Neflix’s Narnia Trailer Sparks Controversy
Earlier this week, Netflix unveiled the first trailer for its ambitious $300 million project, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. The response, however, hasn’t been exactly warm.
With a theatrical release starting on February 12 before hitting Netflix, the film’s success will hinge on box office performance. There’s quite a bit riding on this, especially when you consider the potential for a whole franchise.
There are seven books in the Narnia series, and it’s clear Netflix hopes this could turn into its own version of Harry Potter.
So, it’s a bit curious—why did Netflix give this initial chapter to Greta Gerwig? Here’s a writer-director who has been fairly vocal about not aligning with Christian themes, and who has made a name for herself by critiquing patriarchal structures.
And it gets even more curious. The main character in the Narnia series, Aslan the lion, is not just a prominent figure but essentially represents Christ. Yet, what does Gerwig do? She casts Meryl Streep to voice Aslan, the male lion and symbolic Christ figure.
This raises some eyebrows, especially when you think about C.S. Lewis, the author behind the Narnia series. Gerwig’s approach seems like a direct challenge to the legacies of Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Some critics argue that Gerwig shows a lack of respect for the source material. There’s an unsettling pattern with beloved franchises; it appears that Gerwig may be yet another example of someone who resents the original work and its fans. It makes you wonder—what’s the purpose of this creative direction?
Netflix faces challenges beyond just its Christian audience. Reports indicate that the production has encountered various issues from the start, with poor test scores, costly reshoots, and reportedly some friction between Gerwig and Netflix executives.
The public’s reaction has been revealing as well…
Even on Netflix’s official platform, the trailer has garnered mixed reviews that seem not to touch on any so-called heresies. After being online for a day, it managed to achieve 75K likes but also 43K dislikes—definitely not a favorable ratio for such a hefty investment.
Take a look for yourself:
Upon watching, I had a couple of thoughts: first, much of the excitement from the trailer seems to rely on Led Zeppelin’s music, and second, the visuals remind me oddly of a screensaver.
The most upvoted comments on YouTube aren’t holding back:
- Aslan the Great Lion will return in Avengers: Doomsday
- Narnians of the Galaxy
- Narnia: Love and Thunder
Essentially, viewers feel it’s just another Marvel-style film, and not a particularly good one.
- “What the hell is even that?” C.S. Lewis might have said.
- This looks like a story about two British kids stumbling upon their uncle’s secret LSD lab, and I won’t accept any other narrative!
- “Coming to a theater near you” sounds more like a threat.
- So, did Netflix look at Disney’s adaptation of A Wrinkle in Time and think, “Hold my beer”?
- Why turn C.S. Lewis into a bland corporate imitation of a Marvel movie?
- It’s bold of Netflix to keep the comments section open…
And the list goes on…
Another point worth considering is the February release date. If Netflix had confidence in this project, wouldn’t it have been a prime opportunity for a Christmas launch? Instead, it’s slated for a month often associated with films that don’t perform as well.
Frankly, after all we’ve seen in the past decade, I’m at a loss for why anyone who appreciates something would willingly subject themselves to a Narnia film, or a Lanterns project, or even a Star Wars installment. It feels like the goal is increasingly to mock and belittle fans for their attachment to these narratives.
“Evil cannot create anything new; it can only corrupt and ruin what good forces have invented or made.” It’s a quote often linked to Tolkien. He may not have said it verbatim, but that doesn’t make it any less true.
