Meryl Streep in Talks to Play Aslan
Earlier this week, Nexus Point News reported that Meryl Streep was being considered for the role of Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew, C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia prequel. Given the significance (and timing) of this claim, the NarniaWeb news team decided to conduct its own investigation before publishing anything. We checked with several sources, including Netflix which declined to comment.
This morning, Deadline corroborated the story, adding that their sources did not confirm whether or not Aslan would be female in the adaptation. In other words, it is possible a female actor will be playing a male character. It would not be the first time for Streep; she played a rabbi in Angels in America in 2003.
Streep also worked with Director Greta Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of Little Women. The 75-year-old American has received more Academy Award nominations than anyone in history (21).
How significant is Aslan’s mane to the story? Discuss here.
No. Just no.
Forget That!!!!
If that happens I’m boycotting the movie entirely!
That is the biggest insult to the series you could ever make! Not to mention the fans!
If CSLewis Nephew, Douglas, head about this he’d be outraged!
Much better to just go see The Logos Theater Productions! 100% in-line and true to Ava’s Lewis actual work in stead of these film adaptations by people who are so off left field!
I feel a lot of pain and distress in the comments thus far. I think it worth noting that a moment of particular anguish, Jesus compared Himself not to a lion or a lamb, but to a hen–a female chicken (Matthew 23:37).
Voice actors have long played characters that aren’t their own gender, both females playing males and vice versa. I could list any number but expect that most any would elicit the natural and fair reaction that the character doesn’t remotely compare to Aslan. The one that always struck me (and would probably spark the least negative reaction/comparison) is when a 10-year-old girl played Charlie Brown, in “This is America, Charlie Brown.” She got the role because she sounded just like the character always had in previous productions.
Beyond that, Streep is renowned for her skill in accents, convincingly playing characters from around the world. Could she pull off Aslan? For all I know she just might. We’ll see. (For what it’s worth my favorite Aslan voice interpretation is David Suchet’s, and I think Streep could make a terrific Mrs. Beaver.)
I was hopeful to start. Was super excited when it got a theater release, despite it being a Netflix movie.
But now I feel deflated, sad and angry. These books opened up a new world for me for storytelling, to read about how kids from our world got to have adventures in Narnia.
And Aslan. My favorite character. The one who’s name brought hope to many talking beasts, kings and queens bowed before him, who was always there for them, not just to protect, but also to teach a lesson.
And now we are potentially changing changing this wonderful character, because what we need to fit a agenda?? For another unspoken reason??
Truly heartbreaking news if it ends up happening. The source material is great the way it is with Aslan being a male lion. The source material is Christian and Aslan is supposed to represent Jesus Who is God. Jesus is male. This is extremely offensive to Christians to whom these books are incredibly important.
Please no. We don’t want a deviation from the epic world of narnia, we just want narnia in all its wonder and majesty. Keep true to the source material, I beg you. Which doesn’t change genders of characters or have modern ideals. It was set in war time Britain when life was tough but family and faith was at the heart of every trial. Please cast and write this
accordingly.
Sad day for Narnia fans.
Sigh
Does anybody have Mr Douglas Gresham’s personal contact info?
Somebody needs to call him and ask for his honest take on all this, whether it’s nice or not.
I generally agree that you should never jump to conclusions this early in the production process and with such a limited amount of information. However, with a major talent like Streep in play, it’s hard to imagine that Gerwig is simply going to A) re-pitch Streep’s voice, thereby essentially reversing her casting decision or B) use Streep’s voice in a small, incidental way, such as during the singing of Narnia into being. This is Meryl Streep, one of the most acclaimed actresses of all time; I doubt she would sign on unless she was being offered something substantial. Furthermore, I doubt the casting rumour would have emerged unless she was in talks to fill a major role.
Unfortunately, this news does seem to indicate that Gerwig is planning to take unnecessary liberties with the beloved source material; in this case, a liberty that undermines an essential aspect of what make Aslan so iconic and profound. I’m very sorry to say that I’ve lost all appetite for a movie that, up until this week, was my most highly anticipated upcoming release.
When she shakes her ears…
We won’t have spring in years
I felt I had to leave a comment on this post because of how gut-wrenching it is to hear this news.
I have been following this project since Netflix bought the rights oh so many years ago. My hopes and dreams as a young teenager for how they could bring Narnia to life were unceasing. I was wary once I heard of Greta’s involvement but took heart at her comments of wanting to stay true to the source and respecting the books greatly. However, after hearing such things as rock and roll and potentially gender swapping Aslan makes me sick. My heart breaks along with every lover of Narnia, and we can only hope and pray justice is brought to our beloved series eventually.
