Tilda Swinton is Curious About Greta Gerwig’s Narnia, But Isn’t Looking to Reprise Role of White Witch
In an interview with Canal+ of France, Narnia alum Tilda Swinton shared her surprise and interest in Greta Gerwig’s new adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia, with the 64-year-old actress saying she would be keen to see it on screen.
But although Swinton famously portrayed Jadis the White Witch in Walden Media’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, with brief appearances in the following two films, she is doubtful that she will have a role to play in Netflix’s upcoming adventures in C.S Lewis’s beloved world:
Interviewer: I assume you heard the news about the new Narnia movie?
Swinton: What is it? I heard something.
Interviewer: The movie by Greta Gerwig?
Swinton: Oh, I didn’t know that!
Interviewer: Would you like to be in it?
Swinton: I’ve been in a Narnia film. No, I didn’t know they were making — a cinema film?
Interviewer: Yes.
Swinton: Interesting!
Interviewer: Would you like to be in the cast again?
Swinton: I doubt it. [laughs] I don’t like to repeat. That film’s over for me. But I’m curious that somebody wants to do another one.
Interviewer: So you will watch it?
Swinton: I will watch it. I will pay money to go and see it. [smiles]
Watch the clip here.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe seems to be a closed book for Tilda Swinton, but what about another book in the Narnia series?
Ten years ago, during an “Ask Me Anything” interview on Reddit, Swinton expressed hopes to return to Narnia in an adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew. As production begins on Greta Gerwig’s Narnia, rumors swirl that the upcoming movie will be based on the Narnia prequel.
Thanks to Victor for the alert!
Would you like to see Tilda Swinton return to Narnia? What about a character other than the White Witch? Share your thoughts in the comments below or the discussion forums.
Although I’d prefer to see a new actress be given a shot at the role, I actually wouldn’t mind seeing Tilda Swinton reprise it if they did Magicians Nephew (less so if it’s another LWW).
I’m also sure audiences are smart enough to grasp the idea that a film can be a reboot and still re-use the same actors, just as Dame Judi Dench retained her role as “M” in Casino Royale, and JK Simmons plays the same role in the old Spider-Man films as well as the new Spider-Man films.
Given the fact that Walden over- used Swinton in Dawn Treader- and even put her on the poster and DVD covers, I would be very happy to never see her again in a Narnia adaptation.
However she is an amazing actress, so I would be happy to watch her as Jadis in The Magician’s Nephew, since that makes sense. I don’t want to see her as the Lady of the Green Kirtle or a cameo.
You know, if Tilda Swinton was cast as Aunt Letty in a Magician’s Nephew movie, it’d be like Jadis vs. Jadis. LOL.
@Col Klink I’d pay money to see that version!
Yes, perhaps for The Magician’s Nephew, but not beyond that. I could easily imagine her delivering these lines, “It was my sister’s fault,” “She drove me to it,” and “Her pride has destroyed the whole world.”
In the perfect world, we would’ve had her return in The Magician’s Nephew but here we are 14 years after VDT… time to move on. I’m excited to see another actor in the role!
I’d really like Tilda Swinton’s White Witch’s design, with having her hair frozen that slowly melts.
I don’t know if there’s anything I could think of she could be in the new Narnia adaptation, since it’s very likely she won’t come back as the White Witch (thank goodness for that!) Maybe the school mistress in SC or Mrs. McCready in LWW.
It would be nice to see her again in a Narnia movie in a role where she looks different than Jadis. Her role as Jadis was so iconic that I think references to it could interfere with new productions.
She was great as Jadis but I’m equally as excited to see another actress take on the role!
@jasmine, I watched a local LWW play recently and the same actress played both Mrs Macready and the White Witch. Also, a male actor played both the Professor and Father Christmas.
Although, what spoiled it was that in this stage adaptation, after the Pevensies return to England at the end, they reference it. Lucy says something like, “And there were talking beasts, and we fought in a battle, and actually, there was a lady who looked a lot like… er, a lot like [looks at Mrs Macready]” and then the Professor basically says “alright then, moving on…” and the scene continues. To me, that wasn’t suitable because although plays often cast characters in that way, they don’t need to mention it. And there are not many similarities between Mrs Macready and Jadis, except that the Macready is also a stern lady who seems to not like children.
Oh, and I just realised that technically Digory knew what Jadis’ face looked like, and he knew she was the epitome of evil – so he would probably never hire a housekeeper who was the spitting image of her!