There are plenty of reasons why Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew will be the most thrilling fantasy movie adaptation in 2026. With a theatrical release date of November 26th, 2026 (and a Christmas Netflix premiere), it’s going to be a long wait, but based on Gerwig’s compelling resume, it’ll be worth it. After co-writing 2012’s Frances Ha with her partner Noah Baumbach, Gerwig wrote and directed the Oscar-winning 2017 drama Lady Bird before adapting Little Women in 2019. Of course, it was when she took on Barbie, which was a massive success when it was released in 2023, that people started really paying attention to the filmmaker’s thought-provoking and clever style.
Now that we’re a long way away from the box office battle between Barbie and Oppenheimer, all eyes are on Gerwig’s Narnia movie. 2025 had some big fantasy releases, and the new year has some compelling titles, too. But while everyone is looking forward to seeing the blend of fantasy and action in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which will be released in July 2026, Gerwig’s take on Narnia is even more thrilling.
‘Narnia’ Is a More Light-Hearted Fantasy Story Than ‘Game of Thrones’
There’s no doubt that Game of Thrones is one of the most beloved fantasy TV shows of all time, which is why fans are curious if any other TV series can be as popular as GoT. Let’s face it, though: it’s an incredibly dark and tragic story. While it was a focal point of popular culture discussions while it was on the air, and everyone is still debating the quality of the series finale, rewatching can be a bit of a bleak experience.
Gerwig’s Narnia movie, on the other hand, is going to be a lighter fantasy story, and honestly, that sounds great. While a lot of fantasy tales feature grim settings and serious topics, from Carnival Row to The Wheel of Time, it’s also fun to become immersed in another world that isn’t quite as upsetting. Many of us remember the magical Narnia setting from our childhoods and can’t wait to be back there. The beauty of the genre is being able to forget the real world and enjoy an escape. Who didn’t wish that place was real when they were a kid?
Gerwig’s Film Is Adapting a New ‘Narnia’ Book
Rather than simply rehashing the stories that were told in the previous three adaptations, Gerwig’s Narnia movie will adapt a different book: The Magician’s Nephew, which is book six of seven and was published in 1955. The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis debuted with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 1950, and a movie adaptation followed in 2005. Two sequels, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, were released in 2008 and 2010 and adapted the second and third books.
A fourth Chronicles of Narnia movie was never made, and it’s interesting that Gerwig is focusing on the sixth book instead of any earlier novels. The Magician’s Nephew is particularly compelling since it’s about the lion Aslan bringing Narnia to life, along with two British kids, Polly and Digory, who get swept up in the magic.
‘Narnia’ Has a Great Cast
Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew also sounds fantastic thanks to its impressive cast members. Beatrice Campbell and David McKenna are playing the two child characters, Polly Plummer and Digory Kirke, and Carey Mulligan is playing Digory’s mom, Mabel Kirke. In March 2025, Deadline reported that Daniel Craig had been given an offer to appear in the film, and according to the movie’s IMDb page, he’s playing a character named Uncle Andrew. Craig’s character plays a key role in the story as he gifts the kids a ring and they realize there is another world that they can enter.
Since Craig and Mulligan don’t typically appear in fantasy films, they’re a fun and refreshing part of the cast. Emma Mackey has also been cast as the White Witch, who is named Jadis. Mackey previously played Maeve Wiley on the British coming-of-age TV series Sex Education, along with Physicist Barbie in Barbie.
There’s Good Franchise Potential for Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’
If one new Narnia movie is thrilling, then two sound even better. Gerwig is currently planning to direct at least two films about Narnia, which suggests at least one sequel is on the way. Considering Gerwig’s previous showing at the box office, it’s possible that her Narnia will also do well, leading to an entire franchise. Barbie made more money than any other 2023 film, and Little Women made $206 million globally and $108.1 million domestically, according to Deadline.
Given the nostalgia that many have for the unique world of Narnia and the fanbase Gerwig has accumulated, it seems likely that her adaptation will be a box office success as well. And if the planned sequel also does well, perhaps more movies will be on the way. If going to the movie theater is supposed to be a nice escape, what better way to accomplish that than with at least two magical Narnia movies?
‘Narnia’ Could Be a More Creative Adaptation Than Previous Movies
Despite depicting an enchanting world and capturing the spirit of the C.S. Lewis novels, the previous three Chronicles of Narnia movies aren’t all that exciting. Sure, the first movie introduces the epic wardrobe, which leads to the iconic forest, and all the important elements of the story, including the Turkish delight treat that Jadis/the White Witch gives Edmund, are there. But does anyone even still talk about them?
Gerwig has an interesting vision for the new Narnia movie, which suggests it’s going to be more artistic than the existing trilogy. When Gerwig talked about the movie at the TIME Women of the Year Gala in 2024, she didn’t share details, but her comments suggest she’s determined to make something cool, creative, and epic. She said, “I write things that I genuinely sit back and think, ‘I have no idea how I’m actually going to accomplish that.’ And that’s actually the most exciting feeling.”
Gerwig Has Proven Success Adapting a Beloved Book
Since Gerwig wrote and directed her 2019 adaptation of Little Women, the beloved Louisa May Alcott novel published in the late 1860s, she’s a great filmmaker to take on Narnia. It was a box office success and impressed fans of the book, too.
Gerwig has shown us that she not only loves popular and nostalgia-inducing stories, but that she can put her own spin on the source material. Rather than following the story’s events exactly, Gerwig’s Little Women introduces audiences to a grown-up Jo March (Saoirse Ronan) and then goes back in time seven years. The book begins with Jo and her sisters as children. This was a clever change and drives home the theme about how childhood experiences shape us when we’re older. It will be cool to see how Gerwig adapts The Magician’s Nephew and if she makes some notable changes to the material so it can be more sweeping and thrilling when brought to the big screen.
Source: Deadline.com, Deadline.com, Youtube.com
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