Credit: Disney/Inside the MagicNetflix is eager to get Greta Gerwig to work on her upcoming adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia after the mammoth success of her Margot Robbie film Barbie and has ridiculously high expectations for how quickly they can get made.
Greta Gerwig was hired by the Netflix streaming service to reboot CS Lewis’ beloved The Chronicles of Narnia book series, which has been dormant ever since the Disney adaptation series stalled out after The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010).
In recent months, it seems that Netflix has decided to present itself as a streaming home for children’s literary adaptations, acquiring the rights for both Narnia and the works of Roald Dahl. While the streamer hired Wes Anderson to make several short films based on the latter, it appears that Netflix already has Greta Gerwig locked down for two feature films and wants her to get on it, fast.
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Netflix Head of Film Scott Stuber was recently present at the reopening of the American Cinematheque at the historic Egyptian Theater Hollywood and confirmed to Collider that the company is trying to get the Greta Gerwig Narnia movies going as early as next year, a staggeringly short turnaround for a major multi-film series.
Stuber told Collider, “I think people know that we’re aspirationally trying to get Greta Gerwig’s Narnia together and get that movie, which will be next year.”
Shockingly, the Netflix executive plans to get a major-budget adaptation of a well-known story to screens that quickly, even though the Lady Bird (2017) director has publically said she feels unprepared, saying, “I haven’t even really started wrapping my arms around it, but I’m properly scared of it, which feels like a good place to start. I think when I’m scared, it’s always a good sign. Maybe when I stop being scared, it’ll be like, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t do that one.’ No, I’m terrified of it. It’s extraordinary. And it’s exciting.”
It is unclear what kind of take on Narnia that Greta Gerwig might have, though the candy-colored optimism of Barbie (and its titanic, billion-dollar box office take) might be a hint.
Related: Greta Gerwig Says She Played With Barbie Dolls “Too Long”
The director has been contracted for two movies, so it seems most likely that she will be adapting The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, the first two books published in the series. However, it would be interesting if she decided to adapt things chronologically and start with The Magician’s Nephew, but that shall remain to be soon.
Given that Hollywood is still at a dead standstill due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strikes (and the recently concluded WGA one), it’s anybody’s guess how Netflix expects the Little Women (2019) director to have a Narnia movie in theaters in 2024. Clearly, the studio wants to strike while the Barbie iron is hot, no matter what.
Will there be a new Narnia movie in 2024, or does Netflix have too high of hopes? Tell us your opinion in the comments below!