Barbie director Greta Gerwig is reportedly “bummed” over the streaming first release plan for the Chronicles of Narnia reboot, vouching for a theatrical release instead, as per Matthew Belloni’s What I’m Hearing newsletter. Although the acclaimed director voiced her concerns to Netflix, the streaming giant refused to change their release strategy.
The Chronicles of Narnia based on C. S. Lewis’ iconic novels originated with 1950’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and spanned six sequels. The original series has had several small-screen adaptations. In 2005, the franchise earned its first big-screen adaptation which was followed by 2008’s Prince Caspian and 2010’s The Voyage of the Dawn Tredder which marked the end of the franchise.
In an interview with Bleeding Cool, William Moseley, who portrayed Peter Pevensie in all three The Chronicles of Narnia feature films shared his disappointment over where the franchise was headed. After stating that Netflix’s feature film directed by Gerwig will be “rebranding and rebooting” the franchise, the actor admitted he’s sad not to be part of it anymore.
“I’m not part of that world anymore, which sometimes makes me sad because I love the world of Narnia and becoming a part of it,” he said. However, he’d love to have the opportunity to visit the film sets to witness what they are building. In another interview with Screen Rant, the actor confessed that if asked, he’d join the film in a heartbeat.
But unfortunately, his time with the franchise is done. “And that’s the way it is. If I might ever get asked that, great, but I don’t think it’s there,” he added. In July 2023, it was confirmed that Gerwig would write and direct Netflix’s highly-anticipated Chronicles of Narnia reboot.
Speaking to Collider, the Little Women director responded to being previously quoted as “scared” about taking on the reigns of the fantasy-adventure franchise. “When I’m scared, it’s always a good sign,” she said. “It’s extraordinary. And so we’ll see, I don’t know,” she added.
The untitled Chronicles of Narnia reboot is expected to arrive on the streaming platform in 2025.
