After seven years of waiting since Netflix first announced its ambitious plans, the journey back to Narnia has truly begun. The long-awaited Netflix adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia has finally moved from development limbo to active production, with cameras rolling in London for Greta Gerwig’s take on The Magician’s Nephew. For the first time since the streaming giant announced its Narnia plans in October 2018, fans are getting their first concrete glimpse of what appears to be a radical reimagining of C.S. Lewis’s beloved world. This past weekend, the streets of London around Bank Station transformed, not into the foggy, gaslit turn of the century city that C.S. Lewis described, but into a bustling, post-war Britain of the 1950s. Director Greta Gerwig has officially started rolling cameras on Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, and the news is coming fast.
Thanks to intrepid fans and reporters on the scene, we have our first look at the world Gerwig is building. Lavish sets depicting 1955 London, complete with vintage cars and crowds of extras in period clothing, confirm a significant shift in the timeline from the book’s original turn of the century setting.
Young Leads Cast as Production Moves Forward
Alongside Gerwig herself, two young actors, David McKenna (Lord of the Flies) and Beatrice Campbell (The Stolen Girl), have been identified as the likely leads, Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer. While Netflix has yet to make any official casting announcements, the extensive search for the two young protagonists points strongly to these talented newcomers stepping into those pivotal roles. They join a rumored cast that includes Emma Mackey as the White Witch, Daniel Craig as the nefarious Uncle Andrew, and most controversially Meryl Streep as a crossgender voice casting of Aslan.
The 1950s Shift: Creative Choice or Timeline Trap?
Perhaps the most significant development is the apparent decision to relocate the story from its original Victorian-era setting to the 1950s. This jump forward in time is more than just a cosmetic change; it’s a decision with massive implications that has the Narnia Fans team buzzing with theories. If The Magician’s Nephew is now set in the 50s, what does that mean for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe? The Pevensies’ story was deeply anchored in the London Blitz of World War II. A similar time-shift could push their entry into Narnia into the late 1990s or even the early 2000s.
For many, the charm of The Magician’s Nephew is intrinsically linked to its original setting. As one of our team members noted, the Victorian/Edwardian era had a look and atmosphere that felt fantastic on its own. The image of Uncle Andrew dabbling in occult magic feels perfectly at home in a grimy, Gothic London, akin to the worlds of Frankenstein or Dr. Jekyll. Can a 1950s setting capture that same specific magic or would modernization recast him as a mad scientist?
The speculation doesn’t stop there. Some fans have wondered if this new adaptation is taking a page from modernizations like the BBC’s Sherlock. However, Sherlock Holmes has been adapted countless times in his original era, making him ripe for a modern reimagining. Narnia, with so few adaptations, might not be ready for such a drastic change.
Another fascinating theory that has emerged is the possibility of a framing device. Could the 1950s scenes actually feature an older Jill and Eustace, perhaps attending a meeting of the “Friends of Narnia,” while Digory and Polly recount their tale, which would still be set in its original time? It’s a clever idea that would preserve the book’s atmosphere while creating a connection across the entire series. It even sounds suspiciously like one of our old April Fools’ jokes!
Cast Rumors and Controversies
Beyond the newly identified young leads, the production continues to generate speculation about its adult cast. Reports suggest Emma Mackey has been cast as the White Witch (Jadis), while Daniel Craig is rumored to portray Uncle Andrew. Carey Mulligan is reportedly in negotiations for an undisclosed role.
The most controversial casting rumor involves Meryl Streep potentially voicing Aslan, a decision that has divided the Narnia fan community. While some see merit in potentially having multiple voices contribute to the Great Lion’s dialogue (similar to the approach used for the voice of God in The Prince of Egypt), others worry about departing too dramatically from the character’s traditional gender portrayal.
Production Timeline and Future Implications
Filming is expected to continue across various locations in South and Southeast England, with Shepperton Studios serving as the production’s home base. Based on typical production schedules, filming should wrap by early 2026, positioning the movie for its planned late 2026 theatrical and Netflix release.
Gerwig has notably secured theatrical IMAX rights before the streaming release, similar to limited theatrical runs Netflix has provided for awards consideration films like Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequels.
The Broader NETFLIX Strategy
Ultimately, these changes raise a crucial question: What does this mean for the future of the Narnia adaptations? Is this the first step in a complete reimagining of the timeline?
The lengthy development period—nearly seven years from rights acquisition to filming—has led to speculation about NETFLIX’s broader Narnia strategy. Some industry watchers suggest the extended timeline indicates comprehensive planning for multiple adaptations, potentially following the Lord of the Rings model of filming connected stories simultaneously.
This approach would make practical sense for the Chronicles, allowing Netflix to capture all the young actors at appropriate ages for their various appearances across the series, regardless of when individual stories are set or how characters age within Narnia itself.
In a moonshot theory, could Netflix be planning something even grander? What if they are filming all the London-based scenes for the entire seven-book series at once, accounting for the age of the actors across all stories? It would be a massive undertaking, but it would explain the long seven-year wait to begin filming.
Fan Reactions and Concerns
The adaptation faces the challenge of satisfying longtime fans while attracting new audiences to Lewis’s world. The time period shift particularly concerns fans who appreciate how the original Victorian and World War II settings provided atmospheric distinctiveness from contemporary fantasy properties like the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson.
Some fans worry that modernizing classic children’s literature risks losing the unique atmosphere that made the original stories compelling. They point to mixed reception of recent updated adaptations like Disney’s A Wrinkle in Time as cautionary examples of how contemporary settings can diminish a story’s sense of wonder and otherworldliness.
Others maintain optimism that any changes serving the story’s deeper themes and messages could introduce new audiences to Lewis’s work, potentially leading them to discover the original books and their allegorical significance.
As filming progresses and more details emerge, the Narnia fan community continues to watch closely, hoping that Gerwig’s vision will honor the heart of Lewis’s creation while bringing fresh cinematic magic to the beloved Chronicles.
For now, all we can do is watch, wait, and speculate. One thing is certain: Narnia is back, and the discussion is just getting started. We’ll be keeping our ears to the ground and our eyes on every set photo that emerges.
Sources:
Greta Gerwig’s Netflix Narnia Movie Starts Filming in London – First Look Photos https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/greta-gerwigs-netflix-narnia-movie-starts-filming-in-london-first-look-photos/
David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell Cast As Young Leads in Netflix’s ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ https://www.whats-on-netflix.com/news/david-mckenna-and-beatrice-campbell-cast-as-young-leads-in-netflixs-narnia-movie/
So sad that the creatives on the project think they know better than CS Lewis himself. They clearly don’t understand or respect him or why he wrote as he did. They are ticking all the currently fashionable boxes at the expense of the points CS Lewis was making, relevant to his time and his beliefs. I was excited and now I am not.