It is no longer a surprise that Netflix is remaking the popular C.S. Lewis novel series, The Chronicles of Narnia. And the fans’ response towards this update is surprisingly positive. Disney released its adaptation of the first Narnia novel, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe”, in 2005. After that, we received Prince Caspian (2008) and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). The first entry to Disney’s Narnia series received a fantastic response from critics and audiences, earning nearly $745 million globally. However, the last two entries failed to impress the audiences, largely due to their flawed storylines.
Netflix acquired the rights to make series and movies of The Chronicles of Narnia in 2018. It has been announced that Barbie’s director, Greta Gerwig, will write and helm at least two Narnia movies for the streaming giant. The majority of fans have reacted positively towards this news. Her name is in the limelight due to her upcoming theatrical release, featuring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the lead roles.
Gerwig is one of the key reasons why the news about Netflix remaking Narnia novels is being received positively by fans. She is considered one of the greatest feature directors in recent times. Her previous works, such as Lady Bird (2017) and Little Women (2019), are held in high esteem in Hollywood and among cinephiles. These flicks turned out great due to her exceptional directing and writing abilities. This must have given audiences faith in her work on the upcoming Narnia movies.
Remakes have a horrible reputation in Hollywood. Despite this scenario, prominent studios, like Disney, are now focused on producing and releasing live-action remakes and expanding their accounts with money earned from them. It is not like people hate watching remakes. They just want film studios to treat them right, especially those that are considered childhood favourites among them.
Greta Gerwig knows how to adapt classics without ruining the feel that made them classics. Little Women is the perfect example of this scenario. Her version was the seventh adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s iconic 1868 novel, yet it met with critical acclaim. The film earned a critic score of 95% (based on 425 reviews) and collected over $218 million globally against its $40 million budget.
The Chronicles of Narnia still treasures a large fandom, but its failure as a franchise still hurts them. Greta Gerwig has a wonderful opportunity to do something special with her upcoming Narnia films, scheduled to come out on Netflix in future. Stay tuned for more updates.