Summary
A faithful screen adaptation of C.S. Lewis’Chronicles of Narniawould follow the author’s intended order, but this might not be the right choice for Greta Gerwig’s upcoming films. The legendary children’s fantasy author published seven books within hisNarniaseries, buthe later admitted that the release order wasn’t how he would prefer them to be read. Despite this, Disney’s movie adaptations of Lewis' works started withThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and while this isn’t how many want Gerwig to proceed, anything different could present a problem.
The news that Gerwig would be working withNetflix to make aChronicles of Narniamovie seriescame in mid-2023. Since then, there has been a lot of buzz regarding how Gerwig will approach the series compared to Disney’s threeNarniafilms. The House of Mouse’s version ofThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobearrived in 2005, with two sequels released in the following years. Unfortunately, the film series was never completed, which makes the prospect of Gerwig’s films all the more exciting. Still,where will these new Narnia movies start?
Every Chronicles Of Narnia Book, Ranked
C.S. Lewis put lots of time and care into each installment of the Narnia series, but not every book in the universe is equally compelling or strong.
Narnia Fans Want Greta Gerwig To Start The Reboot With The Magician’s Nephew
The Magician’s Nephew Comes First In Narnia’s Chronology
Though Disney started withThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the first book in the series released by Lewis, the general consensus has been that Gerwig’s should take a different route.The Magician’s Nephewis the first book in the series chronology, serving as a sort of prequel that describes the origin of the fantasy world. When Lewis initially wrote his firstNarniabook, he hadn’t planned on writing an entire series. However, once he had, he indicated that new readers should begin withThe Magician’s Nephewso they can dive into the Pevensies' stories with a more thorough understanding.
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
The Horse and His Boy
The Last Battle
There would be several benefits toGerwig first adaptingThe Magician’s Nephewrather thanThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. First, Disney never got around to making this film since it would have been the second to last of seven movies based on the order in which it was working. Gerwig’s film series could kick off with entirely fresh content, skipping over the uncomfortable comparisons with Disney’sNarniamovies. Moreover, starting withThe Magician’s Nephewwould be an excellent way for Gerwig to prove that she is dedicated to staying true to Lewis' wishes forNarnia.
Starting Netflix’s Narnia Reboot With C.S. Lewis' Intended Beginning Creates 1 Problem
Gerwig Is Faced With A Tough Decision
While there would be benefits to starting withThe Magician’s Nephew, there’s one blaring reason that this would be a mistake for Gerwig’s upcoming film series. While dedicated book fans would be thrilled,The Magician’s Nephewis among the least familiar of theNarniabooks. There are no Pevensies, and the general tone of this story is starkly different from that ofThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.It may be full of exquisitely crafted worldbuilding, but in the grand scheme of things, it’s not nearly as exciting (in the traditional sense) as otherNarniastories.
Fans of the Disney movies, or those who read onlyThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobeas is common in school curriculums, might be thoroughly disappointed if Gerwig came out with an unfamiliar story for herfirstNarniamovie. The success of this tale would require very aggressive promotion, with overt Easter eggs that let audiences know that the stories they are more familiar withwillbe on the way. Even then, there is always the risk that the Netflix movie series will be dead on arrival, withlower viewership risking the discontinuation of the entire project.
The Magician’s Nephewexplains how Narnia came to be, as well as the origin of the Wardrobe, the Evil Queen, and much more.
Waiting On The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe Could Be The Wrong Move For Netflix
C.S. Lewis' First Narnia Book Is A Safer Bet
A safer bet for Gerwig would be to start with the Pevensies' first adventure in Narnia—with the second film being adapted from The Magician’s Nephew rather than Prince Caspian.
Ultimately,The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobeis what most people think of when they consider Lewis’Narniaseries. It’s an iconic tale that stands well on its own, which makes sense as this was how the author initially intended it. A safer bet for Gerwig would be to start with the Pevensies' first adventure in Narnia—with the second film being adapted fromThe Magician’s Nephewrather thanPrince Caspian. This way, audiences get the critical worldbuilding sooner rather than later while still being introduced to Gerwig’s version of Narnia through the story they know best.
