It’s been 2,503 days since Netflix first staked its claim on The Chronicles of Narnia back in October 2018 — and now, at last, the wardrobe door has cracked open. Over the weekend, Greta Gerwig’s The Magician’s Nephew began filming in the heart of London, and the city’s historic streets were swept back in time to the 1950s. Bank Station and The Royal Exchange became the backdrop for bustling post-war Britain, with flower stalls, vintage storefronts, and dozens of costumed extras breathing life into the era. Onlookers didn’t just get a glimpse of the transformation — they spotted Gerwig herself directing the action.

The lavish production marks the first chapter in Netflix’s planned Narnia saga, adapting the novel that introduces young Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer — two children whose curiosity unleashes the White Witch upon London. It’s a bold choice to start with The Magician’s Nephew instead of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and an even bolder move to shift the story’s original late 19th-century setting to the 1950s. That change could have ripple effects across future adaptations — if LWW follows suit, its WWII backdrop could be pushed into the early 2000s.

Who Is in ‘The Magician’s Nephew’?

So far, Netflix hasn’t officially announced the full cast, but all signs point to Emma Mackey as the White Witch, Daniel Craig as the eccentric Uncle Andrew, Carey Mulligan in talks for a role, and Meryl Streep expected to voice Aslan. Fresh set photos captured two young, as-yet-unidentified actors believed to be playing Digory and Polly, the heart of this first adventure. With production now underway, an official announcement can’t be far off — in fact, it should be imminent at this point, so we won’t have too long to wait for all the official details.

Filming should be continuing across the South and South East of England, and on location in London as well as a stint at the famous Shepperton Studios before it wraps in early 2026 ahead of a Netflix and IMAX release at the tail end of the year.

For fans who’ve been waiting since that first Netflix announcement, these early images feel like the opening notes of a long-awaited symphony — one that could finally bring C.S. Lewis’ world back to life with the scale and soul it deserves.

via Collider