Things are progressing with the Greta Gerwig-directed Chronicles of Narnia project on Netflix.
There has, of course, already been one popular Chronicles of Narnia film series—the Disney movies which were released from 2005-2010. These covered C.S. Lewis's The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. The first movie was a hit, thanks in no small part to the talented young actors who played Lucy, Susan, Edmund and Peter, but interest in the franchise decreased over time.
You could be cynical and say the kids of the time just weren't interested in such an old, traditional tale. But Gerwig is looking to change all that.
This adaption looks like it will be doing things a little differently. According to a recent report, Aslan the lion—the Jesus figure of Narnia —will be female. And if all goes well, Aslan may be speaking with the voice of Meryl Streep. The legendary actress is, according to Deadline, in talks to play literature's most famous lion. It's not a done deal yet, but it's sure looking likely, and if Streep doesn't accept the part, chances are that Aslan will still be played by a female actor.
Other actors are circling the project
Streep isn't the only big name currently attached to the Chronicles of Narnia project. The first entry in the new franchise will most likely adapt The Magician's Nephew, which is the sixth book in the series but the first in the story chronologically, as it tells the origin story of Narnia.
The main characters of that story are children named Digory and Polly, and their uncle Andrew. Daniel Craig is reportedly up for the role of Andrew, though a few people wondered if he would be the voice of Aslan before the news about Streep came out.
There's another name in the mix in there too—that of pop star Charli XCX. According to Deadline, she's up for the role of Jadis the White Witch, the villain so memorably played by Tilda Swinton in the original The Lion, The White and the Wardrobe. She certainly might bring in more people who wouldn't have been interested in Narnia otherwise.
The Netflix Narnia project is in good hands
Gerwig, best known for being the woman behind blockbuster hit Barbie, has spoken before about her love of the Narnia books. "C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books are something that I’ve loved since I was a child," she said in an interview with Time. "I would say the two big books of my childhood were Little Women [which she directed a big-screen version of] and the Narnia books. So I had that instant excitement, but instant terror that comes from trying to tackle something that has shaped me."
Chances are that all that excitement and terror will make for something great, especially with Streep potentially involved.