Everything We Learned About Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’ Adaptation

Narnia fans can rest easy. 

That was my thought upon leaving a sneak peek at Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia adaptation. Sojourners was invited to attend an event for culture critics at the IMAX theater in New York City’s Lincoln Square, where a few behind-the-scenes featurettes, a new trailer, and a q+a with Gerwig, moderated by no less an Inkling aficionado than Stephen Colbert himself, gave us our clearest look yet at the huge world (or worlds) coming our way. None of them answered the question about whether or not the movie will be good, but I left assured that these books are being adapted by a director with deep, thoughtful reverence for the source material and its author. 

Let me be clear out of the gate: The trailer does not give us much of an idea about the hot button issue of the day—how Meryl Streep will sound as Aslan. If you’re the sort of person who is concerned about a woman voicing a male lion, I can’t assuage those fears here. What I can tell you is that Gerwig (and Colbert, who has seen the film) referred to Aslan with male pronouns throughout. Make of that what you will. 

In our conversation with Colbert, Gerwig referred to the project as a “dream come true,” talking about her affection for both the books and its earlier adaptations (“I have no notes for the BBC productions”). “These books created me,” she said. “I would not be who I am without these books.” 

When she heard that Netflix had acquired the rights to the stories, she pitched them on the idea of starting with The Magician’s Nephew (noting that Lewis himself had later suggested that he preferred a chronological reading order, instead of starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe), which would allow the a series of adaptations to chart “the birth, life, and death of a universe.” 

READ MORE: Can Christians Give Gerwig's Narnia a Chance?

To write the screenplay, Gerwig became a student of Lewis, saying she read both the entirety of his output and also spent time in Oxford and Belfast, reading the books and authors that he loved and drew inspiration from. From there, she started writing sentences from The Magician’s Nephew that “gave [her] goosebumps,” layering them into her script. Through it all, she tried to maintain a focus on what she clearly sees as the central deep magic of the book: the genesis of Narnia. “In movies of this size,” she says, referencing Netflix’s vast budget, “it’s about the destruction. This movie is about creation.” 

Colbert asked about the role Lewis’ faith plays in the film, and Gerwig—who said her favorite Lewis book is Surprised by Joy—talked about how church and film were intertwined in her developmental years, and the importance of faith, hope, and creativity to Lewis’ life and world. I might categorize those answers as safe but good. Those wondering just how theologically rich a big budget Netflix movie can be given an unprecedented widescreen release helmed by one of the most successful filmmakers of her generation will just have to wait and see. 

What’s clear is that music, creation, and art are in the bones of this production, and Gerwig seems positively enchanted by Lewis’ depiction of Aslan singing Narnia into existence, as he does in The Magician’s Nephew. That has led to a lot of rock opera energy, and your mileage may vary on that vibe. All I can tell you is that I resonated with Gerwig when she said these books made her. They made me too, and are as foundational to my understanding of art, God, and the world as anything else. And if I walked away feeling good about the hands this movie is in, I think just about anybody can. Further up and further in. 

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew will be in theaters on February 12.

“These books created me. I would not be who I am without these books.”  —Greta Gerwig