Summary
- Gerwig's Narnia reboot for Netflix eyes Meryl Streep for Aslan in a gender-swapped role.
- Aslan in Narnia novels is seen as a Christ figure by author CS Lewis, inspiring his creation.
- Streep, known for diverse roles, could easily step into the role of Aslan in Gerwig's adaptation.
Greta Gerwig's upcoming Narnia reboot of the beloved film for Netflix is seemingly ramping up development as one of Hollywood's biggest movie stars is reportedly being eyed for the role of the Great Lion, Aslan. This will be Gerwig's first project as a director since her hugely successful work on Barbie, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards. It will also be her first product of a deal she signed with the streaming giant in a bid to develop at least two adaptations of CS Lewis’s classic fantasy novel series.
In the novels, Aslan is a talking lion who serves as Narnia’s guardian and mentor, who also appears in all seven chronicles, unlike other characters in the Narnian series. In one of Lewis' letters before his death, the legendary author revealed that Aslan could be seen as somewhat of a representation of Jesus Christ, with parallels in their roles as saviors, including their deaths and resurrections. He also disclosed that before coming up with the character of Aslan, he had been having strange dreams about Lions, so these visions certainly influenced his creation of the mighty King of Beasts. Now, Gerwig will adapt the sixth novel in the series, The Magician’s Nephew, which chronologically takes place first in the series, and by the sound of who the director is looking at to play the courageous and noble feline, Aslan will be gender-swapped in Gerwig's adaptation.
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Meryl Streep Is in Talks To Play Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Movie
According to Nexus Point News, the beloved Hollywood actor Meryl Streep has been offered the role of Aslan, the Great Lion. If true, this will see Aslan in a female role for the Netflix adaptation and if anyone can do it, it's definitely Streep. Aslan was previously voiced by Liam Neeson in Walden Media's live-action Narnia film trilogy from the 2000s. However, in the 1988 TV series, Aslan was voiced by Ronald Pickup, and in the 1976 movie, Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe, Stephen Thorne stepped into the role.
Although Streep needs little introduction, her breakout role was in the 1978 film The Deer Hunter, where she earned her first Academy Award nomination. Following on from that success, Streep won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Joanna Kramer in Kramer vs. Kramer in 1979. Streep hasn’t been seen in a movie since 2021’s Don’t Look Up, opting to appear on TV shows like Only Murders in the Building, but she has been rumored to be portraying musician Joni Mitchell in Cameron Crowe's biopic about the iconic folk singer's life. Known for her ability to portray a wide range of characters throughout her career, the 75-year-old could easily slip into the role of Aslan.
Streep is the third actor approached for Gerwig's Narnia reboot. Charlie XCX has reportedly been eyed to play the role of Jadis the White Witch, who had previously been played by Tilda Swinton. Daniel Craig has also been rumored to take up the role of Andrew Ketterley, a selfish and cruel magician who is the uncle of Digory Kirke. Greta Gerwig's Narnia reboot is slated for a theatrical release in IMAX on Thanksgiving Day 2026 and then via Netflix on Christmas Day 2026.
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Source: Nexus Point News