Netflix’s Chronicles of Narnia movies might be the most anticipated book adaptations in a long time. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe was one of the first movies I clearly remember seeing in theaters. As a child who usually preferred less fantastical worlds, I was still completely sucked in by the story of the Pevensie children and the snowy alternate world that they inhabited in the first movie. But with the Disney movies, only three of the seven-book series were adapted, ending with The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010.

Greta Gerwig is already changing things with her version of the C.S. Lewis books. She is confirmed to direct two movies for Netflix, the first of which will reportedly adapt The Magician’s Nephew. Published in 1955, this book is the sixth in the original series by publishing order, but as a prequel, it is chronologically the first. It is not confirmed whether Gerwig will continue to make Narnia movies after these first two films, but if she does, there are some concerns about what may happen.

Why Netflix’s Narnia Franchise Could Run Into The 2040s

Major Franchises Usually Release A Movie Every Two Years At Max

If Netflix decides to adapt all seven of the Narnia books, it is completely possible that the series will run into the 2040s. After all, Gerwig’s adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew does not come out until at least 2026. In general, even franchises with fast turnarounds can only make movies one every two years, though maintaining this rate could be unrealistic when considering high budgets and the schedules of actors and directors. If it maintained an every-two-years rate, it would end in 2038, but any slight delay could shift things into the 2040s.

There are some ways that Netflix could try to mitigate this elongated approach to the series. Firstly, they could try to film the movies back-to-back, or super close together in some other way. This strategy could allow the streamer to release the Narnia movies in consecutive years, or even multiple in the same year. However, whether they do this is contingent upon how well the adaptations do, and whether Netflix is willing to dedicate that much time and effort to these movies.

As someone who came-of-age alongside Narnia, I’m also someone who grew up with the first of James Cameron’s Avatar movies. While it is so exciting to see the Na’vi saga continue as an adult, it presents a clear phenomenon; the first two franchise entries were split between releasing in my childhood versus adulthood. While Avatar: The Way of Water was still a huge hit, the long gap meant that some original audiences had grown up already. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but nonetheless seems like the unique track that Narnia could be on.

Netflix Adapting All Seven Narnia Books Poses Multiple Challenges

The Child-Based Cast Is The Biggest Problem

There are several potential hiccups when it comes to adapting all seven books in the Narnia series. While centuries pᴀss in the land of Narnia, the Earthly timeline for the six books that are not The Magician’s Nephew spans only nine years in total. Some entries only have a year or two between them. For a series that includes children, this poses a major issue for the filming. As evidenced by Stranger Things, Netflix has already had issues with a young cast growing up too fast, and that would also be a risk for Narnia.

Extending the story also risks losing audience interest, and faltering in quality. The books themselves have elicited different reception, with some acting as beloved children’s novels and others seeming less impressive as time goes on. Gerwig is also only confirmed to direct the first two movies, and if she bowed out after that, her vision for the franchise could be lost. If Netflix still decides to go for all seven Narnia books despite these significant barriers, the pressure to deliver a satisfying ending will be extremely high.