'The Chronicles Of Narnia' Reboot Series And Movies Coming To Netflix

Netflix is ready to go through the wardrobe. The streaming giant just announced a Chronicles of Narnia reboot series, along with new films, that will once again attempt to bring C.S. Lewis' fantasy books to life. As part of a "a multi-year deal between Netflix and The C.S. Lewis Company," Netflix plans to "develop classic stories from across the Narnia universe into series and films for its members worldwide."

Everyone wants in on the fantasy epic game. HBO has Game of Thrones, and is planning spin-offs once that series ends. Amazon is developing a Lord of the Rings series. And now, Netflix has The Chronicles of Narnia. The streaming service announced today a plan to adapt C.S. Lewis' books into both a new TV series and new films as well.

"C.S. Lewis' beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world," said Ted Sarandos, Netflix's Chief Content Officer. "Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we're thrilled to be their home for years to come."

Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis, added: "It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world. Netflix seems to be the very best medium with which to achieve this aim, and I am looking forward to working with them towards this goal."

Lewis' books were published between 1950 and 1956, and began with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The series focused on the Pevensie siblings –  Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy – who step through a magic wardrobe into the fantastical land of Narnia. The series continued with Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician's Nephew and The Last Battle. Lewis, a theologian as well as a writer, loaded the books with Christian themes, as well as ideas from Greek and Roman mythology and classic fairy tales.

The books have had numerous adaptations, from cartoons to stage plays. In 2005, a new film series – hoping to cash-in on the Harry Potter craze – kicked off with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The film series continued with Prince Caspian (2008) and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). While the films were hits, the success wasn't enough to keep the film franchise booming. Joe Johnston was set to direct the next entry, The Silver Chair, but the film never came to pass. Now it's safe to assume it never will, as Netflix attempts to re-start the series fresh.

Mark Gordon of Entertainment One (eOne), Douglas Gresham and Vincent Sieber will serve as executive producers for series and as producers for features. 

"Narnia is one of those rare properties that spans multiple generations and geographies," said Gordon. "eOne and I are excited to be collaborating with The C.S. Lewis Company and Netflix who have the capacity to translate the Narnia universe into both stellar feature-length and episodic programming. We cannot wait to get started on the multiple productions we hope to undertake."