A new report suggests that production on Netflix and Greta Gerwig’s production start for their Chronicles of Narnia film has been delayed to fall.
ScreenDaily reports “Greta Gerwig’s much-anticipated Chronicles of Narnia feature is also in pre-production, though filming looks unlikely to begin until autumn.”
Producer Amy Pascal previously shared that production was supposed to start in July. She told Deadline, “We start shooting in July. … It’s a very new take on Narnia. It’s all about rock and roll.”
Production is expected to take place at outside of London at Shepperton Studios.
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While Netflix has not officially announced which book they plan on adapting for this first film, the film’s Hair & Make-Up Designer Ivana Primorac told The Reel Girls Club podcast that it would be The Magician’s Nephew.
She said, “[Greta Gerwig’s] going to kick off with the first book. So she’s going to do the first book, which is ‘The Magician’s Nephew’. And that one’s never been done before and it’s brilliant. So yeah, so we’re going to do that.”
Primorac also described work on the film as “kind of daunting at the moment. So that feels like: ‘How are we going to do that?’”
Netflix is planning to create at least eight films according to IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond who struck a deal with Netflix to air this film in theaters for two-weeks beginning on Thanksgiving Day 2026. Gelfond shared, “This was a really great move because I think there are like eight movies planned, something like that. And what IMAX does best is launch franchises and launch events, and whether that’s the League of Legends, whether that’s the Olympics, or whether that’s Superman coming up this year or Mission: Impossible. This is the kind of movie that is very conducive to an IMAX release.”
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Whether or not Netflix actually makes eight films is till yet to be seen. Gerwig’s film is already the center of controversy due to its reported casting. First, it was reported that Meryl Streep would play a sex-swapped Aslan.
Nexus Point News reported, “An offer has been made to Meryl Streep to portray a central character in the series: Aslan, the Great Lion.”
Deadline also reported, “Oscar winner Meryl Streep is in talks to play Aslan the Great Lion in Greta Gerwig and Netlfix’s Narnia movie, we have confirmed with sources.”
The film has also cast feminist activist Carey Mulligan, who is expected to play the sick mother of Digory. She is allegedly joined by Daniel Craig, who plays Digory’s Uncle Andrew as well as Emma Mackey as the White Witch.
What do you make of this delay to the film’s production start date?
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There is no way a "raised Christian" Atheist like Gerwig can do justice to the work of C.S. Lewis.
Any delay in anything Netflix is a blessing.