness him creating Narnia itself, through music. As for the series’ villains, we’ll witness an origin of evil too, since Jadis is destined to become the White Witch. As you may know, the pair go on to clash violently in future over the ruling of Narnia.

5) …but the Wardrobe is tbc

No storage-centric spoilers here, but the wardrobe is not a big feature of The Magician’s Nephew story. Still, for any keen carpenters out there, don’t be put off – there might be hints at future furniture adventures in Digory and Polly’s tale.

All text, information and materials belongs to Empire magazine.

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew: Emma Mackey’s Nefarious Jadis Is ‘All Chaos And Bad Plans’

Tiger — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 16:20:20 GMT

If your entryway into Narnia has always been The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, you already know that Jadis is bad news: this, after all, is the White Witch, who by the time of that story has imposed her rule over the fantasy kingdom. But in The Magician’s Nephew, chronologically the first Narnia tale, Jadis is in a very different place (literally and metaphorically) though clearly on the path to who she’ll eventually become. In Greta Gerwig’s adaptation – Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew – the role is being played by Emma Mackey, previously one of Barbie’s Barbies (Physicist Barbie, specifically).

As she encounters crosses paths with young Digory (David McKenna) and Polly (Beatrice Campbell), Jadis – long trapped in the realm of Charn – prepares to unleash fresh anarchy. Mackey was instantly hooked by how Gerwig wrote her.

“There’s this great line in the script where she’s described as ‘all chaos and bad plans’,”

she tells Empire.

“She’s this larger-than-life creature who appears in Digory and Polly’s world and takes them by surprise.”

The impact that the otherworldly Jadis has on the kids is evident, too, in her costume – very much in keeping with Gerwig’s glam-rock cultural inspirations. She’s unlike anything they’ll have seen back home in the post-war rubble of 1950s London.

“We had to have that duality of fun, which is what the kids are seeing — [a] shiny, exciting person — but also, ‘Wow, you’re a little bit scary, and I don’t really know what foot to dance on with you’,”

Mackey says of Jadis’ look.

“It was very shiny and exciting, but also comfortable and ready for war.”

Bring on all those bad plans.

All text, information and materials belongs to Empire magazine.

Daniel Craig Is A Scheming Magician In Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: ‘He’s Overexcited About What Could Be’

Tiger — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 16:04:31 GMT

Across his career, Daniel Craig has dealt with major character archetypes: he’s played the super-spy, as James Bond. The ultimate detective as Benoit Blanc in the Knives Out films. And now, we’re about to see him play a magician. More specifically, the magician of The Magician’s Nephew, in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of C. S. Lewis’ Narnia stories. It’s Craig’s Uncle Andrew that sets the whole affair in motion, a man who has spent his life tinkering with magical objects and artefacts, with life-changing results for his young nephew Digory (David McKenna) and neighbour Polly (Beatrice Campbell).

Since Andrew’s attention is firmly on all things sorcery, it comes at a cost to the people in his life that he should care about.

“I’d like to say that his intentions are good, but I’m not sure that they are,”

Craig admits to Empire.

“It’s not to say that he’s cruel and mean and awful. He gets overexcited about what could be, and therefore overlooks the people around him and the consequences of what he’s doing.”

In Gerwig’s words?

“He’s the stupidest magician in the world who actually made magic,”

the writer-director puts it. Andrew’s actions have ramifications not just for Digory and Polly, but for Aslan (voiced in Gerwig’s film by Meryl Streep), the nefarious Jadis (Emma Mackey), and the fundamental existence of Narnia too.

Craig’s love of Narnia goes right back to his childhood, when he devoured The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe in a single sitting.

“I stayed up all night and read it,”

he remembers.

“It was the first time I started a book and finished it near dawn, and I’d never read a book cover-to-cover before.”

Here’s hoping, all these years later, that he and Gerwig are ready to make magic.

All text, information and materials belongs to Empire magazine.

Empire’s World-Exclusive Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew Covers Unveil Aslan – Voiced By Meryl Streep

Tiger — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 16:07:28 GMT

Any new film from Greta Gerwig is something to be celebrated. After all, the master filmmaker has emerged as one of the most unique and passionate voices in 21st century cinema. But her return is even more anticipated in the wake of 2023’s Barbie, a deeply idiosyncratic summer smash comedy that crossed $1.4 billion at the box office. Where do you go after that? You return with something very big, very bold, and very Greta: Narnia is calling.

Next year brings Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew – adapting C.S. Lewis’ sprawling fantasy saga to the screen with an origin story tale that’s never hit cinemas before, and a very specific vision. Empire went on set with Gerwig and her cast – including Daniel Craig, Emma Mackey, and incoming youngsters David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell – witnessing first-hand the unexpected reference points, cultural resonances, and expansive world-building she’s incorporating into her most ambitious film yet. Inside our world-exclusive Narnia issue – packed with the first images anywhere from the film – we speak to the director and her cast about creating this brave new world, illuminating the philosophies of Lewis’ creation, and exploring the ramifications of moving the Narnia stories into the 1950s.

