The first trailer for the Greta Gerwig-directed adaptation of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew has arrived, plunging viewers into a modernized retelling of C.S. Lewis’ first book in The Chronicles of Narnia. The film arrives in theaters February 12 and April 2 on Netflix.
Beatrice Campbell’s Polly Plummer and David McKenna’s Digory Kirke kick off the clip wondering if Uncle Andrew Ketterly is mad after a sheet uncovers the beloved wooden wardrobe that marks the gateway to Narnia.
“Sometimes, one story is the beginning of all others,” a voice that sounds like Ciarán Hinds says as the carved cabinet structure stands tall up in the Ketterly attic.
“Mom always calls him a magician,” Digory tells Polly as Daneil Craig’s eccentric Uncle Andrew picks up the bottom of a green glass bottle.
Digory isn’t sure if he believes in magic, or if he’s ready to see what’s on the other side of a different wooden door, which opens into Uncle Andrew’s colorful laboratory.
Polly asks if magic is real after picking up a golden ring, and Andrew responds that he is, in fact, a magician.
“See for yourself,” he says as he hands more jewelry to Digory.
The children explore “infinity worlds,” but Digory’s touching a certain magical object before Polly can get to him to tell him not to summons Emma Mackey’s Jadis, the White Witch, who wears silver sparkly eyeshadow and whispers, “Come to me, my power.”
She jumps down in her metallic dress and brandishes her silver wand that she uses to cast spells as Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heavean” starts to play.
“Magic, it’s everywhere,” Carey Mulligan’s Mabel Kirke says.
A winged horse leaps into the air off of a cliff, carrying the pair of kids.
“Have you ever seen a world born?” Hinds’ voice returns at the end to ask as the iconic lion, Aslan (who will be voiced by Meryl Streep), is formed out of some sort of cosmic dust to roar.
The cast of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew also includes Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough and Susan Wokoma.
The film is produced by Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Vincent Sieber-Smith and Greta Gerwig. Executive producers include Patricia Whitcher, Racheline Benveniste, Christine Crais, and Douglas Gresham and Melvin Adams for the C.S. Lewis Estate.
Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt wrote an original score, and George Drakoulias serves as music supervisor. Seamus McGarvey, ASC, BSC, is director of photography, James Chinlund is production designer and Lee Sandales is set decorator.
Jacqueline Durran is costume designer, Ivana Primorac is hair & makeup designer, Paul Franklin is visual effects supervisor, and Barry St. John is visual effects producer.
Editing was done by Andrew Weisblum, Nick Houy and Wyatt Smith. Nina Gold put the cast together. Neal Scanlan serves as creature effects creative supervisor, and Michael Eames serves as animation supervisor.