Summary
- Greta Gerwig is set to direct a Netflix adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia, sparking concerns from producer Mark Johnson.
- The new adaptation will focus on the sixth novel of the series, The Magician's Nephew, expected to be radically different.
- The film will not have a full theatrical release, but plans for an IMAX run before its Netflix premiere are in place.
Director Greta Gerwig is taking fans back through the wardrobe in a new Netflix adaptation of the beloved movie, The Chronicles of Narnia, but the original Narnia trilogy producer, Mark Johnson, seemingly has a few concerns regarding the reboot and feels a little uncertain about Gerwig's direction. However, with movies like Barbie and Little Women under her belt, the award-winning screenwriter will be bringing her own take on the classic book and film, and if it works out to be nearly as good as her previous projects, Johnson's worries will certainly be put to bed for good.
Written by author C.S. Lewis in the 1950s, The Chronicles of Narnia's fantasy setting tells the story of the fictional realm of Narnia, a world filled with magic, mythical beasts, and talking animals, while also telling the tale of various children who unravel its many narratives and mysteries as they teleport through a magical wardrobe and experience its spellbinding world. After years of speculation and anticipation, Narnia fans finally have a solid timeline as to when Netflix's adaptation of the beloved portal fantasy will start shooting, and it's only around the corner as production will start rolling out next month in July. Amid rumors that pop star Charli XCX was being eyed for the role of the White Witch, Sex Education's Emma Mackey has reportedly been offered the role.
The Chronicles of Narnia Producer Has Concerns About Gerwig’s Direction of Reboot
In a recent interview with Deadline, producer Mark Johnson, whose work includes Rain Man, The Holdovers, and the original The Chronicles of Narnia trilogy, was questioned regarding Gerwig's upcoming Narnia reboot, and it seems as though Johnson has just as many concerns as fans do. The producer said that even though he was intrigued by the Narnia reboot, calling it "fascinating", while also revealing that he is a fan of her work, he also wasn't sure what Gerwig's concept for the film actually is.
“I’m fascinated. First of all, I’m a gigantic fan of hers, so I can’t wait to see it… I can’t quite tell what she’s doing. Is she doing The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which, of course, we did years ago, or is she doing something else? Or is it a combination of them?”
Despite his initial concerns, Johnson did say that he has high hopes for the movie and is looking forward to witnessing what Greta Gerwig’s involvement in the project will turn out to be in the end. "I don’t know how secret it all is, I don’t know about it, but I’m not competitive about it… I can’t wait to see it, because whatever [Gerwig] does is going to be really good, and I’m sure, radically different from what we did.” Even though Johnson appears confused about Gerwig's Narnia direction, Variety previously reported that she will be undertaking an adaptation of the sixth novel of the series, The Magician’s Nephew, where the White Witch features prominently.
Unlike previous Narnia adaptations, the reboot isn't expected to receive a full theatrical release and will be streamed on Netflix instead. However, the network has planned to set up a two-week run in IMAX ahead of its Netflix premiere date, so fans can watch the film in all its glory and see cast members like Carey Mulligan as the mother of Digory, Daniel Craig as Digory’s uncle, and Meryl Streep as lion Aslan the Great on the big screen for a limited time.
Source: Deadline