Daniel Craig, best known for his iconic run as James Bond, has officially joined the cast of Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew for Netflix. I first saw Craig in Road to Perdition (2002) alongside Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. Since then, he’s taken on a wide range of memorable roles — from Cowboys & Aliens to the wildly popular Knives Out mysteries, also streaming on Netflix.
From Rumor to Reality
Over the past several months, Craig’s name has surfaced repeatedly in connection with Gerwig’s Narnia adaptation. Until now, those reports remained unconfirmed, though there was plenty of evidence suggesting it might be true.
The rumor that he had been offered a role came up in March of this year, but there was no word on whether he had accepted it. One particularly compelling clue came from the stunt department: Craig’s longtime stunt double from the James Bond films was reportedly spotted on the Magician’s Nephew set in London. While stunt performers often work across different productions, this overlap definitely fueled speculation.
On the red carpet at the premiere of the latest Knives Out Mystery film, Wake Up Dead Man, Deadline asked Daniel Craig about his time working on Narnia, and he was very tight-lipped on the project, as expected. But I’m glad they asked anyway.
Daniel Craig talks filming ‘Narnia’ with director Greta Gerwig, who attended the #LFF premiere of his new film ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ tonight pic.twitter.com/oM3tB7L0DV
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) October 8, 2025
Which Role Will He Play?
As of now, Netflix and Gerwig’s team haven’t revealed Craig’s role. The most persistent rumor has him portraying Uncle Andrew Ketterley, the eccentric magician whose experiments with magic rings set the story in motion.
However, two other significant roles remain unannounced — Aslan, the great Lion, and Frank the Cabby, who was present for Narnia’s creation.
Could Craig be taking on a dual role — appearing on-screen as Uncle Andrew while also providing the voice of Aslan? It wouldn’t be unheard of; many actors have lent their voices to symbolic or parallel characters in adaptations before.
There have also been whispers that Meryl Streep might voice Aslan, though that rumor, too, remains unconfirmed.
What This Means for Narnia Fans
With a major star like Daniel Craig now officially aboard, The Magician’s Nephew is coming together. I really enjoy his performances and anticipate that he will deliver when he acts in this film as well. Whether Craig’s role is that of a scheming magician, a noble lion, or both, his addition adds even more gravitas to the film.
As always, we’ll continue following every new development on NarniaFans.com as this exciting production unfolds.
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