Variety reported this morning—calling it an “exclusive” (despite at least ten other outlets posting the same news)—that composer Mark Ronson has signed on to write the music for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Ronson previously teamed up with Greta Gerwig on Barbie, and it looks like their collaboration is continuing into Narnia.
For those who don’t know, Ronson also happens to be Meryl Streep’s son-in-law, married to her daughter Grace Gummer. His résumé is filled with high-profile collaborations, especially with Lady Gaga—including the Oscar-winning “Shallow” from A Star is Born.
As a big fan of film scores, I can’t help but wonder: what will the creation of Narnia sound like under Ronson’s hand? A great score can elevate a film to another level, and it’s fascinating to imagine what kind of theme or musical texture he’ll bring. He now follows in the footsteps of Harry Gregson-Williams and David Arnold, who scored the Walden Media Narnia films.
The news was also picked up by Today, which reported: “Ronson says he’s working with “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig again on the music for her new Netflix film. (Netflix did not respond to a request for comment on if Ronson was referring to Gerwig’s new film adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” series.)”
As for casting, Variety’s article went further and actually listed Meryl Streep among the names expected to appear, alongside Daniel Craig, Emma Mackey, and Carey Mulligan. When Aslan was mentioned, they even added “(voiced by Streep)” in parentheses. Netflix hasn’t confirmed this, of course, but Variety is a publication I tend to trust. Whether this is the source of the Streep-as-Aslan rumors or simply confirmation of them, it seems clear there’s something to it.
If that is the case, it’s worth noting that Aslan is still expected to appear as a male lion in the film—regardless of who provides his voice. And while there are red flags here that fans will no doubt debate, there’s also plenty of reason to stay curious and hopeful. After all, every Narnia adaptation brings its own surprises, and this one looks like it will be no different.
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