Greta Gerwig locks cast for Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, releases February 2027
Synopsis
Greta Gerwig's Narnia adaptation isn't just another blockbuster — it's a director's love letter to a childhood obsession. With Meryl Streep and Daniel Craig locked in, a February 2027 theatrical bow, and composer Mark Ronson handling the score, Gerwig is betting that a cosmic lion singing a world into existence can still enchant modern audiences the way C.S. Lewis enchanted her.
Key Takeaways
Greta Gerwig has finalised the cast and release dates for Narnia: The Magician's Nephew , her adaptation of C.S.
Lewis 's classic children's series.
The film premieres in cinemas on 12 February 2027 and arrives on Netflix on 2 April 2027 .
The cast includes Meryl Streep , Daniel Craig , Carey Mulligan , Ciarán Hinds , Emma Mackey , and Denise Gough .
Gerwig serves as writer, producer, and director; the project was first announced by Netflix in 2018 with Gerwig attached since 2020 .
Composer Mark Ronson is collaborating with Andrew Wyatt on the film's score.
Greta Gerwig, the Oscar-nominated director behind the global phenomenon Barbie, has finalised the cast, title, and release schedule for her long-awaited adaptation of C.S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia. The film, titled Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, will premiere in cinemas on 12 February 2027 before arriving on Netflix on 2 April 2027.
The star-studded ensemble
The project assembles an A-list cast including Meryl Streep, Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds, Emma Mackey, and Denise Gough. Gerwig, who is 42, will serve as writer, producer, and director — a rare triple role that underscores her creative control over the adaptation.
Gerwig's personal connection to the source material
In a statement, Gerwig described the project as the "honour of a lifetime". She recalled reading The Magician's Nephew as a child and being captivated by the image of Aslan, the cosmic lion, singing the world of Narnia into existence. "A universe built out of music is an idea that always lived in my heart," she said, adding that the book instilled in her a sense of wonder about enchanted worlds and adventure available to ordinary people.
The source material and its place in the series
Published in May 1955, The Magician's Nephew was the sixth book released in C.S. Lewis's seven-novel series but has since been reordered as the first volume in the canonical sequence. The narrative is set 1,000 years before the events of the most famous instalment, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and chronicles how Aslan created the world of Narnia itself.
Gerwig's reverence and the pressure of adaptation
Speaking on BBC Radio 4, Gerwig acknowledged the weight of adapting a beloved classic. "I'm slightly in the place of terror because I really do have such reverence for Narnia," she said, describing the project as "intimidating". As a non-British filmmaker tackling a quintessentially British literary icon, Gerwig drew a parallel to American directors approaching Shakespeare, suggesting she felt a particular obligation to treat the source material with "extra care".
Music and the creative vision
Andrew Wyatt is composing the film's score in collaboration with his regular partner Mark Ronson. Wyatt has teased that audiences will be "happy" with Gerwig's realisation of the story, hinting at a creative approach that honours Lewis's vision while bringing a fresh sensibility to the screen. The project was first announced by Netflix in 2018, with Gerwig attached as director since 2020.
Point of View
Write, and produce signals creative ownership, a rarity in franchise filmmaking. The real test is whether a story about a lion singing worlds into being can survive the Netflix-theatrical hybrid release model, where theatrical runs increasingly serve as marketing for the streaming premiere. If the February-to-April window works, it rewrites the playbook for literary adaptations on streaming.
NationPress
6 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the title and release date of Greta Gerwig's Narnia film?
The film is titled Narnia: The Magician's Nephew and will premiere in cinemas on 12 February 2027 , with a Netflix release on 2 April 2027 . It is based on C.S. Lewis 's 1955 novel of the same name.
Who is in the cast of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew?
The cast includes Meryl Streep , Daniel Craig , Carey Mulligan , Ciarán Hinds , Emma Mackey , and Denise Gough . Greta Gerwig directs, writes, and produces.
When was Greta Gerwig first attached to the Narnia project?
Netflix announced the Narnia adaptation in 2018 , and Gerwig was attached as director in 2020 . She has been developing the project for approximately seven years.
What is The Magician's Nephew about?
Published in May 1955 , The Magician's Nephew is set 1,000 years before the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and tells the story of how Aslan the lion created the world of Narnia through song.
Who is composing the music for Narnia?
Andrew Wyatt is composing the score in collaboration with Mark Ronson . Wyatt has indicated that audiences will be pleased with Gerwig 's creative vision for the film.
