Why Greta Gerwig Is (Politely) Butting Heads With Netflix Over Chronicles Of Narnia

Netflix doesn't do theatrical releases. It's an established fact and a policy that the studio continues to adhere to — even though it's creating tension once again, this time with its upcoming "Chronicles of Narnia" reboot. The studio announced that they had obtained the iconic C.S. Lewis IP back in 2018 and five years later casually confirmed that Gerwig was on board to helm at least two of its upcoming Narnia movies.

The project is set to be massive, with recent reports estimating that the budget will pass the $200 million mark. With a top director and plenty of cash behind the effort, Netflix is clearly giving its "Chronicles of Narnia" adaptation plenty of oomph. But as of this writing, it still won't be going near a movie theater. 

The new head of Netflix's film unit, Dan Lin, recently reiterated the company's insistence on keeping its streaming products on the small screen — and based on what we're hearing so far, that is creating a polite but very real sense of tension behind the scenes. Puck reported that Gerwig had raised concerns about a project this big not getting the attention and fanfare of a theatrical release. "It's all been friendly requests so far," the outlet explained. "Demands and screaming isn't really Gerwig's style — but she's clearly bummed about the platform she's being offered — and not offered." 

More recently, Bloomberg, which broke the news about the film's mammoth budget, quietly skirted (but also didn't) the no-theater policy with the laconic line, "Gerwig also wants a proper theatrical release." While there's no sign that Netflix will shift its stance any time soon, there's no doubt that its resistance to the big screen is a sticking point for major Hollywood directors.

While the theater issue remains a sticky one, there is plenty to look forward to with Gerwig's upcoming adaptation. Last year, Head of Netflix Film Scott Stuber said that the studio was on track to break ground on Gerwig's Narnia in 2024. Even if that's just the start of production, it's a good sign after six years of waiting.

Gerwig has assured fans that the franchise is in safe hands, as Narnia is one of her childhood favorites. She is equally terrified and excited (and rightly so) at the scope of the project. Gerwig also said that she wants her telling of the classic fantasy to feel magical. "I'm trying to make it magical," she said. "I want to make it feel like magic. C.S. Lewis said that the goal of writing fantasy – you know, something from his imagination – he'd say, let's say you wrote about an enchanted forest. The goal would be that then, every time you walk into a forest after you read it, you say to yourself, 'Maybe this is an enchanted forest.'" 

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has also contributed to the buzz, saying that the project will be "bigger and bolder" than audiences might expect and adding that it will be "rooted in faith."

It appears audiences are in for a fresh, exciting new take on Narnia that will try to walk the line between respecting the source material and adding a new sense of energy that suits modern audiences. Who knows: maybe Gerwig will even start at the chronological beginning of the story, rather than jumping straight to the best known book in the series, "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe." The first book, "The Magician's Nephew," traces the origin of Professor Kirke (played by Jim Broadbent in the 2005 film) and the genesis of Narnia.