In the Summer of 2023, Greta Gerwig was confirmed as the director attached to two Chronicles of Narnia films at Netflix, just before the theatrical release of Barbie, which became one of the year’s most successful films. Details about the production are still being kept under wraps, but earlier this month Jason Isaacs let slip that he had heard that the film would be adapting The Magican’s Nephew, rather than the first release in C. S. Lewis‘ series. While no casting has been announced yet nor a filming start-date, Bloomberg is now reporting that Gerwig‘s Chronicles of Narnia revival will likely be released in December 2026.
Alongside the report, Bloomberg stated that negotiations for a theatrical release with IMAX are still ongoing, which would be a departure from Netflix‘s typical release strategy, which favors streaming releases over large-scale theatrical releases. Presently, Netflix only releases its films in theaters for awards-qualifying limited runs, which has drawn ire from filmmakers and stars alike, who want to see their films succeed at the box office. Guillermo Del Toro recently hinted that his upcoming Netflix-backed Frankenstein will be receiveing a theatrical release, though no further details have been announced about the length of the run.
Gerta Gerwig‘s Chronicles of Narnia adaptation seems to be just one piece in Netflix‘s overarching plans with Lewis‘ beloved series. In October 2018, the streamer and the C. S. Lewis Company announced that they had made a multi-year agreement to develop films and a television series based on the franchise. The announcement killed the previously announced plans to adapt The Silver Chair, which had been in the works since 2013 at the Mark Gordon Company, with David Magee attached as the screenwriter. Prior to that, Walden Media was poised to adapt The Magican’s Nephew in 2011, but that failed to come to fruition too.
How Well Do You Know ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’?
Like The Lord of the Rings, which was penned by Lewis’ friend J.R.R. Tolkien, The Chronicles of Narnia is one of the most beloved fantasy franchises, and a highly sought after franchise by studios looking to seize upon the success of known IP. Lewis published the first in his seven-book series in 1950, and since then the books have been adapted into television series, films, video games, and more. Of the seven celebrated novels, the first three were made into films in the mid-to-late aughts, earning over $1.5 billion globally at the box office. The films, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader starred William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Georgia Henley, Skandar Keynes, Will Poulter, Ben Barnes, James McAvoy, and Tilda Swinton, to name but a few.
Should Netflix succeed where previous studios failed, the seven novels they could adapt include: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew, and The Last Battle.
Gerwig‘s adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia is set to arrive sometime in December 2026. While we wait for more details to emerge about the adaptation, you can stream The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe on Disney+.
via Collider