I was expecting the movie to be great and to be able to revive this amazing franchise nothing against women’s or the actress is just that it will not fit and will change a lot on this history
I am not a fan that things change is something that really bothers me, Narnia is my childhood and if he wants to make his voice unless he does it deeply like Aslan’s.
You know I’m not even that much upset about that. It’s because I kinda expected and anticipated something like that and always knew deep down the movie will be ruined [REMOVED BY MODERATOR]… I was cautiously optimistic at the beginning but hearing the news didn’t surprise me in the slightest.
But now, having read the comments, I feel so heartbroken for all the people who had their hopes crushed.
I may skip this movie.
I’ve been checking NarniaWeb daily for years, it’s been a roller coaster of emotions and this makes me want to get off the ride. I’m done.
Absolutely NOT. I am in the Narnia fandom and we are all devastated. Aslan is meant to be Jesus who is MALE. That is blatant disrespect to what is written in the book and what the author meant Narnia to be. C.S. Lewis would be heartbroken, and so are we
If this happens, the excitement around this movie would be shattered. To change the best parts of this book,will be so lame.
I get creativity but DON’T CHANGE WHAT ISN’T YOURS
Please don’t
I gotta be honest… if it wasn’t for NarniaWeb, I’d probably throw in the towel on following this production if this comes to pass. This is utterly needless.
If Meryl Streep is playing Aslan, does that mean Greta Gerwig is playing Shift? I fully expect this adaption to be as distorted, twisted, and idiotic as a donkey in a lion costume. [REMOVED BY MODERATOR]?
This is horrible casting. Cast her as Jadis. That would be phenomenal!! Such a good actor. But not Aslan.
While I’m not in line with all of Lewis’ writings on gender, I do feel like gender-bending Aslan is dishonest to the source material, but I’m definitely on-board with Streep voicing a male Aslan. She has a husking purr to her voice that I think would be perfect for Aslan, while distinguishing him from Neeson’s version. I’m reminded of when Julie Andrews voiced the sea monster in Aquaman and it was perfect.
I would be heartbroken.
since it doesn’t seem the right motives are there, hopefully financial ones will cause a reconsideration. not sure how the execs can look at current media landscape and not expect losses from this
Hi, im a big fan from Argentina, a strong logical argument against casting Meryl Streep as Aslan in Narnia is that the character, conceived by C.S. Lewis as a masculine representation of biblical Christ (the “Lion of Judah”), has a symbolically significant gender that cannot be changed without undermining a key theological layer of the story. Previous adaptations (BBC, Disney/Walden) have consistently cast male actors to honor this identity and maintain the established image in the audience’s mind, which is rooted in the original text and past portrayals. While diversity in casting is important, altering Aslan’s gender lacks a clear narrative or artistic justification—unlike other adaptations where such changes serve a distinct creative purpose. Without a compelling thematic reason to override the original symbolism, casting Streep—despite her undeniable talent—would feel incongruent with Aslan’s paternal and masculine essence, prioritizing unnecessary reinvention over faithfulness to the source material. (Note: This critique focuses on adaptation logic, not Streep’s acting prowess, which is beyond dispute.)
I literally cried actual tears and was so upset by this news. Why would Greta Gerwig want to change Aslan when the character is perfect as he is. Not only this but Aslan is meant to portray the Lion of Judah, Jesus Christ the Son of God. This is saddening news
Im out if aslan is a woman
Of course we should’ve seen this coming… trying not to say it out of spite… but it’s Hollywood, at the end of the day [REMOVED BY MODERATOR]. So it’s on me to have expected that she would align herself with the Christian values Lewis encapsulated in the stories of Narnia. She may be thinking she’s respectul to the late author, but if she’s not rooted in the same worldview as him she will never know how wrong her decision is and how devastating it will be for the story. God is a Father—and that’s not His sexist intention as a lot of Hollywood people narrow it down as.
Who exactly is this for? Narnia is not a particularly popular story outside of Christian circles, so by making such a radical and controversial change you are demonising your largest audience, which is a stupid decision financially if nothing else!
The Dawn Treader was not an amazing film by any means, but Aslan was consistently SO WELL DONE throughout those three films, and that ending scene on the beach never fails to make me cry. If Gerwig is already destroying the core of these books I don’t have much hope for any other element!
