Gerwig and Streep previously worked together on Little Women. They clearly remained close, as America Ferrera revealed during the Barbie press tour that Streep supposedly told Gerwig she would’ve loved to perform the climactic “It is literally impossible to be a woman” monologue. Presumably, Gerwig will give her something rich to work with as the powerful protector of Narnia. Author C.S. Lewis wrote Aslan as a metaphor for the Christian God—in The Magician’s Nephew Aslan creates the world (Narnia), and in The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, the lion is crucified and resurrected. Turning “God” into a woman will surely rattle some feathers in the “anti-woke” community, but it also certainly suits the pop culture-feminism throughline of Gerwig’s work thus far.
Little has been set in stone (pun intended for the Narnia-heads out there) about Gerwig’s fantasy franchise, except that Netflix has made an unprecedented deal to show the film in IMAX theaters. Rumor has it that instead of starting with The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe (which has been adapted several times over the years, most notably in 2005 with Liam Neeson voicing Aslan), Gerwig may begin her franchise with The Magician’s Nephew, which was a prequel about Professor Digory (the old man who owns the famous wardrobe) and how he witnessed the creation of Narnia when he was a kid. Per these rumors (as Deadline reports), Craig is thought to be in talks to play Digory’s uncle, the titular Magician, while pop star Charli xcx would play Jadis, the White Witch. It seems a little kooky so far, but then, so did Barbie, so Gerwig has earned the benefit of the doubt to see her kooky vision through.
