Greta Gerwig explains casting Meryl Streep as Aslan and the 'rock opera' vision of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew

C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia is a classic of the fantasy genre, which enjoys a position as one of the most influential works of all time, right up there with the likes of Lewis' contemporary and friend, J.R.R. Tolkien. There have been a number of Narnia adaptations for the big screen since the first book was published all the way back in 1950, but writer/director Greta Gerwig's upcoming take on Narnia: The Magician's Nephew at Netflix stands to be like nothing that's come before it, in the best way.

Empire is featuring Gerwig's Narnia film on the cover of its upcoming issue, and has released a movie of coverage about the film, unveiling first-look images and giving our first real insights into the film and some of the bold choices Gerwig made in producing it. Most Narnia adaptations of the past have leaned on the series' classic fantasy roots, portraying it in ways that will feel familiar to fans of the genre without taking many risks.

Gerwig, however, is a visionary, and it's already clear she's brought her keen artistic sensibilities to this film just as much as she did Barbie, her surprise smash-hit movie that raked in more than $1.4 billion at the box office.

To start, Gerwig's casting of one key role in particular has been a topic of conversation ever since it was first rumored last year: veteran actress Meryl Streep as Aslan, the magical lion who serves as a Christ-analog in Lewis' allegorical world. We've seen Aslan before in Narnia films, but The Magician's Nephew will show us a much earlier version of the king of Narnia, back when he first sang that world into existence. In Lewis' original work, as in the movies, Aslan is typically portrayed as male or voiced by a man. So how did Gerwig arrive at Meryl Streep for this role, one of the most recognizable leading women in Hollywood history?

How Meryl Streep was cast as Aslan in Narnia: The Magician's Nephew

“I wanted someone who was profound but not pretentious, who had gravitas but not morose self-seriousness. Someone who could communicate depth and pathos as well as joy and delight,” Gerwig explained. “I wanted someone who was older than 70, so there was a wisdom of experience, but who also had the capacity of fresh wonder, like a child. And also to be one of the greatest actors to ever do it. That list is not a long one.”

Notably, Gerwig doesn't really get into the gender swap of it all, and for my own part, I think that's fine for the time being. She's earned confidence from audiences with her outstanding work in the past, so I have no doubt she'll spin the tale in a way that will feel fresh while still honoring Lewis' works. Predictably however, there's been an outcry from conservative Christians over this casting choice, since Aslan is quite literally Lewis' ficitional interpretation of Jesus, who is typically depicted as a man.

It's easy to get up in arms about sensitive topics, especially when religion is in the mix, but with an unconventional creative vision like we're seeing come to life here, it's probably best to hold judgment until we see how Gerwig and Streep tackle things in the movie itself.

The Magician's Nephew will feel like a "big and transporting" rock opera

Aslan has always been one of the most magnetic and awe-inspiring forces in The Chronicles of Narnia, but he'll take on a cosmic aspect that's even more deific than usual in The Magician's Nephew. This is the story of how two children, Digory and Polly, first go on a world-hopping adventure that leads to them witnessing Aslan sing the world of Narnia into existence. While this isn't a musical, music plays a large part in the movie, with Gerwig citing the classic rock of the 1970s like David Bowie and Led Zeppelin as major influences on its style.

“I wanted a rock opera. I wanted it to be big and transporting," she told Empire. “David Bowie saved my life. Paul McCartney saved my life. David Gilmour saved my life. Pete Townshend saved my life. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant…When I heard their music, I had this deep sense of [thinking], ‘You’re gonna be okay.’"

“It is a world sung to life by Aslan, and rock ’n’ roll to me felt like a world made out of music," Gerwig added.

Believe it or not, Gerwig actually wrote a draft of The Magician's Nephew during the same lockdown period where she also penned Barbie, and there's a similar vibe of taking a big, deeply artistic swing here. It's already clear this is going to be Narnia like we've never seen it before. I can't wait to learn more.

Greta Gerwig's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew premieres in theaters and IMAX on February 12, 2027, and begins streaming on Netflix on April 2, 2027.

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