Acclaimed director Greta Gerwig has been tapped to helm a new reboot of The Chronicles of Narnia, and the film series is already beginning to take shape. Based on the beloved series of novels by English writer C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia is set within the fantastical realm of fantasy and magic and tells an epic tale of war and peace within the kingdom. The novels first began publishing in the 1950s, but it wasn't until 2005's The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe that Lewis' vision arrived on the big screen for the first time.

Following in the footsteps of the generation-defining YA series like Harry Potter, the first Chronicles of Narnia film was followed by two increasingly poorly received sequels that eventually killed off the franchise before it ever started. Even though previous attempts to adapt The Chronicles of Narnia have failed, Netflix optioned the rights to the classic stories and has put a plan in motion that aims to avoid the mistakes of the recent past. One of the biggest changes is the addition of highly talented personnel, and Greta Gerwig has a chance to continue her cinematic hot streak.

The Chronicles Of Narnia Latest News

The White Witch Has Been Cast

The jury is still out on whether Meryl Streep will play Aslan, or if several other rumored casting choices are still on the table.

After a slew of names were rumored to be in contention for the part, the latest news confirms that The Chronicles of Narnia has cast the White Witch. With names like Charli XCX and Margaret Qualley in contention, it has now been announced that Barbie star Emma Mackey has been tapped to play the villain. No one involved directly with the production has confirmed Mackey's casting, but it appears to be a done deal at this point. The jury is still out on whether Meryl Streep will play Aslan, or if several other rumored casting choices are still on the table.

Tilda Swinton played the role of the White Witch in the original Narnia film series.

The Chronicles Of Narnia Release Date

The Movie Will Debut In Theaters Before Landing On Netflix

While other Netflix movies have played in select theaters (mostly for award eligibility), Narnia will be the streamer's first wide release.

After it was announced that the Netflix production would also see a theatrical release, the release date was finally announced in January 2025. In an unprecedented move for Netflix, The Chronicles of Narnia will play on around 1,000 IMAX screens starting on Thanksgiving Day (November 26) 2026. Then, Netflix will debut the film on their platform starting Christmas Day 2026 after around a month in theaters. While other Netflix movies have played in select theaters (mostly for award eligibility), Narnia will be the streamer's first wide release.

The Chronicles of Narnia book series by C.S. Lewis includes:

The Chronicles Of Narnia Cast Details

Several Cast Have ed The Narnia Reboot

With Netflix taking their time assembling their potential film franchise, almost nothing is known about the cast of The Chronicles of Narnia. However, September 2024 saw the casting of the first actor when Gerwig signed on rising star Louis Partridge (Enola Holmes). Partridge's role hasn't been revealed yet, though it would make most sense for him to be playing the eldest Pevensie sibling, Peter. In April 2025, Barbie star Emma Mackey was tapped to play the role of recurring villain, the White Witch, beating out several other actors who were rumored to be in consideration.

Several major names are currently being considered for the cast of The Chronicles of Narnia, but none of them have signed on yet. Daniel Craig is in talks to play a role in the movie, but he hasn't officially ed the project, while Meryl Streep is apparently the front-runner to play the role of Aslan. Rumors should always be taken with a grain of salt, but it's clear that The Chronicles of Narnia is going for big starpower as well as up-and-coming talent.

The confirmed cast of The Chronicles of Narnia includes:

The Chronicles Of Narnia Story Details

It's Unclear Which Book Will Be Adapted First

Netflix's approach to the massive Narnia universe hasn't been disclosed yet, but was assumed that the first movie will tackle the first book, The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Set during the height of the Blitz of London in WWII, the novel follows the four Pevensie siblings as they are sent to live in the countryside where they discover a wardrobe that leads to a fantastical realm. Once in Narnia, the quartet gets involved with the return of Aslan, who leads a rebellion against the evil White Witch.

However, those assumptions were challenged when Jason Isaacs seemingly let slip that The Magician's Nephew would be the focus of the first movie instead. This is a logical choice since the novel is actually a prequel that takes place long before The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, and follows two youngsters who are accidentally sent into Narnia by a magician. The prequel sets up crucial backstory that is later paid off when the Pevensies arrive, and features the White Witch, Jadis, as the villain.

Since the books are all quite short, each cinematic installment should not have problem tackling the entire scope of the novel in one outing. However, the movies might also add other elements from the lore of The Chronicles of Narnia in order to set up future sequels. Until Netflix reveals more, anything outside of C.S. Lewis' Narnia novels is entirely speculation.