This ain’t your grandpa’s Narnia.
Barbie director Greta Gerwig may be the perfect choice to reboot C.S. Lewis’ classic fantasy series, if only for her propensity to shake up the status quo. Gerwig first raised eyebrows by partnering with Netflix for her Chronicles of Narnia remake, and as plans for the franchise take shape, the fledgling saga has only grown more unorthodox. In a historic deal, the streamer’s first Narnia installment will premiere exclusively in IMAX theaters, two weeks before it hits Netflix. Gerwig is also reportedly courting an unorthodox cast for The Magician’s Nephew, namely Grammy-winning pop star Charli XCX to play its main antagonist, the White Witch. The surprises aren’t stopping there: Gerwig is looking to cast Meryl Streep as another iconic (and traditionally male) character, Aslan the Great.
According to Deadline, Streep is currently in talks to voice Aslan — the godlike figure who rules over Narnia — in The Magician’s Nephew. If she does take the role, it could be a serious commitment: Aslan’s the only character who appears in all seven Narnia books, and Netflix has eight films planned. This role could define the next decade of Streep’s career, although voicing a character from the comfort of a studio isn’t as big an undertaking as being on set for months at a time.
Streep’s casting might also ruffle feathers among Narnia purists. Not only is Aslan depicted as male in Lewis’ source material and prior adaptations, but he’s a not-so-subtle stand-in for Jesus. If Gerwig’s Narnia reboot really is swapping Aslan’s gender, it could become the target of a tedious “anti-woke” campaign.
No project has been totally undone by that kind of backlash, but it doesn’t make promoting a film any easier. Disney’s Snow White was embroiled in a media storm years before it even premiered, the bulk of which overshadowed the film itself. Hopefully, the same won’t happen to Narnia. Gerwig has the opportunity to remake a classic fantasy for a fresh generation, and she deserves the chance to do so without “fans” scrutinizing her every move.
