Greta Gerwig Unveils Trailer for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew

Director Greta Gerwig has unveiled a psychedelic trailer for her $280 million Netflix adaptation of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, featuring Meryl Streep as Aslan and a theatrical window opening February 12, 2027.

Director Greta Gerwig is returning to the big screen with an adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ sixth novel in The Chronicles of Narnia series. Following the massive box-office success of 2023’s Barbie, which racked up nearly $1.5 billion, the filmmaker chose to direct Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew for Netflix.

The project marks a significant shift for the streaming giant. Netflix plans to release the film in IMAX theaters worldwide for a 50-day window, breaking with its standard streaming practices before the movie lands on the platform on April 2, 2027, as reported by Mashable.

The Chronicles of Narnia series includes: The Magician’s Nephew (1955) and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950). His novels were adapted into a BBC TV series, and later into a film franchise adapting the first three novels in the series, including 2005’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 2008’s Prince Caspian, and 2010’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Gerwig even ate a lot of Turkish Delight in preparation for the film.

Netflix Unveils Debut Footage at Exclusive Screening

Netflix debuted the first footage at an exclusive IMAX sneak peek event hosted at AMC Lincoln Square in New York City, where Stephen Colbert joined Gerwig for a Q&A. The production budget sits at $280 million, making it one of the streamer’s most expensive films ever. The adaptation features a sweeping cast alongside newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell, who star as young explorers Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer.

• Meryl Streep as the lion Aslan
• Daniel Craig as Uncle Andrew Ketterley

Emma Mackey as Jadis

• Carey Mulligan as Digory’s mother, Mabel Kirke
• Ciarán Hinds, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough, and Susan Wokoma

Securing Led Zeppelin and Channeling David Bowie

The newly released trailer is set to Led Zeppelin’s 1971 hit Stairway to Heaven, a song known for its notoriously strict licensing.

Visually, the film draws inspiration from 1960s-era David Bowie, trading the earthy tones of previous film adaptations for a psychedelic, cosmic aesthetic. The production is backed behind the scenes by a world-class filmmaking team, with original music composed by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, music supervision by George Drakoulias, cinematography led by Seamus McGarvey, production sets designed by James Chinlund, and costumes crafted by Jacqueline Durran. Paul Franklin supervises visual effects alongside creature supervisor Neal Scanlan. The film is produced by Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Vincent Sieber-Smith, and Greta Gerwig, with Douglas Gresham and Melvin Adams executive producing for the C.S. Lewis Estate alongside Patricia Whitcher, Racheline Benveniste, and Christine Crais.

Adapting Lewis’ Chronological Prequel

While Lewis published The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 1950, he later wrote The Magician’s Nephew in 1955 as a prequel explaining the origins of Narnia and the Wood Between the Worlds. Gerwig’s screenplay shifts the story’s setting from the book’s 1900 timeline forward to the 1950s.

The adaptation has already drawn attention from commentators and critics. Meryl Streep’s casting as Aslan sparked debate among conservative commentators regarding the depiction of a character widely viewed as a literary representation of Jesus Christ. Meanwhile, outlets like IGN praised the visual scope, with reviewer Jesse Schedeen calling the trailer a real feast for the eyes.

Cinemas Launch Film Ahead of Streaming Debut

The film is scheduled to open in cinemas with IMAX sneak previews on February 10, followed by a wide theatrical release on February 12, 2027, before its global streaming debut on Netflix on April 2, 2027.