According to Matthew Belloni’s What I’m Hearing newsletter, Barbie director Greta Gerwig is reportedly “pissed off” by the streaming-first release plan for the Chronicles of Narnia reboot, and is advocating for a theatrical release instead. Although the acclaimed director expressed his concerns to Netflix, the streaming giant refused to change its release strategy.
Based on the iconic novels by C.S. Lewis, The Chronicles of Narnia began with 1950’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and spawned six sequels. There have been several small-screen adaptations of the original series. In 2005, the franchise earned its first big-screen adaptation, followed by Prince Caspian in 2008 and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010, which marked the end of the franchise.
In an interview with Bleeding Cool, William Moseley, who played Peter Pevensie in all three feature films of The Chronicles of Narnia, shared his disappointment in the direction the franchise is heading. After saying that the Netflix feature film directed by Gerwig would be a “rebranding and rebooting” of the franchise, the actor admitted that he was sad to no longer be a part of it.
He said, “I’m not a part of that world anymore, which makes me sad sometimes because I love the world of Narnia and being a part of it.” However, he would love to have the opportunity to visit a film set and see what they are producing. In another interview with Screen Rant, the actor confessed that if he was asked, he would join the film.
But unfortunately, his time with the franchise has come to an end. “And that’s the way it is. If I could ever be asked, that’s great, but I don’t think it’s there,” he said. In July 2023, it was confirmed that Gerwig would star in Netflix’s highly anticipated Chronicles of a Will write and direct the Narnia reboot.
Speaking to Collider, the Little Women director responded to being previously quoted as “scared” about taking the reins of the fantasy-adventure franchise. “When I’m scared, it’s always a good sign,” she said. He said, “It’s extraordinary. And so we’ll see, I don’t know.”
The untitled Chronicles of Narnia reboot is expected to arrive on the streaming platform in 2025.
