by Netflix has found a director and writer for their two Narnia Films
Netflix has had the rights to the Chronicles of Narnia for some time. There have been rumors that Netflix planned to make a series, like Game of Thrones. There were also rumors that they planned on making films similar to the films made about 15 years ago.
However, this week, we received an update that Netflix has chosen Greta Gerwig to write and direct two Narnia films that Netflix wanted to make.
The news was shocking to some, as Greta prepares to have her film, Barbie, release in theaters in a couple weeks. The director is known for making films such as “Little Women” (2019).
Some wonder if she is a good pick to take the helm of Narnia films. In a recent interview for her new film, “Barbie,” she made a comment about Barbie coming before Ken:
Barbie was invented first. Ken was invented after Barbie, to burnish Barbie’s position in our eyes and in the world. That kind of creation myth is the opposite of the creation myth in Genesis.”
https://voxday.net/2023/07/05/netflixs-next-target-narnia/
This leads many people to wonder if Greta is the right person to direct movie’s about Narnia. The Chronicles of Narnia is heavily influenced by Christianity and Greta believes that it is more myth than true.
Many viewers wonder how someone like Greta could make a Narnia film that would stick close to the story. If Greta takes the story out of Narnia, then it’s just a bunch of talking animals. Viewers will have to wait to see how Netflix makes their Narnia films, but there are a few things that they really should do.
Start with “The Magician’s Nephew”
“The Magician’s Nephew” is technically the first book in the series chronologically. This would be a good place for them to start off if they were going to make a remake. This would allow them to have a new cast without confusing viewers of the other Narnia films. It would be a mistake to start with “The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe” since that has been done already, and it would be hard to top that.
Stick close to the books
As said earlier, without the story, Narnia isn’t much of anything. It’s crucial that the films stay close to the story. Critics and fans of the Chronicles of Narnia will not watch a film if it doesn’t follow the story that they love. It’s important that they keep the story close to the books and don’t go about changing it.
Casting is everything
The original films did very well because the casting was perfect. Every actor acted like their character. It’s important that Netflix does the same thing and look for good actors that reflect their character correctly. A cameo from one or more of the original actors in a film about “The Last Battle” would definitely excite Narnia fans, but that is not important at this stage.
Conclusion
If Netflix can stick to the original story and gather a good cast, they have a great opportunity to make some great films. While there are some that are uneasy about Greta Gerwig directing and writing the films, only time will tell if she can make a good Narnia film. Until then, we will have to just enjoy reading the books and watching the films already made.
