On July 2nd, it was announced that critically acclaimed director Greta Gerwig was tapped to direct at least two movies for Netflix’sChronicles of Narniareboot. The news was immediately met with excitement and intrigue from fans of the original movies, along with some trepidation at the thought of aNetflixadaptation of the beloved series. While Netflix is full of film and TV adaptations, the ones that stick closest to their source material are canceled almost immediately by the streaming platform (I’m Not Okay With ThisandLockwood & Co., for example), with bigger-budget adaptations likeThe Witcherbeing butchered beyond recognition when compared to the source material.
No one would have predicted thatNarniawould be the next big Hollywood reboot, let alone thatGreta Gerwig would be tasked with bringing two of the films to life. That being said, Gerwig might be the perfect choice to spearhead a new attempt at bringing the iconic C.S. Lewis series to the silver screen.
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What do fans love aboutThe Chronicles of Narniaseries?
For anyone growing up in the early 2000s, Disney’sChronicles of Narniafilm series was absolutely paramount. Based on the first few books in C.S. Lewis’ fantasy series, the DisneyChronicles of Narniasaga began with the most well-known of the seven novels,The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, in 2005 before releasing two sequels, 2008’sPrince Caspianand 2010’sVoyage of the Dawn Treader.
While the first film in this series was a huge success,Prince Caspianperformed underwhelmingly at the box office before being relegated to Cult Classic status (obviously due toBen Barnes’ casting as Prince Caspian), andDawn Treaderquickly flopped. Despite the series petering off in financial success over time, much of that had to do with fantasy movies also being released during that time frame. However,Narniastill holds a spot in many young Millennials and older Gen-Z audiences’ hearts because of how pivotal those films were during their formative years. With themes of good vs. evil, betrayal, compassion, and the bond of family, all wrapped up in a classic coming-of-age story, there’s no doubt that this trilogy stuck with its target audience all these years later.
What do fans love about Greta Gerwig’s work?
Greta Gerwig first gained some notoriety by writing, directing, and starring in several indie films throughout the early 2010s, earning a Golden Globe nomination for her performance inFrances Ha(2012). From there, she collaborated with other bigger-name filmmakers (most notably Noah Baumbach) before taking on her first solo project as a writer/director with 2017’sLady Bird.Lady Birdwent on to dominate the box office and critical space, maintaining a 99% on Rotten Tomatoes to this day, and earning several top nominations and awards during the 2018 awards season.
Following this with her adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’sLittle Women, Gerwig solidified herself as the top filmmaker to showcase the coming-of-age story for young women and girls. Both of her big-name films celebrate the joys and simplicities of adolescence and girlhood, while also treating the nature of how young girls are forced to abandon their innocence for the comfort of the world around them with respect. With only two of her three big-name films already out, it seems as though everyone and their mother are talking about her next project:Barbie.
Barbie, out later this month, has one of the most effective marketing campaigns of any movie out in recent years – and it all started with the first teaser trailer completely recreating the first few minutes of2001: A Space Odyssey. Aside from a loose plot outline, two additional trailers, and some meme-inducing character posters that took over social media earlier this year, fans of the moviedon’t actually know what it’s supposed to be. One thing can be certain, though: excitement forBarbieis through the roof and steadily climbing with each new minor detail released. From Barbie’s existential crisis to Ryan Gosling performing a 1980s-style power ballad as Ken, it’s apparent thatBarbieis going to be a career-defining film for Gerwig.
How can Gerwig’s style provide a fresh adaptation of theNarniastories?
ANarniareboot could pose some problems for Netflix. C.S. Lewis was a deeply religious author, so much so that he was regarded as one of the great Christian apologists of modern times. As much as the originalNarniatrilogy is loved by original audiences, there’s no doubt that Disney didn’t shy away from Lewis’ brand of Christian iconography. Given the fact that theNarniabooks are inherently Christian fables, and ones that can’t be fully adapted without leaving those religious themes intact, Netflix and Greta Gerwig have their work cut out for them if they want to leave that type of storytelling to the Church.
Despite this possible roadblock,Greta Gerwig is the best thing that could happen to aNarniareboot right now. Coming off of theBarbieblockbuster, Gerwig has experience working with a big budget and every expectation that comes with it. Given her past working in the indie film world, and her desire to be the next big studio director, she has the vision and creative background to tackle such iconic IP. Her career has already been following the same natural progression as household-name directors like Spielberg and George Lucas’ did, given her journey to big studio films while maintaining a populist appeal to all of her work (Lady BirdandLittle Womenhave been loved by audiences of all ages, not just the young girls she tells these stories about). Being so preoccupied with narratives of self-discovery and coming-of-age stories, paired with Gerwig’s unapologetic and realistic celebration of women in her work, Greta Gerwig’s take onChronicles of Narniais sure to be the one that truly stands the test of time (as well as giving justice to Susan Pevensie at last).
