Greta Gerwig has the tough job of following up Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia movies, and one particular casting choice will be challenging to beat. While Disney only managed to adapt three of C.S. Lewis’ beloved fantasy books, they were each a fair success. This makes the bar for Gerwig’s upcoming take on The Chronicles of Narnia all the higher. The Barbie director will have to go above and beyond Disney’s casting, visuals, tone, theme, and more, and when it comes to one of the most important characters of Lewis’ Narnia franchise, this could well be impossible.
Gerwig is confirmed to be directing at least two Chronicles of Narnia movies for Netflix. If these do well, more is sure to follow, and we could potentially see all seven of C.S. Lewis’ children’s fantasy novels brought to the screen for the first time. Most of these feature a variety of characters. All four Pevensie children traveled to Narnia in two of these books, and Edmund and Lucy shared an adventure in one more. The rest feature new characters. Aslan the Lion is one of the few to appear in each Narnia installment, making Gerwig’s casting choice even more important.
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Remake Will Struggle To Top Liam Neeson’s Aslan Casting
Liam Neeson Was The Perfect Aslan
Actor Liam Neeson voiced Aslan in all three of Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia movies. His deep rumble was a fairly constant presence for most of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and the character made respectable appearances in Prince Caspian and Voyage of the Dawn Treader as well. Neeson never let audiences down with his version of Aslan, and this makes Gerwig’s job of following this up more challenging.
After all these years, audiences are likely to ᴀssociate Neeson’s voice with Aslan. The actor has a unique cadence and tone, and Gerwig’s movie featuring an entirely different voice would be a speedy way to break the film’s immersion. Recastings for such an iconic character within a memorable franchise are often uncomfortable initially, and how quickly audiences adapt depends entirely on who Gerwig chooses. The new voice of this lordly lion will have to be either similar or unique enough that audiences quickly buy this new version of the character.
Why Liam Neeson Was The Perfect Actor To Play Aslan In The Narnia Movies
Neeson’s Authoritative But Comforting Voice Did The Trick
The Chronicles of Narnia book series is a religious allegory, and the character of Aslan is a representation of God. He’s authoritative and frightening at some angles but gentle and kind at others. There is a delicate balance here, and this must be captured in the casting of any Narnia adaptation. Disney hit the nail on the head with Neeson. This action star is known for his voice, which can be intense and frightening but also welcoming and smooth. The character itself was a CGI lion in the Narnia movies, but Neeson brought the needed emotion and power with only his voice.
The balance required for such a character—the balance Neeson seems to have been born with—will be far harder for Gerwig to achieve in her upcoming Narnia movies.
Voices like Neeson’s are a dime in a dozen. There are several actors who could provide the soft, calm tones Aslan would use when speaking to the Pevensies, and even more who would provide the intensity the Lion uses when confronting the White Witch and her evil followers. However, the balance required for such a character—the balance Neeson seems to have been born with—will be far harder for Gerwig to achieve in her upcoming Narnia movies.
Netflix Will Need A Strong Approach To Aslan To Solve Its Casting Problem
Greta Gerwig Needs To Be Bold
Gerwig has a chance to set right the ways that Disney’s Narnia movies went wrong. It can be hoped that the director’s franchise will go beyond previous adaptations, with books like The Magician’s Nephew and The Last Battle finally having a chance to make it to the screen. However, Gerwig can’t afford to get her casting wrong since Aslan is a feature of all seven Narnia books. She must take a bold approach in her search, ensuring that whoever lends their voice to Aslan can do it as believably as Neeson did in Disney’s version.
Gerwig’s first Narnia movie is expected to be released in December 2026, and there are prominent rumors she will begin with The Magician’s Nephew.
Idris Elba is a name that has come up frequently in fan discussions regarding Aslan’s casting, and this could certainly be an option. Elba has a powerful voice, but the question remains whether he can handle the softer aspects of this Narnia character. Inversely, Chris Hemsworth has been suggested to capture Aslan’s smoother qualities and bring a younger tone to the role—but can he bring the power? Of course, there is no rule that Gerwig couldn’t just bring Neeson back to the role. As of now, options are seemingly wide open, but Netflix’s Narnia director will have to choose carefully.
