The magical world of Narnia is returning to the big screen, and this time Academy Award–nominated filmmaker Greta Gerwig is taking audiences back to the very beginning.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, Gerwig’s highly anticipated adaptation of C. S. Lewis’s beloved fantasy novel, is scheduled to arrive in IMAX and theaters worldwide on February 12, 2027, followed by its Netflix release on April 2, 2027. Select IMAX theaters will also host special sneak previews beginning February 10.
The movie represents a significant new chapter for one of literature’s most recognizable fantasy universes. Rather than beginning with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Gerwig’s film goes back to The Magician’s Nephew, the story that explores the origins of Narnia and explains how the connection between our world and the magical realm first came to exist.
With an impressive ensemble cast, a large-scale production and Gerwig’s distinctive filmmaking sensibility, the movie is positioned as a cinematic event designed to introduce Lewis’s world to a new generation while reconnecting longtime fans with the magic of the original books.
Greta Gerwig Takes Audiences to the Beginning of Narnia
For Gerwig, The Magician’s Nephew is more than another fantasy adaptation.
The filmmaker has spoken about reading C. S. Lewis’s story as a child and being fascinated by its unusual combination of imagination, music, mythology and adventure. One of the ideas that stayed with her was the image of a cosmic lion creating Narnia through song.
Gerwig has described the opportunity to bring that concept to the screen as an extraordinary honor.
Her connection to the material could become one of the defining characteristics of the new film. Rather than treating Narnia simply as a traditional fantasy adventure, the movie is expected to explore the sense of wonder and discovery at the heart of Lewis’s writing.
The story gives Gerwig the opportunity to create an entire world from its earliest moments, including the mysterious realm known as the Wood Between the Worlds and the creation of Narnia itself.
A Different Kind of Narnia Story
The Magician’s Nephew occupies a unique position within The Chronicles of Narnia.
Although the novel was published in 1955, it takes place before the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It introduces the origins of Narnia and provides background on how characters, locations and magical forces that become important later came into existence.
That makes Gerwig’s movie both an origin story and a gateway into the larger mythology.
The film centers on Digory and Polly, two young characters whose adventures take them into a mysterious world connecting different universes.
Their journey eventually leads to encounters with magical forces and characters who will become deeply connected to Narnia’s history.
Among them is Uncle Andrew, played by Daniel Craig, and Jadis, played by Emma Mackey.
Jadis is particularly important because fans of the franchise will recognize the character’s connection to the White Witch from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
The Cast Includes Daniel Craig, Meryl Streep and Emma Mackey
The new Narnia adventure features a mixture of established stars and younger performers.
The central young characters are played by David McKenna as Digory and Beatrice Campbell as Polly.
They are joined by:
- Emma Mackey
- Carey Mulligan
- Ciarán Hinds
- Daniel Craig
- Meryl Streep
- Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
- Denise Gough
- Susan Wokoma
Craig plays Uncle Andrew, Digory’s magician uncle, while Mackey takes on the role of Jadis.
The presence of Craig and Streep gives the movie considerable star power, while the younger cast members are expected to carry much of the story’s emotional and adventurous journey.
Meryl Streep is also attached to the film in a major role, although the supplied production details do not fully reveal the nature of her character.
Keeping certain character details under wraps allows the film to preserve some of the mystery surrounding its story and mythology.
The Wood Between the Worlds Comes to the Big Screen
One of the most intriguing elements revealed in the early material is the Wood Between the Worlds.
In Lewis’s story, this mysterious location functions as a kind of crossroads between different worlds. Its importance makes it one of the film’s most visually interesting settings.
The movie’s first-look material offers glimpses of Digory and Polly as they enter this strange realm, while Gerwig can also be seen working with McKenna during production.
For a filmmaker known for combining intimate character stories with carefully constructed visual worlds, Narnia offers Gerwig an opportunity to work on a dramatically larger canvas.
The production team includes some major names from the filmmaking world.
Seamus McGarvey serves as director of photography, while James Chinlund is the production designer. Jacqueline Durran handles costume design, and Ivana Primorac oversees hair and makeup.
Visual effects are being supervised by Paul Franklin, with creature effects creative supervision from Neal Scanlan.
These departments will be particularly important for bringing Narnia’s creatures, magical environments and supernatural elements to life.
Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt Are Creating the Music
Music is expected to play an especially important role in The Magician’s Nephew.
The film features an original score from Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, who previously collaborated with Gerwig on Barbie.
Their involvement is notable because music is closely connected to the creation of Narnia within Lewis’s story.
George Drakoulias is serving as music supervisor.
The combination of Gerwig’s visual storytelling and a score from Ronson and Wyatt could give the movie a distinctive musical identity while still honoring the fantastical atmosphere associated with the books.
What Is The Magician’s Nephew About?
At its heart, The Magician’s Nephew is a story about discovery.
Digory and Polly find themselves pulled into an extraordinary adventure involving magical worlds and a mysterious connection between different realities.
Their journey ultimately leads to the creation of Narnia itself.
The official premise describes the movie as a sweeping adventure centered on the creation of Narnia and designed to invite audiences of different generations into Lewis’s world.
That makes the movie different from previous Narnia adaptations.
