Greta Gerwig Directs Psychedelic Narnia Prequel The Magician’s Nephew for Netflix

Tendela Briefing · 14 Oct 2026 · 21:00 UTC

Image: Ars Technica · Source

After Barbie’s success, Greta Gerwig directs a psychedelic adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia prequel, The Magician’s Nephew, set in 1950s London with a notable cast and a wide theatrical release before streaming on Netflix.

Following her blockbuster 2023 hit Barbie, director Greta Gerwig turns to an ambitious adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew, a prequel to The Chronicles of Narnia series. Released by Netflix, the film reimagines Lewis’ 1955 novel with a fresh 1950s postwar London setting, diverging from the original 1900 backdrop. Gerwig, who cited inspiration from 1960s-era David Bowie but confirmed the film is not a musical, has crafted a visually psychedelic trailer set to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.”

The Magician’s Nephew explores how the iconic lamppost came to Narnia, a question Lewis pondered before completing this sixth Narnia book after initially publishing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and others. The story centers on young Digory Kirke (David McKenna) and neighbor Polly Plummer (Beatrice Campbell), who use magical rings provided by Digory’s uncle Andrew Ketterley (Daniel Craig) to travel between worlds. Their unintended release of the evil empress Jadis (Emma Mackey) triggers turmoil.

The film features an ensemble cast including Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Frank the London cabby, Ava Jager as Polly’s sister Violet, Carey Mulligan as Digory’s mother Flora, Tom Bonington as Mr. Potts, Ciaran Hinds as the adult Digory, and Meryl Streep voicing the lion Aslan. Additional supporting roles are filled by Denise Gough, Susan Wokoma, Gerard Monaco, James Murray, and Samantha Spiro.

Previously adapted in the early 2000s with a diminishing box office return and rights lapsing in 2011, this is the first Netflix film in the Narnia series to get a wide theatrical release. The Magician’s Nephew is due in theaters on February 12, 2027, before streaming becomes available April 2, 2027. Gerwig has secured a two-picture deal with Netflix, raising anticipation for her potential take on subsequent Narnia books, likely The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, following series chronology.