When writer/director Greta Gerwig decided to follow up the massive success of “Barbie” with a new movie based on the “Narnia” novels from C.S. Lewis at Netflix, there was a little bit of confusion, but given the actors lining up for roles for the fantasy project, it is starting to make more sense.
The latest high-profile name in the mix is British actress Carey Mulligan (“Promising Young Woman”), as The Hollywood Reporter says she is up for the part of the very sick mother of Digory, one of the two kids in the new “Narnia” adventure (an adaptation of Lewis’ “The Magician’s Nephew”).
Mulligan would join former James Bond actor Daniel Craig, who is playing the titular magic-wielding uncle, Meryl Streep as the iconic talking lion known as Aslan, and Emma Mackey as the White Witch, the franchise’s antagonist.
A synopsis of the original Lewis novel, published in 1955 via Amazon:
On a daring quest to save a life, two friends are hurled into another world, where an evil sorceress seeks to enslave them. But then, the lion Aslan’s song weaves itself into the fabric of a new land, a land that will be known as Narnia. And in Narnia, all things are possible.
Gerwig was also able to convince Netflix to agree to a theatrical window for “Narnia,” which will include a release on IMAX screens. Hopefully, this becomes a more common kind of deal between filmmakers and streaming services, as movies deserve to be as accessible as possible, and keeping the theatrical experience alive.
Launching her own fantasy franchise at Netflix could end up seeing Gerwig tackling multiple “Narnia” installments, starting with the prequel that takes place during the turn of the 20th Century, as the other stories take place during the 1940s. Although it’s not clear if she’ll be sticking around beyond this first installment, there are early talks of a potential “Barbie” sequel.
