Greta Gerwig’sThe Chronicles of Narniamovie is reportedly eying Meryl Streep for the role of Aslan. Based on the book series by author C. S. Lewis, the first live-actionNarniamovie, subtitledThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobewas released in 2005, with two sequels following. Liam Neeson voiced Aslan the Great Lion in the trilogy, with the creature serving as a God-like figure in the world of Narnia.Gerwig’sChronicles of Narniamovieis a Netflix production, with the film reportedly adapting Lewis' prequel novel,The Magician’s Nephew, which chronicles the creation of Narnia.
Originally reported byNexus Point Newsand later corroborated byDeadline,Streep is said to be in talks to play the franchise’s wise lion, Aslan, in the NetflixNarniafilm. The latter publication adds an additional detail from its own sources, claiming that Streep has not yet formally been given an offer for the role.Nexux Point Newsreports that Streep’s Aslan would be female in the movie, gender-swapping the character from the books.
TheNexus Point Newsreport also repeats claims that the movie will be an adaptation ofThe Magician’s Nephew, though it should be noted that this hasn’t yet been officially confirmed. Filming on the adaptation is reportedly set to get underway at some point this year.
What This Means For Gerwig’s Chronicles Of Narnia Movie
Meryl Streep Isn’t The Only Big Name Eyed To Star
Streep is widely considered one of the best actors in Hollywood.She has won three Oscars throughout her career and has been nominated for 21 more, and she is best known for movies likeThe Post(2017),August: Osage County(2013),Doubt(2007),The Devil Wears Prada(2006), andThe Deer Hunter(1978), among many other titles. If she is cast as a gender-swappedAslan in Netflix’sNarniamovie, this will mark the first feature film adaptation of Lewis' work to make this change.
Chronicles of Narnia Timeline Explained: When Each Movie Takes Place
The flow of time in The Chronicles of Narnia doesn’t match the real world, but there are some connections. In fact, Narnia is much younger than Earth.
Streep, if she ends up coming aboard the Gerwig film, could be joining some major names.The Magician’s Nephewfollows characters Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer as they discover the magical world of Narnia through the magic of Digory’s uncle, Andrew.Deadlinepreviously reported that Daniel Craig is being eyed for the role of Andrew, while pop star Charli XCX could play Jadis, a character who eventually becomesThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’s central antagonist, the White Witch.
Tilda Swinton previously played the White Witch inThe Chronicles of Narnia:The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeand reprised her role for bothPrince Caspian(2008) and the final installment,The Voyage of the Dawn Treader(2010).
Our Take On Meryl Streep’s Potential Aslan Casting
Gerwig’s Adaptation Could Rejuvenate The Franchise
Though Streep’s casting as Aslan isn’t confirmed until it’s confirmed, it would be an exciting development for the next adaptation ofThe Chronicles of Narnia. After the massive success of heracclaimedBarbie(2023),Gerwig has certainly proven herself a filmmaker capable and worthy of putting her own unique spin on existing IP, and gender-swapping Aslan with an Oscar-winning star could be just the move to inject fresh life into the franchise.
Neeson’s voice acting as Aslan was a highlight of theChronicles of Narniatrilogy, and, for many, his could be the definitive take on the character. It’s now been 15 years since that trilogy concluded withThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader, though, andnow could be the perfect time to introduce a new take on the character. With production reportedly getting underway this year, it’s likely that more news regarding Gerwig’sThe Chroncles of Narniamovie isn’t far off.
