We are a couple of months away from Greta Gerwig unleashing her take on the fantasy classic “The Magician’s Nephew” for Netflix and a new generation of kids experiencing the world of Narnia for the first time. The film is already making some interesting choices when it comes to adapting the magical world created by author C. S. Lewis, including assembling a killer cast that features Meryl Streep as the lion Aslan and Daniel Craig as the titular magician.
So, since we’re waiting for its arrival, it’s never a bad time to revisit the previous big-budget movie adaptations of Lewis’ fantasy novels. After all, for a certain generation, “Shrek” director Andrew Adamson’s film versions of the “Narnia” books were their introduction to fantasy (and to the isekai genre that’s come to dominate anime). Indeed, if you were too young to watch Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy in theaters in the 2000s, chances are Adamson’s films were the first big-screen fantasy epics you saw (you know, assuming you were alive back then). It makes sense, too, as Wētā Workshop worked on those movies, designing incredible fantastical creatures and props.
Adamson’s “Narnia” films also featured a number of actors who have gone on to become bigger names, including James McAvoy and Ben Barnes as Prince Caspian (a role he later reprised in the Michael Apted-helmed “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”). Now, Barnes shared his feelings about the Netflix “Narnia” reboot, telling ScreenRant that “the trailer looks great” and that he’s “always been a fan of directors who are real visionaries.”
Ben Barnes thinks every generation needs to reinterpret classic stories
Ben Barnes went on to praise the decision to start with “The Magician’s Nephew” for Netflix’s reboot of the “Narnia” movie franchise, saying it’s a “brilliant idea.”
“I think (Greta Gerwig} has got a great eye for casting. I loved Emma Mackey in ‘Sex Education,’ I thought she was brilliant. Obviously, Daniel Craig’s brilliant in everything. So, yeah, I’m really excited to see it,” Barnes added. “Those stories are beautiful, but also, every generation needs to reinterpret things, and pull out of stories what seems visceral and important, and present it in a way that is visually exciting, and I think we can rely on (Gerwig) to do that.”
From what we know about the movie, it seems Gerwig is embracing a ’70s glam rock and British prog musical sensibility for her take on “Narnia,” including giving Aslan a David Bowie-inspired look. That alone makes this a rather interesting adaptation. But most importantly, it is a huge risk for Netflix, between the film’s daunting budget and Gerwig’s desire for a wide theatrical release leading to some behind-the-scenes drama.
Admittedly, it’s a bummer that audiences never got to see Barnes appear in more “Narnia” movies. At the same time, he did go on to join another popular fantasy franchise in the form of Netflix’s “Shadow and Bone” TV series (even though it wound up being canceled before its story was completed). As for “The Magician’s Nephew,” we’ll see how Gerwig’s take on Narnia fares with the masses when it opens in theaters (including IMAX screens) on February 12, 2027, before debuting on Netflix a couple of months later on April 2.
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