Few series in the fantasy genre have the sort of recognition of The Chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis' beloved children's books about a magical land ruled by the magnanimous lion Aslan. Starting with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 1950, Lewis penned seven books total in his series, spanning from the creation of Narnia to its eventual end.
While Narnia has been adapted many times for the screen over the decades, we're currently on the cusp of a historic take on the property. Netflix has just unveiled a trailer for Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, its upcoming film from Barbie writer-director Greta Gerwig. And from its "rock opera" vibes to its astounding visuals, it's already clear that this is going to be a truly singular cinematic event that reinvents how we look at Narnia.
The Magician's Nephew trailer
This trailer of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew opens with a shot that should send chills down the spine of any Narnia fan: the wardrobe which kicks off the adventure in the very first book. It's accompanied by the narration "Sometimes, one story is the beginning of all the others." And if you still weren't sure, you should consider this your official confirmation that yes, The Magician's Nephew is a prequel to the rest of Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia. Chronologically, this is the earliest book in the series, which shows such incredibly important events as the creation of Narnia itself, how both the White Witch and Aslan came to reside there, and where that myserious wardrobe came from in the first place.
However, The Magician's Nephew was actually the second-to-last book that Lewis published in the series. Because of this, we have two potential reading orders that work best for The Chronicles of Narnia: chronological and publication order. And while publication order is the obvious go-to for some other fantasy series, like, say, Brandon Sanderson's Cosmere, it's far more debatable whether it's the ideal choice for Narnia. In fact, I'd say Gerwig's decision to start the film series with The Magician's Nephew is a brilliant one.
The Chronicles of Narnia reading order — Publication
If you want to experience The Chronicles of Narnia in the way that C.S. Lewis first wrote it, this is the reading order for you. Here's the correct order for all seven books:
1. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950)
2. Prince Caspian (1951)
3. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952)
4. The Silver Chair (1953)
5. The Horse and His Boy (1953)
6. The Magician's Nephew (1955)
7. The Last Battle (1956)
That's the way Lewis first published these books, but in my opinion, it is not the best way to experience The Chronicles of Narnia. If you want that, I think the way to go is chronological — and in fact, there are even some sets of these books that come ordered chronologically instead of by publication order, driving home the idea that it's not only a valid way to read the books, but a good one. Let's break that down next.
The Chronicles of Narnia reading order — Chronological
Part of the reason why reading the Narnia books chronologically works so well is because two of the later books, The Magician's Nephew and The Horse and His Boy, slot neatly in among the earlier entries of the series. With the latter especially, it's not nearly as much of a climactic book as, say, The Silver Chair, which is one of the more exciting entries that leads fairly well into the ultimate ending of the series with The Last Battle. So by interspersing these two prequel books where they fit in the timeline, it actually makes for a reading experience that ramps up more naturally.
Here's the order for a chronological read of The Chronicles of Narnia:
1. The Magician's Nephew
2. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
3. The Horse and His Boy
4. Prince Caspian
5. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
6. The Silver Chair
7. The Last Battle
Whatever order you read C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia books, be prepared for a whimsical, imaginative journey. There's a reason this series has stood the test of time as a children's classic, and with Narnia: The Magician's Nephew on the way in 2027, it's the perfect time to visit (or revisit) the books to prepare for what's in store.
Narnia: The Magician's Nephew debuts in theaters on February 12, 2027, and starts streaming exclusively on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
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