The New 'Narnia' from the Director of 'Barbie': Netflix Unveils the First Trailer for the Grand Fantasy

The trailer was released on October 13. Unlike previous adaptations of 'The Chronicles of Narnia', the new film will not tell the story of children who enter a magical land through a wardrobe, but rather about the events that preceded its emergence. The film is based on the book 'The Magician's Nephew', published in 1955. It became the sixth published part of the literary cycle, but chronologically it is the first. The main characters of the story are children Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, who, thanks to magical rings, gain the ability to travel between different worlds. During their adventures, they encounter the powerful sorceress Jadis and witness the birth of Narnia. The roles of Digory and Polly are played by David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell. Uncle Andrew, whose magical experiments set off the extraordinary events, is portrayed by Daniel Craig, known to audiences for his role as James Bond. The character of Jadis, the future White Witch, is brought to life by Emma Mackey. One of the central characters of the universe, the powerful lion Aslan, is voiced by Meryl Streep. The cast also includes Carey Mulligan and Ciarán Hinds. Special attention in the trailer is given to visual effects. Viewers are shown fantastic landscapes, journeys between worlds, unusual creatures, and one of the key scenes of the work — the creation of Narnia, which Aslan awakens to life with his singing. The musical accompaniment of the trailer features the famous composition 'Stairway to Heaven' by the British rock band Led Zeppelin. According to Greta Gerwig, music plays a crucial role in her understanding of Lewis's work. To obtain permission to use the song, the director personally reached out to musicians Robert Plant and Jimmy Page, showing them an early version of the film. The new adaptation will be Netflix's attempt to reboot one of the most famous fantasy franchises. The previous film series began in 2005 with the movie 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe', which grossed approximately $745 million worldwide. Subsequently, two more parts were released — 'Prince Caspian' in 2008 and 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treader' in 2010. However, the sequels failed to replicate the commercial success of the first film, and the adaptation of the entire literary cycle was never completed. Now Netflix hopes to attract a new generation of viewers to the story. According to Associated Press, Greta Gerwig's film has a budget of around $280 million. The film is being created with a view to being shown on large screens, including IMAX format. The world premiere of 'Narnia: The Magician's Nephew' in theaters is scheduled for February 12, 2027. Previews in IMAX are set to begin on February 10, and on April 2, the film will be available on Netflix. Thus, more than two decades after the release of the first adaptation, 'The Chronicles of Narnia' will receive a new cinematic incarnation. Whether Greta Gerwig will be able to turn C.S. Lewis's story into a fantasy saga on the scale of 'The Lord of the Rings' will be known next year.