Greta Gerwig is setting out to bring a new adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia, but rumors circulating one of the series' main characters might land the production in hot water with fans. But it also might be good news for Disney.
The upcoming series coming to Netflix had the eyes of many fans when it was first announced, but Barbie Movie director Greta Gerwig is reportedly taking a few artistic liberties with her version ofC.S. Lewis' iconic novels. Stars like Daniel Craig and Charli XCX are reportedly eyed for main roles, but rumors of a gender-swapped Aslan might squash any hopes for a successful production.
Gerwig drops the crown
To say the Chronicles of Narnia is a beloved series would be an understatement, second only to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings in terms of fantasy icon status. The adventures of the Pevensie children in the mystical land of fauns, witches, talking lions, and enchanting quests have been beloved for decades, but there's a reason for it.
With its mix of fairytale and religious allegory, Narnia has been enjoyed by more than an audience of young readers. Lewis' ties to the Christian faith represented by characters like Aslan, Reepicheep, and others have been a studied talking point since the books' publication, but Gerwig could undermine the highly respected foundation with her alleged alterations.
Altering the Christ figure of Aslan with gender-swapping will not be well-received, regardless of how religious the fanbase is. Not because it deviates from the source but because it changes the dynamic of one of the series' most important characters. Not to mention, there's also an element of virtue signalling that will undoubtedly rub many casual fans and Lewis scholars the wrong way.
The mouse who roared
If Gerwig goes through with this controversial choice, Netflix's Narnia will, as Jadis the White Witch so eloquently put it "Be consumed in fire and water." That means that Disney, the studio that continuously gets lampooned for "Disneyfying" classic fairytales, has arguably the most true-to-form version of the series.
In many ways, Disney's Narnia is the studio's answer to Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings series, and rightfully so. It's a work of classic fantasy given a massive budget with gorgeous special effects and a phenomenal cast. Although certain liberties were taken with the sequels, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe remains a cinematic masterpiece for many.
The talk surrounding Streep as Aslan is still rumor alone, but this particular instance of gender swapping feels like a desperate attempt at an overly feminist energy where none is required. After all, with characters like Lucy, Susan, and the White Witch, Narnia has no shortage of strong female leads.
Whatever the case, Gerwig really needs to treat this adaptation as delicately as possible. As demonstrated by the recent Snow White backlash, all it takes is one miscasting to truly sink a film. The question is, how much of this is all true?
Disney's Narnia series is currently streaming on Disney+.