The wardrobe is swinging wide open once more — and the latest Chronicles of Narnia are getting another heavy-hitter.Carey Mulliganis in negotiations to join the cast ofThe Magician’sNephew, the first entry inGreta Gerwig’sNarniasaga for Netflix.ThePromising Young WomanandMaestrostar is reportedly set to portray the ailing mother of Digory, one of the two young main characters who unleash the White Witch upon London in this sweeping fantasy origin story. Gerwig’s film is based onC.S. Lewis’ssixth-published(but chronologically first, if you can keep up)Narnianovel.The Hollywood Reporterreported the news first.
The project is already shaping up to be one of the most ambitious in Netflix history — and not just because of the scale. Gerwig, who wrote and is directing the feature, has assembled a pretty good cast so far, includingDaniel Craigas the eccentric Uncle Andrew,Emma Mackeyas the villainousJadis, a.k.a. the White Witch, andMeryl Streep, reportedly voicing the mighty lion Aslan, so Mulligan just adds another layer of prestige to the big-budget project.
While most audiences knowThe Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobeas the jumping-off point for theNarniaseries,The Magician’s Nephewacts as a prequel, exploring the origins of Narnia itself — and the White Witch’s arrival in that world. The story follows Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, two London children who stumble into alternate worlds thanks to Digory’s uncle’s magical experiments. Their journey eventually leads to the birth of Narnia and the first appearance of Aslan.
Will ‘The Magician’s Nephew’ Be Released in IMAX?
Gerwig, fresh off the billion-dollar success ofBarbie, is once againteaming up with Netflixfor this one, but on a much grander scale. In a bold move championed by Gerwig,The Magician’s Nephewwill get a28-day exclusive theatrical run in IMAXahead of its streaming debut — an unusual strategy for the streaming giant, but one it has agreed to as part of its partnership with IMAX.
“We’re incredibly excited about this,” IMAX CEORichard Gelfondsaid at the Cannes Film Festival. “Netflix has told us that they’re going to market the film as both a theatrical release in IMAX and a streaming release… this is not going to be like a traditional Netflix rollout.”
The Magician’s Nephewis due to be released theatrically on IMAX in 2026. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Source:The Hollywood Reporter
