Greta Gerwig has done coming-of-age movies (Lady Bird). Greta Gerwig has done major literary adaptations (Little Women). And Greta Gerwig has done mega franchise movies (Barbie). But with the visionary filmmaker's upcoming Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, Greta Gerwig is about to do all three — bringing the weird and wonderful urtext of C.S. Lewis' beloved Chronicles Of Narnia to blockbuster life as a Bowie inspired fantasy rock-opera, set across multiple worlds, that stars Meryl Streep as God-lion Aslan, Emma Mackey as chaotic witch Jadis, and Daniel Craig as scheming magician Uncle Andrew. And you can check out the trailer below;
Greta really wasn't kidding when she called this a fantasy rock-opera, was she? Sheesh! Set to the ethereal symphonic rock tones of Led Zeppelin's 'Stairway To Heaven', this first trailer for Netflix's biggest franchise swing yet has got a lot going on. Nostalgic glimpses of a certain wardrobe? Yup. Our first proper leap into the Wood Between The Worlds (for more on that, head here) with young heroes Digory (David McKenna) and Polly (Beatrice Campbell)? Also that. Emma Mackey in full White Witch mode and Daniel Craig giving peak cantankerous magician uncle as Uncle Andrew? You betcha! And the cosmic form of Aslan literally creating the world of Narnia through song and roar? Yeah, there's that too. Which is all to say nothing of the mythical beasts, magical rings, and mad musical — and visual — invention that Gerwig has brought to her latest passion project. If an 80s kids' movie, Thor: Ragnarok, and, well, C.S. Lewis' foundational world-spawning novel had a baby and Gerwig was its prog-rock loving nanny, then we reckon it would probably look something like this.
While we have seen takes on The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and Voyage Of The Dawn Treader before, this looks like a wholly new take on this universe. And if the new trailer has you chomping at the bit to return to Narnia, you can take a little step closer before the film officially releases with our world-exclusive The Magician's Nephew issue of Empire — which is on sale now and still available to order online here. Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew comes to cinemas from February 12, 2027, and on Netflix from April 2, 2027. *Alexa, play 'Stairway To Heaven'*