Narnia The Magician's Nephew: Meryl Streep becomes Aslan the Lion – Plus: First image revealed
Director Greta Gerwig drew inspiration from David Bowie for her film
Exciting news about the new "Narnia" movie from director Greta Gerwig! Meryl Streep's role has been confirmed: She will lend her voice to the lion Aslan in "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew." This magical creature is one of the most famous characters from the "Narnia" universe. Aslan is responsible for creating the fantastical world of Narnia and thus plays a central role in Gerwig's film, which serves as a prequel to the fantasy series and will be released both in theaters and on Netflix.
Meryl Streep's role was revealed by Empire. Director Gerwig told the magazine why she wanted Streep to play Aslan:
"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's high standards for casting Aslan give a sense of how important the character of the magical lion is to her. Apparently, for the director, only an acting legend of Meryl Streep's caliber would do:
"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."
The new Aslan: Voiced by Meryl Streep and inspired by David Bowie
In fact, Meryl Streep is one of the most respected actresses in the film industry. Since 1979, she has been nominated for an Oscar a total of 21 times for her roles – a record. She has also won the Academy Award three times, most recently in 2012 for her role as Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady." Over the course of her decades-long career, she has appeared in countless films. Just recently, she scored a box-office hit with the comedy sequel "The Devil Wears Prada 2."
But "Narnia" director Gerwig didn't just cast a top-tier Hollywood star for the role of Aslan. She also drew inspiration for the character of the lion from a music icon: David Bowie. On the cover of the new issue of Empire magazine, Aslan is depicted with two eyes that look different – a feature that was similarly present in the singer, who passed away in 2016. In addition, the red stripe on the lion's forehead seems to be a reference to Bowie's album "Aladdin Sane", whose cover features the singer with a red lightning bolt on his face that starts at his forehead. Empire posted the cover featuring Aslan on social media:
Music plays an important role in the new "Narnia" film anyway and is also a special aspect of the story for Gerwig. Speaking about "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew," she says, according to Netflix, that she was a child when she first read the novel "The Magician's Nephew." She adds:
"I fell in love with the gorgeously improbable but completely brilliant concept of a cosmic lion singing the world of Narnia to life. I didn't know that I would grow up to make films, but a universe built out of music is an idea that always lived in my heart."
Empire offers another sneak peek at "The Magician's Nephew" with an exclusive first image from the film, which you can check out in the following social media post:
What a set photo reveals about the new Narnia movie
Shortly before this, an official set photo was released that reveals a special aspect of the story. Director Greta Gerwig is seated in the foreground, with several cast and crew members standing behind her. What makes the snapshot particularly intriguing are the actors' costumes and cars. They suggest that the story is set in a different time period than in C. S. Lewis's original novel.
The book "The Magician's Nephew" is a prequel to the famous fantasy series and is set in 1900. Thus, the plot is set before the other "Narnia" novels, which take place in the 1940s and begin with the children – Lucy, Edmund, Susan, and Peter – entering the world of Narnia through a magical wardrobe. And that's where the set photo comes in, making it clear that the backdrop doesn't match the year 1900.
Instead, the image appears to confirm speculation that Gerwig's film is set in the 1950s. Especially since Empire has now reported that its upcoming issue will explore the implications of relocating the story to the 1950s. One possible consequence that one could think of: If "The Magician's Nephew" is followed by sequels, they could be set in the 1990s. After all, there's also a time jump of about 40 years between the prequel book and the subsequent "Narnia" novels.
But first, "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew" is set to be released. In addition to Meryl Streep, the film features a cast that includes "James Bond" actor Daniel Craig. Also on board are David McKenna, Beatrice Campbell, Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough, and Susan Wokoma. In addition to directing, Greta Gerwig also wrote the screenplay, following her recent massive hit "Barbie." The film, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, won over critics and audiences alike. At the global box office, "Barbie" grossed $1.4 billion, placing it at number 20 on the list of the highest-grossing films of all time. Will Gerwig's new film be just as successful? We'll know more soon: "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew" hits theaters on February 12, 2027. The Netflix premiere follows on April 2, 2027.
