Greta Gerwig has signed on to write and direct two movies based on The Chronicles of Narnia franchise for Netflix, The New Yorker is reporting. The filmmaker behind the anticipated Barbie feature is expected to spend the next five years working on the next big screen adaptations of the classic fantasy novel series.
The seven books, which were penned by C.S Lewis, were originally published between 1950 and 1956. The novel series is set in a mythological kingdom, which will only open itself to young warriors with the purest hearts, which sets the stage for a war that will also affect the human world.
The one who’s attempting to taking over the titular magical land is the villainous White Witch. Four ordinary children – the Pevensie siblings – try to figure out what their place in their new world of of Narnia is, and how they can stop the White Witch, after they accidentally stumble into the kingdom through a seemingly ordinary wardrobe.
The biggest ally they can find for their quest is Aslan, a big lion who represents the purest form of kindness, bravery and selflessness. Aslan has been revealed to be God talking to the children through a different form. God chooses to communicate through the body of a lion due to the values associated with the animal.
Netflix hasn’t yet officially revealed how it plans to adapt the novels into the two movies that Gerwig is set to scribe and helm. The streamer also hasn’t announced an official release date for its adaptation of the book series.
Between 2005 and 2010, Walden Media produced a trio of Chronicles of Narnia movies, adapting less than half of the seven novels. Critical and box office reception to the screen franchise was mixed. After the first two entries, Walden parted ways with the original distributor, Disney, and started to work with Fox on the third installment
Disney distributed its adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, which is based on the franchise’s first book of the same name in 2005. It’s initial sequel, Prince Caspian which is based on the second novel of the same name, was released in 2008.
The second film follow-up, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, which is based on the third book of the same name, served as the film series’ finale. It was distributed in 2010.
The first two big screen adaptations were directed by Andrew Adamson, and the third movie was helmed by Michael Apted. A fourth film was scheduled to be directed by Joe Johnston. However, it was announced in 2018 that Netflix would be rebooting the movie franchise with its adaptations that will be written and helmed by Gerwig.
The three film installments that were featured in the Disney/Fox series only adapted a fraction of Lewis’ seven novels. Netflix and the Oscar-nominated Gerwig have the opportunity to expand what was included in the previous screen adaptations before they picked up the rights to adapt the franchise.
Before the streamer and the Independent Spirit Award-winning filmmaker can begin working on the new Chronicles of Narnia adaptation, she will be releasing Barbie in theaters on July 21. Margot Robbie stars as Stereotypical Barbie, the doll who wakes up one morning questioning the way she lives. She sets out to find if there’s to be more to life than parties and pink convertible cars.
The eponymous doll is joined in her journey by Ken, who’s played by Ryan Gosling. The pair head to the human world to find answers to their questions.