Instead of asking audiences to simply revisit a familiar fantasy kingdom, Gerwig’s film can establish the rules, mythology and origins of that kingdom from the beginning.
It also creates opportunities to explore questions about curiosity, consequences, temptation and the power of creation.
How Does It Connect to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?
One of the most interesting aspects of The Magician’s Nephew is its relationship to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Although The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was published first, The Magician’s Nephew explores events that occur earlier in Narnia’s history.
The story helps explain how the worlds become connected and provides important background for elements that later appear in the series.
This means audiences familiar with the earlier Narnia movies may recognize certain names and concepts while seeing them presented from a completely different perspective.
For newcomers, meanwhile, the film can serve as an introduction to the entire mythology.
The Legacy of C. S. Lewis’s Narnia Books
C. S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia remains one of the best-known fantasy series in modern literature.
The seven books were originally published between 1950 and 1956, although The Magician’s Nephew was published in 1955.
The series includes:
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — 1950
- Prince Caspian — 1951
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader — 1952
- The Silver Chair — 1953
- The Horse and His Boy — 1954
- The Magician’s Nephew — 1955
- The Last Battle — 1956
The books have been translated widely and have reached generations of readers around the world.
Lewis himself was a scholar, writer and academic whose work extended far beyond fantasy fiction. His other well-known works include Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and A Grief Observed.
However, it is The Chronicles of Narnia that introduced his imagination to millions of younger readers.
For many fans, Narnia became synonymous with hidden worlds, magical creatures, talking animals, epic battles and the idea that an ordinary person could suddenly discover something extraordinary.
That sense of possibility is central to Gerwig’s comments about the material.
A Major Global Theatrical Release
The release strategy for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is another important part of the movie’s rollout.
The film is scheduled to debut in IMAX and theaters globally on February 12, 2027.
Special IMAX previews will begin on February 10, 2027.
After its theatrical run, the movie is scheduled to arrive on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
The combination of a major theatrical presentation and a later streaming release gives audiences multiple ways to experience the film.
For a story built around enormous landscapes, fantasy creatures and the creation of an entire magical world, the IMAX presentation could be particularly significant for viewers who want to experience the movie on a large screen.
Netflix and Sony Will Handle Different Distribution Territories
Netflix will handle domestic distribution for the film, while Sony Pictures Entertainment will distribute it outside North America.
The production is being led by Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Vincent Sieber-Smith and Greta Gerwig.
Christine Crais is credited as co-producer.
Executive producers include Patricia Whitcher, Douglas Gresham and Melvin Adams, with Adams representing the C. S. Lewis Estate.
The involvement of the estate is particularly relevant because the film is adapting one of Lewis’s original novels and bringing its characters and mythology to a new generation.
Who Is Making Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew?
The creative team behind the movie includes:
Written for the screen and directed by: Greta Gerwig
Based on: C. S. Lewis’s The Magician’s Nephew
Cast: David McKenna, Beatrice Campbell, Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds, Daniel Craig, Meryl Streep, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough and Susan Wokoma
Producers: Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Vincent Sieber-Smith and Greta Gerwig
Co-producer: Christine Crais
Executive producers: Patricia Whitcher, Douglas Gresham and Melvin Adams for the C. S. Lewis Estate
Original score: Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
Music supervisor: George Drakoulias
Director of photography: Seamus McGarvey
Production designer: James Chinlund
Set decorator: Lee Sandales
Costume designer: Jacqueline Durran
Hair and makeup designer: Ivana Primorac
Visual effects supervisor: Paul Franklin
Visual effects producer: Barry St. John
Editors: Andrew Weisblum, Nick Houy and Wyatt Smith
Casting: Nina Gold
Creature effects creative supervisor: Neal Scanlan
Animation supervisor: Michael Eames
Why The Film Could Be an Important New Chapter for Narnia
Greta Gerwig’s adaptation arrives with a particularly interesting combination of elements: a globally recognized fantasy property, a filmmaker with a strong personal connection to the material, a major international cast and a story that has never previously received a feature-film adaptation.
Rather than simply remaking an existing Narnia movie, The Magician’s Nephew gives audiences a story that explores the origins of the world itself.
That distinction could make the film especially interesting for both longtime fans and people discovering Narnia for the first time.
The story also gives Gerwig the chance to explore one of fantasy literature’s most enduring ideas: the possibility that ordinary people can discover extraordinary worlds hidden just beyond their everyday lives.
For audiences who grew up with Lewis’s books, the film could offer a new visual interpretation of familiar ideas. For younger viewers, it could become their first introduction to Narnia.
When Does Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew Release?
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is scheduled to arrive in IMAX and theaters on February 12, 2027, with special IMAX previews beginning February 10.
The movie is then scheduled to premiere on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
With Greta Gerwig leading the production and a cast featuring Daniel Craig, Meryl Streep, Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan and a group of young newcomers, the movie represents a fresh cinematic interpretation of one of fantasy literature’s most enduring worlds.
For fans of C. S. Lewis, the biggest attraction may be seeing Narnia’s origins finally brought to the screen.
And for a new generation, the journey begins not through a wardrobe, but with the story of how Narnia itself came into existence.