NEW YORK — Filmmaker Greta Gerwig has offered the first glimpse of “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew,” presenting an ambitious adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ allegorical fantasy that combines Netflix’s production scale with a cinematic experience intended for the biggest screens.
The trailer, released online Tuesday, features Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” as its soundtrack. Earlier in the day, Gerwig introduced the preview alongside behind-the-scenes footage on an IMAX screen at AMC Lincoln Center in New York. She also discussed the project with Stephen Colbert as she prepares to follow up her hit film “Barbie.”
In a significant shift for Netflix, “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew” will receive a wide theatrical release beginning Feb. 12 before becoming available on the streaming service on April 2. Gerwig revealed that she developed the first draft in 2020 and 2021 after approaching Netflix chief executive Ted Sarandos at a cocktail party.
“I told Ted I only know how to make movies for the big screen,” Gerwig said. “He said, ‘Make the movie for the biggest screen you can imagine.’”
The film, which carries a $280 million budget, ranks among Netflix’s most ambitious productions. Rather than beginning with “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” the first book in the “Narnia” series, Gerwig’s adaptation turns to the sixth installment, offering a different starting point for the fantasy world.
Published in 1955, “The Magician’s Nephew” serves as a prequel to the series. Its story follows two children in 1900 London who use a magic ring to travel to another world, where they witness the creation of Narnia by Aslan, the lion.
Gerwig was drawn to the story’s origins and noted that Lewis himself encouraged readers to begin with “The Magician’s Nephew.” The trailer reflects that sense of discovery with the question, “Have you ever seen a world born?”
“Movies this size are usually about destruction,” Gerwig said.
The preview also offers a limited look at the film’s portrayal of Aslan, a central figure in Lewis’ Christian allegory who is widely understood as a representation of Jesus. Voiced by Meryl Streep, the character appears as a cosmic outline and lets out a roar but does not speak in the trailer.
Streep’s casting has prompted criticism from some conservative commentators because Aslan is male in the original books. Gerwig did not discuss the casting controversy during her remarks, although she expressed gratitude to Lewis’ family and estate for publicly supporting the adaptation.
The film stars newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell, alongside Daniel Craig, Emma Mackey, Ciarán Hinds and Carey Mulligan.
The production was originally scheduled to arrive in November, but Netflix moved the release into 2027, Gerwig said, to accommodate a global theatrical rollout.
For Gerwig, the story’s spiritual dimensions also influenced her decision to feature “Stairway to Heaven.” She met with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page to obtain permission to use the song, whose rights are rarely granted.
“They did it because they saw the heart in the story,” Gerwig said. “And they, too, love C.S. Lewis.”
The previous three “Narnia” films were produced by Walden Media, an entertainment company focused on family values and owned by billionaire Philip Anschutz. Netflix acquired the global rights to the “Chronicles of Narnia” book series in 2018.
Gerwig, 43, grew up as a Unitarian Universalist in Sacramento, California, and attended an all-girls Catholic high school. Her experiences growing up were explored in “Lady Bird,” her solo-directing debut. She said faith has remained a recurring theme throughout her filmmaking career.
“Faith, for me, has been a thread through all of my films,” Gerwig said.
“For me, film and faith have always gone hand in hand,” she added, describing both as communal experiences.
Gerwig also recalled that reading Lewis’ “Chronicles of Narnia” books was a formative part of her childhood. She compared their influence to her experience reading Louisa May Alcott’s “Little Women,” which she adapted for the screen in her 2019 film.
“I would not be who I am without these books,” Gerwig said. “They created me.”
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