Greta Gerwig’s remake of The Chronicles of Narnia is circling a major piece of casting, and it’s arguably an even more impressive one than Liam Neeson as Aslan in the 2000s movies. The Greta Gerwig Narnia movie is one of the most anticipated projects currently in development thanks to Gerwig herself. Everyone had been wondering what her next big project after Barbie would be, and when it was announced that she’d tackle a new adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ classic Chronicles of Narnia books, it immediately got people excited.

In a break with tradition, Gerwig isn’t adapting the first published book, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, as most adaptations have before. Instead, she’s adapting The Magician’s Nephew, which was actually the sixth published book in the series but the first chronological story in-universe. That’s not the only bold change Gerwig is considering for her Chronicles of Narnia movies, apparently, if recent casting rumors prove true.

Meryl Streep’s Rumored Narnia Role Could Actually Top Liam Neeson’s Movie Casting

She’s An Incredible Get For The Netflix Movie

Occasionally, a small site will scoop the trades on a piece of casting, and it appears that might be the case here. According to Nexus Point News, Meryl Streep has been offered the role of voicing Aslan in the upcoming Chronicles of Narnia movie. It remains to be seen if that will be proven true, but if it is, it would be a fantastic piece of casting and might even top Liam Neeson’s casting as Aslan the last time The Chronicles of Narnia was adapted for the screen. That was Walden Media’s swing at the series, which adapted three movies before pulling the plug.

The role of Aslan was always going to be one of the biggest make-or-break castings for Gerwig’s Narnia reboot. Even though Aslan is a voice role, sometimes voice roles are almost harder to execute than traditional face roles as the actor can only rely on their voice instead of also using their physicality and facial expressions to convey nuance in a performance. The VFX artists add the emotion, but it only works if the actor’s nuanced performances is authentically showing through.

Beyond that, Aslan is the pivotal role in The Chronicles of Narnia. Aslan is not on screen nearly as much as the Penvensies, but without the character, the entire story falls apart. And that makes sense – after all, The Chronicles of Narnia is a thinly-veiled Christian allegory with Aslan standing in for God. It’s a crucial part to cast correctly, and it seems Greta Gerwig has chosen well.

If Anyone Can Match Liam Neeson’s Aslan Performance, It’s Meryl Streep

She Embodies Gravitas But Also Warmth

Of course, there will be people who complain about Meryl Streep’s casting in the Chronicles of Narnia movie. There are always underdeveloped corners of the internet that don’t handle it well whenever a traditionally male character is gender-swapped to be a female character. And adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia are hardly new to casting controversies: Liam Neeson himself caused a kerfuffle back in 2010 when he said that he doesn’t consider Aslan to be an exclusively Christian figure:

“Aslan symbolises a Christ-like figure but he also symbolises for me Mohammed, Buddha and all the great spiritual leaders and prophets over the centuries. That’s who Aslan stands for as well as a mentor figure for kids – that’s what he means for me.” (via Archdiocese of Baltimore)

Now, of course, Neeson is revered for his performance in the role. The lesson to take here is that there will always be certain groups that get upset every time an actor isn’t exactly who they envisioned or who doesn’t hold a fictional character in exactly the same light as them, so a studio shouldn’t worry about that and simply cast the right person. And with Meryl Streep, they’ve definitely found the right person.

There are few actors, male or female, who embody the respect and gravitas of both audiences and their peers like Meryl Streep. She has a commanding presence, and she’s flexed that in certain roles such as The Devil Wears Prada and The Iron Lady and Little Women, which Gerwig also directed. But Streep has also emanated warmth and compᴀssion in her performance, coming across as less of an ice queen and more as a loving maternal figure, and in other performances, even flashes of humor and comedic chops. That range is necessary for a god-like character.

The Narnia Remake’s Aslan Plan Is A Refreshing Sign For The Greta Gerwig Project

Gerwig Continues To Make Bold Choices In Her Career

Greta Gerwig has always been known for her bold swings, and her Narnia project, which might have been an uninspired, paint-by-numbers remake in another director’s hands, is shaping up to be something special. Casting Meryl Streep as Aslan is an inspired choice, but that’s not the only interesting rumor going around about the movie. Reportedly, Gerwig is also eyeing Charli XCX for the White Witch role, showing she’s not just relying on known talent for her casting, which, hopefully, carries over into her casting of the Pevensies.

But she’s also balancing out with big star power, too, as with Streep. Daniel Craig has also been rumored for a Narnia role, though it’s unclear what role that would be. As Gerwig is adapting The Magician’s Nephew for her The Chronicles of Narnia adaptation, it’s possible that the production could be eyeing Craig for the role of Professor Digory Kirke. However the casting shakes out, it’s refreshing to see that Gerwig isn’t being conservative with her choices simply because Narnia is an old IP and that Netflix is letting Greta Gerwig be Greta Gerwig.

Sources: Nexus Point News, Archdiocese of Baltimore

The Chronicles of Narnia

Created by

C.S. Lewis

First Film

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Latest Film

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

First TV Show

The Chronicles of Narnia

First Episode Air Date

November 13, 1988

Summary

The Chronicles of Narnia is a fantasy franchise based on the seven-book series written by C.S. Lewis between 1950 and 1956. The series is set in the magical world of Narnia, where children from our world are transported to fulfill prophecies, battle evil forces, and restore peace under the guidance of Aslan, a mystical lion. The franchise has seen multiple adaptations, including a BBC television series in the late 1980s, three major Hollywood films between 2005 and 2010, and an upcoming reboot by Netflix, which has generated significant anticipation. The franchise is beloved for its rich allegorical storytelling, blending Christian themes with epic fantasy elements.

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