Believer or not, Christian themes are integral to what makes Narnia Narnia. And Aslan being a male is part of that. Dislodge any of that, Narnia ceases to be Narnia; instead it’s just another generic fantasy without a soul (e.g. the 2010 VDT movie). Streep is as appropriate choice to be cast as Aslan as she is to be Gandalf or Snape. I was cautiously optimistic of the prospect, but things like that are just making me be apathic to something I should love so much and it’s just sad.
I have been saying it from day one, the people in charge of Narnia are terrible choices. Every one was all excited about the Barbie woman taking over and I kept saying over and over she is a terrible choice. I’m now being proven correct. These people are going to ruin our beloved Narnia series. You wait and see.
Everyone here has already articulated it so well! But with Greta Gerwig collaborating with Netflix, what else were we expecting? I have a feeling this won’t be the last “shocking” casting choice or major change we see in this adaptation. It almost feels like you could turn it into a game to guess just how outrageous the next twist will be. You know Greta will tackle the whole “problem with Susan” angle, and the dynamics between the Pevensie siblings—honestly, I’d be shocked if Peter is still called ‘magnificent.’ There are so many red flags already, and I can only hope that the fan response leads to some revisions, rather than just adding fuel to the fire.
Here’s my suggestion: [REMOVED BY MODERATOR]
I hope this is an April Fool’s. As a big, longtime fan of Narnia, I’d been looking forward to Netflix’s adaptation, but now… Please. Leave Aslan alone. This isn’t a thing, Netflix — you’re going to alienate the true fan base of Narnia.
Listen, I love Meryl Streep—she’s a legend, no doubt about it. But as a lifelong Narnia fan, I’ve got to say it loud: Aslan is not a role for just anyone, no matter how talented. Aslan isn’t just a character—He’s the Lion of lions, the King above all kings, the very breath of divinity in that world! He’s supposed to shake the earth when He speaks, not make us think of Oscar speeches and red carpets.
This isn’t about acting chops—this is about presence. Aslan represents Jesus. He’s majesty wrapped in humility, power cloaked in peace. I’m not looking for a familiar face or voice—I’m looking for awe. I’m looking for the kind of voice that makes the room go still, that makes children listen and grown men weep.
So with all the love and respect in the world… this simply isn’t ok. From Liam Neeson to Meryl Streep? No.
1994’s Mufasa voiced by Julie Andrews,
2005’s Mr. Darcy played by Natalie Portman,
2016 Mia from La La Land played by Patrick Mahomes,
2026 Aslan voiced by Meryl Streep,
They all feel similar except the last has religious ties.
15 years I’ve been waiting for this… and longer. Thanks, Greta and Netflix.
My question is -who at the CS Lewis Estate is green lighting these decisions?
This is only the Magician’s Nephew. It’s too early for the false Aslan storyline.
This saddens me. I seriously had high hopes for this Narnia adaptation, and now it seems like we’re getting Snow White 2.0
This is probably the most comments I’ve seen on a single Narniaweb post. I suppose I can testify the reason since I don’t usually comment either.
My initial thought is that I really hope that isn’t true. If they gender-swap Aslan, a lot of fans will be upset, and I can’t think of anything that could justify it in an adaptation. It sounds like a very arbitrary way to alienate most of the book audience, as well as a lot of Christians, which seems strange because Gerwig has talked so much about how much she respects C. S. Lewis.
Maybe they want Aslan to sound androgynous in order to show that he’s above the other animals? Personally, I don’t like that. It kind of undercuts that he is still, in a way, one of them (i.e., “Here are my paws, here is my tail, these are my whiskers. I am a true Beast.”)
Maybe they can have an actress voice a male character, but I rarely hear that done convincingly and usually that’s done for children. Maybe she’s just contributing to the singing of Narnia into existence. I don’t know. Personally, as of yet, I hope this is just a rumor and not true.
Um… absolutely not. This is entirely wrong to the character that Aslan is. Bring back Liam Neeson or another great actor. ACTOR not actress.
I actually think this could be great. Meryl is incredible and she brings such warmth to her characters. Aslan is a talking lion. You’re already suspending your disbelief to enter this world. A wise, kind, powerful voice like Meryl Streep’s could really deepen impact of some of Aslan’s great lines.
https://chng.it/bBqGVyVfVX
The creator of the “Into the Wardrobe” YouTube channel started a petition to keep Aslan true to the story.
