Original Chronicles of Narnia Film Star Weighs In on Netflix’s Wild Reboot

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Netflix’s fresh interpretation of “The Chronicles of Narnia” deviates slightly from the past films and books, yet actor Ben Barnes remains unfazed. In a recent event on the red carpet in Los Angeles, he expressed his anticipation towards director Greta Gerwig’s unique approach to the series compared to others. Previously portraying Prince Caspian in the latter two installments of the franchise, Barnes’ breakout role propelled his career forward. Similar to many others, Barnes is optimistic that this adaptation will tackle elements not previously explored, and even with the revisiting of the stories he was part of, he is eager to see how they will differ in this new rendition.

In the case of timeless classics, there’s always room for creative adaptation if it remains fresh and resonates with a contemporary audience,” Barnes noted. “I believe these tales have an inherent quality that enables them to convey captivating allegories about themes like hope, virtue, and faith through imaginative storytelling. I find it intriguing to imagine how she might approach such a retelling. I’m excited that [Narnia] is being reimagined.

Greta Gerwig has agreed to pen and direct at least two films for Netflix’s adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” series. Although Lewis wrote seven novels in the series, they weren’t published in the order of their occurrence. Instead, the books frequently jumped around both the timeline within Narnia and that of the real world. From 2005 to 2010, three of the books were turned into movies – “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” “Prince Caspian,” and “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.” These are the first three novels in their publication sequence, and most readers suggest starting with this order. However, Netflix is said to be approaching the narrative in a chronological manner rather than following the original publication order.

It’s being whispered that Greta Gerwig is at present penning a script for “The Magician’s Nephew,” which is the sixth novel published within the series and the first in Narnia’s chronology. If Netflix decides to stick with this order, the second film would likely be “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” followed by “The Horse and His Boy,” then “Prince Caspian,” “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader,” “The Silver Chair,” and finally, “The Last Battle.” This would mark the first time a single studio has owned the rights to adapt all seven books, causing great excitement among fans who are eagerly anticipating a complete adaptation.

Barnes could potentially have been discussing the unconventional style shown in Gerwig’s adaptation, which seems to align with Pascal’s description of a “fresh perspective on Narnia that embodies the spirit of rock ‘n’ roll.” However, it is not entirely clear what this means, but for some readers, it seems incongruous with the enchanting, fairy tale ambiance typically associated with these books.

It remains to be seen what Pascal’s true intentions are until we get a chance to watch more of the movie ourselves. The Chronicles of Narnia is set to start filming soon, with plans for its release over Thanksgiving weekend in 2026. Until then, you can catch up on previous film adaptations streaming now on Disney+, or read Lewis’ novels in print, digital, and audiobook formats.

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2025-07-10 22:13