Your journey into Narnia starts right here: Empire’s newsstand cover brings you face-to-face with none other than Aslan, the mythical lion at the heart of Lewis’ saga. In Gerwig’s film, Aslan’s heterochromic eyes and bold red-striped visage nods to one of her key creative inspirations: David Bowie. And he’s voiced by the one and only Meryl Streep, reunited with her Little Women director.

“I wanted someone who was profound but not pretentious, who had gravitas but not morose self-seriousness. Someone who could communicate depth and pathos as well as joy and delight,”

Gerwig tells Empire of casting Streep as Narnia’s deity-of-sorts.

“I wanted someone who was older than 70, so there was a wisdom of experience, but who also had the capacity of fresh wonder, like a child. And also to be one of the greatest actors to ever do it. That list is not a long one.”

This month’s exclusive subscriber cover – from concept artist Jaime Jones, who worked on the film – is an epic sneak-peek at Aslan literally creating Narnia itself.

Make way, then, for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew – a ground-up retelling of C. S. Lewis’ stories, starting not with the oft-adapted The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, but with his universe-hopping Narnia origin story instead. Both literally and metaphorically, Gerwig’s adaptation comes from the same mid-lockdown creative wellspring that birthed Barbie.

“I had the same idea with Narnia,”

she tells Empire of where her wild vision began.

"I wanted a rock opera. I wanted it to be big and transporting.”

While not literally a rock opera (no, this is not a musical) the sheer creativity of British rock music from the ‘60s and ‘70s – the glam scene, the proggy wildness – all proved significant creative touchpoints for Gerwig’s The Magician’s Nephew.

“David Bowie saved my life. Paul McCartney saved my life. David Gilmour saved my life. Pete Townshend saved my life. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant…”

she reels off.

“When I heard their music, I had this deep sense of [thinking], ‘You’re gonna be okay.’”

These inspirations provided the bedrock for Gerwig’s interpretation.

“Narnia is literally a world made out of music,”

she explains.

“It is a world sung to life by Aslan, and rock ’n’ roll to me felt like a world made out of music.”

In taking The Magician’s Nephew out of the early 1900s setting of the novel, and into post-war ‘50s Britain instead, young heroes Digory (David McKenna) and Polly (Beatrice Campbell) take on fresh resonance. After all, the kids of grey, muted 1950s Britain became the vibrant, ceaselessly imaginative ‘70s rock heroes that illuminated Gerwig’s world.

“They had this relationship to pain and loss and something as unpromising as a bomb site, and they made a castle,”

she marvels of that generation.

“They made a universe. They made something you could live inside of.”

Get ready for a transformative cinematic journey that only Greta Gerwig could make.

“I don’t know how you went from David Jones to David Bowie unless you went to Narnia and you saw something,”

she posits. Now, you’ll see it too.

All text, information and materials belongs to Empire magazine.

By all accounts, true Narnia fans are in for a major disappointment. Sure, the film promises to be atmospheric and visually stunning, but it shares little more than a name and a few passing similarities with the original Narnia. And calling Aslan a deity of Narnia —considering who the author was and who Aslan is meant to represent in our world — is, frankly, a pretty bad look.

"A universe begins”: Netflix officially launches marketing for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia

Tiger — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 07:01:55 GMT

Netflix has officially launched the marketing campaign for its upcoming Narnia adaptation by revealing the movie's new logo across social media. The reveal came alongside the tagline “A universe begins,” signaling the launch of a broader cinematic world.

Experience the creation of Narnia, as filmmaker Greta Gerwig brings to life C. S. Lewis’s beloved story The Magician’s Nephew for the first time. In cinemas February 11, 2027.

In tandem with the announcement, Netflix rolled out dedicated social media accounts for the project, inviting fans to follow @NarniaMovie on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X, or visit the newly updated website at NarniaFilm.com.

Narnia Netflix: Adult cast shares high praise for rising child co-stars

Tiger — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 06:43:14 GMT

In a recent interview with Porter Magazine, Emma Mackey shared her enthusiasm for working on Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. The actress spoke warmly of the young cast members leading the project. While production details remain strictly under wraps, Mackey managed to touch upon her role as the film’s antagonist, calling the experience "very fun" and emphasizing the impressive scale of the project.

“I’ve never really worked with young actors before,”

Mackey says of her co-stars, David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell, both 13, who play the film’s leads, Diggory and Polly, respectively.

“They’re so talented. It really changes you as a performer because you start to see it through their eyes.”