I think Meryl Streep should be given another role. She does not have to play Aslan. There are female roles where she could use her talents and experience. Please let this be a fairly accurate adaptation of one of the Narnia books by having Aslan as a male Lion as he was meant to be. There is no good reason to change his gender from what it was in C. S. Lewis’ original story. He should be just as Lewis intended him to be with no changes of any kind!
when i heard about the new film, was very skeptical about how and who was handling the project. now, i feel like i have been trapped in a house of cards. to me, it’s wrong for doing a gender swapping on such a beloved CHRISTIAN creature such as Aslan. I have a feeling that Mr. Lewis would have said a huge NO to this “new” take on the film. Also, he would have balked not changing the Christian ideas in the book. i hope netfilx put the breaks on before loosing a great of the viewer base.
The right wing media will snow white this production. Hollywood is so out of touch
Mn is easy to translate to screenplay. Stick to the source material. Not gonna spend my money on imax but might watch on.netfix
She can the white witches sister
As a longtime ABBA fan, I still hold a grudge against Meryl for her cringe versions of some of my favorite pop songs. Imagine THIS person voicing the words “Narnia, Awake!”
https://youtu.be/l1yae4-XvM4
I’m horrified, but honestly, if one thinks about it, it is not surprising. We’re in the age of gender neutral and gender bending language everywhere. It does not matter if a male character is played by a female – it is still a perversion. It is even worse with Aslan, who is firmly masculine in every way, and is the Narnia version of the true God, the God of the Bible, who is masculine, despite some people’s claims to the contrary. Turning Aslan into a pagan mother goddess is not acceptable! Not good! Not good at all!
This was something that appeared on reddit and I first took it as a very creative April Fools joke. I didn’t think too much of it until reliable news outlets began posting it. I do not like this news and its very much something that’ll keep me from watching it in theaters next year. I hope Greta and Netflix come to their senses from a business POV and change their mind on what they’re trying to do here. If Greta did in fact erase her involvement from Snow White because of it’s inevitable failure: I hope she’s not ignorant to think something like this is going to work. Greta please listen to the majority of the fans this time around.
I knew this was too good to be true
Please, has Douglas Gresham seen this yet? He pulled out of the Silver Chair making because of similar reasons but even those reasons seem so simple compared to this. Aslan is Aslan. He is the lion who has the love of a father and the bravery of a……lion, and a world-class voice is required to play him! I’d have taken a change like giving Peter a lightsaber and telling him to have at it rather than this! Please, this seriously CANNOT be real!
Yall, we gotta take action to preserve Narnia from a danger that is even more dangerous than the White Witch’s winter. Someone started a petition to change this. Please, please, please, please sign it!!!!!https://chng.it/LqcFxSPmJc
But does no one honestly not find this even just a lil funny cus come on like once you get over all this outrage its pretty funny Meryl streep! Voicing aslan thats just hilarious to imagine and y’all know it
Please don’t do this! If Greta like rumors said talked to Netflix so much to get it pushed to theaters she needs to listen to the fans otherwise this probably be just as bad or possibly worse than Snow White. This isn’t how you treat such loyal fans of community and expect them to pay their hard earned money to watch your movie. This is also a series of books where it’s not hidden to the religious meanings behind it and changing a character who represents a god from multiple different religions into a female or even changing the voice to be female even as someone who is atheist I find it quite offensive. They really need to at least follow the bare minimum for this series to get people to watch. And when I mean bare minimum follow what the characters look like, act like, with also still following the story
This is a disaster for the series if true. I wouldn’t be surprised. They are going to continue to do things in movies and TV that are the most offensive things possible. [MODERATOR REMOVED]
Aslan has to be right for an adaption to be great and they so lack an understanding of what is good and right and moral that that will never be.
I won’t pretend I won’t watch it. I read Narnia when I was 8 and that was it. Even the horrible VDT movie gave us a beautiful Dawn treader and the scene across the silver sea at the edge of the world with Aslan being powerful and awesome and with Reep going over the edge in his coracle. I think this movie will be worse because all movies are worse now than 20 years ago. The industry has not made a turn yet. They are still all in on making terrible movies and television because they think they are morally better for it.
I was hoping for something decent from Greta. Count me out. More woke trash from Hollywood.
I just need to go on record as saying that this has to be a joke/rumour they’re purposefully not denying for publicity. If it ends up being true, well…R.I.P. Lmao.
Seems a little far fetched to be honest. It would be an almost unbelievably bad idea to make Aslan a lioness – the sort of thing you would only think of if you wanted to cause maximum controversy. Almost feels like a troll. You’d be hard pressed to come up with a single decision that flew in the face more of what Narnia means to fans.
As with all these casting rumours we can only wait and see, but I would honestly be surprised if this is the direction this adaptation took.