The Magician’s Nephew Casting Rumors are Pouring In | Talking Beasts
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Daniel Craig as Uncle Andrew? Charli XCX as Jadis? Casting for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (title unofficial) is underway, and fans are not waiting for official announcements to start the discussion. Listen to the podcasters share their impressions (and do a dramatic reading of the audition scene being used for Digory and Polly).
Watch the post-show chatter in which the podcasters discuss some of the films that have influenced Greta Gerwig, and Glumpuddle tries to convince Rilian and Gymfan to join Letterboxd.
First to comment, I don’t believe Craig is Asian but uncle Andrew, I’m hoping it’s Timothy Dalton who is Aslan. You guys should talk about who should voice Aslan, Like Timothy Dalton or Jim Cavizel or Beneduct Cumberbatch. You want a younger Asian how about Jim Cavizel? But I would Really like a podcast Talking about Potential Aslan Actors.
Good point about Craig being Old Digory, he might Narrate the film. And maybe reprise his role for The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
Love the dramatic reading, reminds me of Focus on the family Narnia radio dramas
@NoahCosgrove, Jim Cavizel is 56 years old. Liam Neeson was only 53 when he first voiced Aslan in 2005, therefore that probably doesn’t count as a younger take
Great episode! It’s so good to have the 3 of you back together.
In Charli’s defence, she actually has more acting experience than was mentioned in the episode—I believe she’s already filmed seven movies. Sure, none of them have been released yet so it’s hard for us to judge her acting. But clearly, someone out there thinks she can act.
I’m not saying it’ll work, but there’s at least some precedent 🙂
@ Noah Cosgrove We’ve got a thread on the NarniaWeb Forum if you’re looking for other suggestions of actors to play Aslan: https://community.narniaweb.com/index.php/community/cast-and-character-discussion/aslan-casting-suggestions/
I enjoyed today podcast with Rilian, Gymfan, and Glumpuddle (and hoping Impending Doom may appear for the next one). I was wondering for the next podcast can you guys discuss like the people who are involved in creating the behind the scenes as you already talked about the possible actors/actresses, so like James Chinlund (production designer), Dermot Power (Concept Artist), Kris Wright ( VFX Director), and Seamus McGarvey(Director of Photography)
Some questions I want you guys to possible discussed keeping in mind in Greta Gerwig’s perspective is :
1) Who are the people who are hired in Greta Gerwig’s project?
2) Why were these people chosen by Gerwig based on their previous works? How can they bring their works into Gerwig’s project that elevates Narnia cinematic depiction such as looking through their works and putting on your Greta Gerwig’s glasses and see what scene she saw fits into Narnia as Gerwig is very referential in the tone she wants to depict?
3) How can the people hired to do the jobs help the scenes where intense emotions will be prevalent in order to immerse the audience into the film?
I feel that having an episode dedicated to talking about like the background/ setting would help us really understand how it would turn out.
I really agree with what you guys said about the pros and cons of starting with The Magician’s Nephew. I have a few additional pros and cons of my own but I’m going to mention them in another comment (if I mention them at all.)
I doubt much of the dialogue from the audition scene will be in the final film. Mostly because I can’t see an award-winning screenwriter wanting her name attached to something that choppy. LOL. There could be some details from it that make it into the movie and Polly being an orphan is likely one of them. I’m not a fan of it because, well, it just sounds cliche and like a shallow, easy way to add “depth” to her character. But it could turn out well. I’ve been saying for a while that if I knew about some of the changes the recent movie adaptation of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson made to its source material, I’d have assumed they’d be bad, but I ended up enjoying them when I actually saw the movie. Maybe this could be like that.
I’m feeling pretty relaxed about Daniel Craig being whomever in the movie. (I haven’t actually seen him in anything that I remember. I mostly just watch movies that are based on books I like.) If I had to express a preference, I would want him to play Uncle Andrew because, well, he looks like Uncle Andrew to my eyes. Out of curiosity, what makes you think he wouldn’t do a “wise old jedi master” Aslan voice? 57 is fairly old.
Maybe Charli XCX is going to do an end credits song for the movie? I’ve got to say though I’m kind of hoping she’s Jadis even though acting isn’t her main claim to fame at this point.
This episode didn’t talk about the rumors of Mikey Madison being cast as Jadis. I’m sure she’s a great actress since she just got an award and everything. (I don’t believe I’ve actually seen her in anything either. Was Anora her acting debut?) But I’m having a hard time picturing her as Jadis because she looks so, well, nice. Isn’t her character in Anora like an underdog whom we pity? She looks more like that kind of character than an arrogant, stone-cold genocidal queen. Honestly, I can see her playing any female character in Narnia but Jadis. 🙂 Of course, she did win an academy award so presumably she can play all sorts of characters. Maybe she wants to do a role that’s really different from what people expect of her. We’ll see.
You know, while Gymfan and Rilian are too old for Polly and Digory, they do have very pleasant voices. I’d love to hear them do voiceover for a Narnia film. Maybe some talking beasts?
I feel bad that my last comment focused so much on the performers’ looks. I know acting ability should always outrank appearance. But since we can’t see any of these people playing the exact characters they might play in a Magician’s Nephew movie, it’s hard not to focus on their appearances.
It is always a pain listening to Glumpuddle since the good old days. Liam Neeson was great as Aslan.
Difficult to top Tilda Swinton as Jadis, the White Witch, in my mind, but I’m sure there’s an amazing actress for the job. A shame Liam Neeson can’t return as Aslan, his voice has such presence and age doesn’t matter for that role. Craig would be an interesting choice for Professor Kirke narrating! But they must get Polly Plummer right. She is probably one of the most important characters and quite subtly complex, especially for young girls like my 6yo. She adores Polly!
uncle andrew ……Jeremy Irons or Daniel Day-lewis
if you haven’t seen Craig as Bond try Casino Royale or Skyfall
Peter Calpadi looks like the Pictures of Uncle Andrew. a younger Aslan, How about Sam Heugen??
craig could be the cabby
Na I think Jack Lowdon will play the cabby, him and Saosrie Ronan will Play husband and wife. That seems likely right?? @Impending doom, Thank you very much for the link, but I already went over it a year ago and analysis everything you guys suggested. A lot of good Stuff, very helpful.