Greta Gerwig has debuted the first trailer for her upcoming fantasy epic Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew at a New York event, blending C.S. Lewis’s prequel mythology with a wide theatrical release ahead of its April 2027 streaming debut on Netflix.
Director Greta Gerwig brought her lifelong passion for C.S. Lewis to the AMC Lincoln Square in New York City on Tuesday morning, hosting an exclusive IMAX sneak peek event with late-night host Stephen Colbert. The presentation gave audiences their first look at The Magician’s Nephew, the sixth book in publication order but the first chronological story in the beloved fantasy series.
Set in 1900 Edwardian London, the story follows two children named Digory and Polly. The trailer opens with magician Andrew Ketterley intoning that sometimes one story is the beginning to all the others
as he hands the children a magic ring that transports them into the Wood Between Worlds, a realm of portals leading to the birth of Narnia.
Having delivered the box-office phenomenon Barbie and acclaimed drama Little Women, she is now tackling a fantasy production.
When she learned that Netflix had acquired the rights to the series, Gerwig made a beeline to Netflix chief executive Ted Sarandos at a cocktail party to pitch the idea of beginning with The Magician’s Nephew. Drawn to the starting scope, she described it as a story about the life and death of a universe. She wrote her first drafts of the film during 2020 and 2021. Her interest in Lewis extends beyond the Narnia books, as she also speaks warmly of his autobiography, Surprised by Joy.
Star-Studded Cast and the Creation of Narnia
Gerwig and casting director Nina Gold considered thousands of children while searching for the film’s young leads, David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell. The director explained that the pair first caught their attention in audition tapes featuring them reading dialogue alongside their parents.
One of the production’s most discussed casting choices is Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan, portraying the mythical lion alongside an expanded cast that includes Ciarán Hinds, Denise Gough, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, and Susan Wokoma.
The first trailer for the adaptation has divided fans across social media platforms like Reddit and X, with reactions ranging from praise for its visual style to criticism that the project strays too far from C.S. Lewis’s beloved fantasy books. Released on October 13, the trailer features psychedelic imagery alongside Led Zeppelin’s music, leading some viewers to welcome the creative approach as a rock-inspired take or a faithful adaptation with a rock opera twist. Other viewers questioned whether the trailer captures the traditional spirit of Narnia, with some comparing its CGI-heavy visual effects and aesthetic to Marvel productions such as Thor: Love and Thunder and Guardians of the Galaxy.
Securing Led Zeppelin and a Massive Netflix Budget
Gerwig personally petitioned Robert Plant and Jimmy Page for permission to use the track, discussing the film’s themes with them.
“They saw the heart and the story and the drama in it. It’s an epic song. It’s about the two paths of good and evil … It is a spiritual quest and a spiritual journey. So to me, this was a song that made sense to introduce the film to the world.”
Greta Gerwig, via Rolling Stone and Variety
With a reported budget of USD$280 million, the film ranks among Netflix’s most ambitious projects. She also named the Wood Between Worlds as her favorite set, feeling it conveyed a true sense of the infinite.
Netflix Moves Narnia Release to 2027 for Theatrical Window
Netflix has committed to a wide global theatrical window, departing from its usual streaming-first strategy. The film was initially slated to open in November, but Netflix pushed it into 2027 to give it a global theatrical release.
“I told Ted I only know how to make movies for the big screen. He said: ‘Make the movie for the biggest screen and trust the process.’”
Greta Gerwig, via The Guardian
Earlier film adaptations of the Chronicles of Narnia series—across three films featuring Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan—collectively grossed more than USD$1.5 billion worldwide.
| Release Milestone | Date | Market / Platform |
|---|---|---|
| US theatrical release | February 12, 2027 | Global cinemas and IMAX |
| Streaming debut | April 2, 2027 | Netflix global streaming |
The film is scheduled to arrive in cinemas and IMAX for an eight-week theatrical window on February 12, 2027, followed by a worldwide streaming debut on Netflix starting April 2, 2027, marking the studio’s first global theatrical release.