Whatever I expected from Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia movies, I promise “non-musical rock opera inspired by David Bowie” was not among my predictions. But that’s exactly what she plans to deliver with her first film in the franchise, the upcoming Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. She will transport fans to the fantasy realm by giving it a British glam makeover.
Just, again so it’s clear, it will not be a musical. Just completely inspired by music and musicians.
The Barbie and Lady Bird director told Empire all about the personal inspiration behind her upcoming take on C.S. Lewis’ iconic fantasy series. “I wanted a rock opera,” she said. “I wanted it to be big and transporting.” Specifically she’s moving Lewis’ story from around the turn of the 20th century to 1950s Great Britain. When the children in the story then travel to other realms they will see a world inspired by the British glam scene of the ’60s and ’70s. The colorful, glitzy first images from the film show what that will look like.
Gerwig said the idea came from the musicians who she credits with “saving” her life, legends like David Bowie, Paul McCartney, David Gilmour, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, and Robert Plant. “Narnia is literally a world made out of music,” she said. And because Aslan (whom Meryl Streep will voice) sand that magical world into existence, Gerwig made her version out of the of rock and roll she loves so much.
Despite being a “rock opera” her first Narnia movie is not a musical. It sounds like a musical, yes, but it’s musical in style-only. Not in songs. Which…you know….it’s a choice. All of this is very much a choice.
Will it work? As someone who has read all of Lewis Narnia books I feel confident saying, “I have no idea.” It’s not that Gerwig’s comments mean nothing or that I don’t have faith in her. It’s that they only tell us about her concept and inspiration. Everything that makes sense to her might not land with audiences. Or it might feel, well, inspired.
We won’t find out whether a music-less rock opera opera approach works or not until Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew arrives in theaters February 12, 2027.