Greta Gerwig’s long-awaited fantasy film, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, has been delayed. Variety reports that Netflix pushed the film back over two months, from its November 26 release date to February 12, 2027. It will then premiere on Netflix on April 2, giving the film almost two months on cinema screens. Sneak previews for the new film start on IMAX screens on February 10. Although some Netflix films get theatrical screenings, few, if any, get a theatrical window as long as this one. The film features an all-star cast that includes Carey Mulligan, Daniel Craig, Meryl Streep, and Emma Mackey.
In Gerwig’s follow-up to her mega smash Barbie, she’s adapting C.S. Lewis’ prequel novel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which was his sixth Chronicles of Narnia novel overall. The story focuses on the creation of Narnia by Aslan the lion, voiced in this iteration by Meryl Streep. Two kids by the name Digory and Polly manage to discover the “Wood between the Worlds” after their uncle, played by Daniel Craig, gives the two friends a magical ring. Mackey will portray Jadis, a.k.a. the White Witch, once played by Tilda Swinton. So far, the young actors playing the leads in The Magician’s Nephew remain uncast.
Here’s what IMAX had to say about the upcoming release of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew:
From the outset, we got involved with Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew to support Greta Gerwig and see her vision realized to the fullest in IMAX. The film’s delay until 2027 creates an opportunity to give Narnia an expanded, wide release with a full theatrical window; we support Greta and Netflix in pursuing that opportunity and are pleased Imax could help facilitate. We hope as many people in as many places as possible can experience what Greta is creating with this special film — particularly in its exclusive debut in Imax, as it was meant to be seen.
Could this indicate a bigger change to how Netflix rolls films into theaters? Or will this be a unique situation? The streaming giant now owns the franchise rights to the entire Narnia series, all seven C.S. Lewis novels. 20th Century Fox adapted the first three novels in the series in the 2000s. Although, only the first film was a big box office hit. With Gerwig in charge, could the Narnia novels find a whole new life? This deal is for both films and television series, so we might be in for more Narnia than ever in the next few years.