Liam Neeson, the voice of the Great Lion for a generation of fans, was recently surprised to learn that Netflix is moving forward with a high-profile reboot of The Chronicles of Narnia. During a promotional interview for his upcoming film The Mongoose, Neeson admitted to ScreenRant that he was entirely unaware of director Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation until the interviewer informed him.
Upon learning that Meryl Streep has been officially cast to voice Aslan in Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, Neeson offered an enthusiastic endorsement of his former co-star. “This is news to me,” Neeson told the outlet, before adding that there is “nobody better than” Streep to take over the mantle. Neeson previously voiced the character in the three Walden Media film adaptations released between 2005 and 2010.
A New Vision for Aslan
The casting of Streep marks a significant creative shift for the franchise, as Aslan has traditionally been voiced by male actors and is widely recognized as a Christ allegory in C.S. Lewis’s literature. Neeson acknowledged this legacy during the exchange, noting that if the production intended to “make Christ a lady,” Streep was the ideal choice for the role. The two actors share a professional history, having co-starred in the 1996 thriller Before and After.
Gerwig’s project, titled Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, is reportedly taking a distinct stylistic direction. According to IGN, the film is expected to feature a “rock opera” aesthetic, with creative influences drawn from David Bowie. The first trailer for the production, released in late October 2024, utilized music inspired by Bowie to set the tone for this new iteration of the fantasy world.
Release Timeline and Production Details
While early rumors suggested various windows for the reboot, the release schedule for Gerwig’s Narnia has been finalized. The film is set for a limited IMAX release starting February 10, 2027, followed by a wide theatrical release on February 12, 2027. The project will eventually make its streaming debut on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
By adapting The Magician’s Nephew, Gerwig is starting at the chronological beginning of the Narnia timeline rather than beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which served as the entry point for the 2005 film. As reported by Meaww, the focus on the origin story of Narnia allows the production to establish a new visual and auditory language for the series, separate from the previous Disney and Fox-distributed trilogy.
Neeson’s reaction highlights the quiet nature of the production’s development, as even those with deep ties to the original films are only just discovering the scale of Netflix’s plans for the IP. There has been no indication that Neeson will be involved in the new production in any capacity.
