Director Greta Gerwig is ‘Full Speed Ahead’ on Netflix’s ‘Narnia’ Movies
It might have been a quiet summer for Narnia movie news, but according to writer and director Greta Gerwig, she’s been going full force on her new adaptations for Netflix.
Gerwig was recently honored as this year’s Pioneer Of The Year at the 2024 Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Dinner in Beverly Hills, where Pete Hammond of Deadline caught up with her about her next project:
Gerwig told me it is full speed ahead for her next film based on the Narnia books, a very ambitious project she is going to direct for Netflix, who had a table with [Netflix executives] Dan Lin, Lisa Taback and others right near Gerwig’s. “After that I think I just want to make a movie set in a cafeteria,” she laughed.
Deadline
Gerwig attended the dinner with her stepson Rohmer, who she says is the first “test audience” for movies she makes. (Previously, Rohmer gave Gerwig the thumbs up for Barbie.)
Gerwig has said that the prospect of adapting C.S. Lewis’s beloved Narnia books is terrifying for her, but Gerwig is leaning in to the challenge:
There are easier ways to make money, less terrifying businesses, but there are none that are more exciting and filled with this much joy and wonder. And I’m willing to bet that everyone in this room had the same experience I did, which is going to a dark theater, watching the lights go down and be transported. Those were my favorite memories growing up, and they’re my favorite experiences now.
Greta Gerwig
There have yet to be any casting announcements for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia films. Saoirse Ronan, who has already collaborated with Gerwig twice, has previously hinted about asking for a role in Narnia, while Narnia star William Moseley has said that his involvement is unlikely. (Although actor Louis Partridge was reported as being cast in Narnia earlier this month, this rumor was confirmed to be false.)
Want to catch up on all the news about Netflix’s Narnia? Here’s everything we know.
You know, I was surprised by how pleased I was to see this little story. Earlier, I was like, “stop telling us that it’s going to be great or that you’re doing it and say something specific!” But after so long with nothing…just telling us that they’re doing it is kind of refreshing. LOL. (I know we’ve had stories about actors being interested or suggesting other actors, but I don’t pay much attention to those unless they’re from Greta Gerwig herself or someone at Netflix.)
I’m still at the “come ON, say something specific!!” phase… I’m also glad just to hear Gerwig is definitely working on this, but (probably like a lot of others) I would really, really, really love to hear some details. Even a few. Like, for example, which book is she starting with??? But I guess this is just further assurance that we will find out in due course…
I hope they start with the first book and not jump straight into the second one