How was it playing the villain? She laughs, politely sidestepping the request for details, but assuring me that her role was “very fun” – particularly because of the scale of the film, which is reportedly set to be among the most expensive projects Netflix has ever made.

Mackey is not the only cast member relishing a villainous turn. Earlier this year, Mark W. Taylor, the longtime body double for Daniel Craig, said that the former James Bond star seemed significantly more relaxed playing the eccentric Uncle Andrew than he ever did during his tenure as 007.

Casting director Nina Gold has also shared new details about the audition process for Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew with Backstage magazine. The search for Narnia’s two young protagonists began with a wide open casting call across the UK, utilizing an unconventional approach where children were asked to record a short video sharing their happiest memory.

"It’s really hard, but as a child actor, you just have to bring what you’ve got. It’s not necessarily about having learned all the lines in one particular way. It’s about seeing different sides of a person and seeing what sort of potential they have, and the rest of it can possibly come later. Also, it’s meant to be fun. If you’re a child actor, it really is supposed to be fun. Otherwise, what’s the point?"

According to Gold, the subsequent rounds transitioned into more traditional auditions. Young actors performed a dialogue scene between two fictional characters, Isadore and Frannie, which closely mirrored the first meeting of the book's main characters, Digory and Polly. Following multiple competitive rounds, the highly coveted lead roles were ultimately secured by David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell.

"We were looking for kids who could occupy the center of this gigantic story and keep you wanting to watch them, which is an incredibly big ask for children to bring enough acting talent and their own personality to the whole thing."

Samantha Spiro Cast as the voice in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Film

Tiger — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 08:43:31 GMT

Award-winning stage performer Samantha Spiro has officially joined the cast of Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, where she will lend her voice to one of the Beavers. The casting news was first uncovered by What’s On Netflix after details of the role appeared on Spiro’s professional online résumé.

Spiro, a multiple Olivier Award winner for her work on stage, is already familiar to Netflix audiences thanks to her role opposite Emma Mackey in the series Sex Education. She has also appeared in smaller roles across several high-profile television productions, including Game of Thrones and Doctor Who.

Her addition expands a gradually growing ensemble for the Narnia film, which already features names such as Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, and Denise Gough. Notably, Spiro’s role marks the first confirmed voice performance for any of the story’s talking animals in the production so far.

In an interesting bit of narrative symmetry, Beavers are among the very first creatures in the original novel to be granted the power of speech by Aslan. In Chapter 9 of The Magician’s Nephew, the Lion moves among the animals and selects pairs to receive this gift, touching their noses and calling them to follow him.

Beyond the Beavers, the book describes a wide range of animals who gain the ability to speak, including Badgers, Bears, Boars, Bulldogs, Donkeys, Elephants, Elks, Jackdaws, Moles, Owls, Panthers, Rabbits, Ravens, Warthogs, and many others—hinting at the rich and varied world of talking creatures that may eventually appear on screen in Gerwig’s adaptation.

Licensed Narnia Merchandise Begins Quiet Rollout Ahead of Greta Gerwig’s Film

Tiger — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 05:04:55 GMT

Toy companies have begun discreetly unveiling licensed merchandise connected to Netflix’s upcoming film Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew at this week’s North American International Toy Fair in New York, and the first concrete details about the brands involved are now starting to emerge.

Held annually each February, the New York Toy Fair brings together professionals from across the global toy sector to showcase upcoming product lines and negotiate licensing agreements tied to major entertainment releases.

Among the participating companies is Monogram International, which recently included Narnia among its officially licensed properties for 2026 in a press statement released last week. The company specializes in smaller collectible merchandise such as 3D foam bag clips, keychains, novelty coin banks, and enamel pins.

Another major name joining the lineup is Funko, widely recognized for its Pop! Vinyl figures. The collectible brand confirmed that it will also introduce Narnia-themed products later this year.

During an appearance on the Strictly Business podcast, Funko CEO Josh Simon described 2026 as one of the company’s strongest years yet in terms of entertainment partnerships. He highlighted a slate that includes The Mandalorian & Grogu, Toy Story 5, Moana, Supergirl, and Avengers: Doomsday, before adding that he is also especially excited about the Narnia film directed by Greta Gerwig, which is scheduled for release toward the end of the year.

“I have to also give a shout out to — I’m very excited for the Narnia movie that Greta Gerwig is directing that also comes out at the end of the year.”

Josh Simon

At the same time, Simon emphasized that many of the year’s upcoming products are being shown privately behind closed doors at the New York Toy Fair, as studios are working carefully to prevent plot details or character designs from leaking prematurely through early merchandise reveals.

As a result, fans should not expect to see official public reveals of new Narnia toys just yet—unlike earlier Toy Fair showcases in 2005 and 2008. Nevertheless, this initial wave of licensing news likely marks only the beginning of a broader range of marketing collaborations that will build momentum in the months leading up to the film’s planned November debut.