The wardrobe is opening again, but this time Narnia has American filmmaker and actress Greta Gerwig at the helm. The filmmaker is taking C. S. Lewis’ beloved fantasy world returned to its roots with Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, set to roar into Imax and cinemas worldwide on 12 February 2027, followed by a Netflix release on 2 April.
And for those who simply cannot wait to step through the wardrobe, Imax sneak previews will begin on 10 February.
Written and directed by Gerwig, the film marks the first screen adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew, the origin story that delves into how Narnia came to be and how its magical ties to our world began.
First published in 1955, The Magician’s Nephew explores the beginnings of Narnia and leads into the events of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The seven-book series has sold more than 120 million copies across 70 countries and has been translated into more than 60 languages.
Netflix has offered a fresh behind-the-scenes peek at the production, featuring Gerwig on set with her crew as she brings Lewis’ sprawling fantasy to life. The cast is no small affair either. Newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell lead an ensemble that includes Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough, Susan Wokoma, Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep.
For Gerwig, the project is also a childhood dream coming full circle. The filmmaker has previously spoken about reading The Magician’s Nephew as a child and being captivated by its idea of a cosmic lion singing Narnia into existence.
Gerwig mentioned, “Working with Netflix to bring this film to life has been extraordinary and Imax continues to be an incredible partner. I cannot wait for people to see the film in theatres on 12 February and on Netflix on 2 April.”
“I was a child when I first read The Magician’s Nephew, and I fell in love with the gorgeously improbable but completely brilliant concept of a cosmic lion singing the world of Narnia to life,” Gerwig added. “I didn’t know that I would grow up to make films, but a universe built out of music is an idea that always lived in my heart. It is the honour of a lifetime to be asked to imagine it into being. Because of Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, I believed in magic and hidden worlds and adventure. I believed that anywhere could be enchanted and that anyone could be swept up into an epic. That wonder and awe was available to everyone, even ordinary people like me…. It transformed me.”
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is produced by Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Vincent Sieber-Smith, and Gerwig, and executive produced by Patricia Whitcher and Douglas Gresham and Melvin Adams for the C. S. Lewis Estate. The film is co-produced by Christine Crais. Netflix will distribute the film domestically, while Sony Pictures Entertainment will handle distribution outside North America.
Now, more than seven decades after Lewis first opened the door to Narnia, Gerwig is ready to swing it wide open again. The lion is singing, the magic is stirring and Narnia is back on the big screen this time at Imax scale.
