Netflix’s choice to focus on streaming instead of theater releases is causing concerns for Greta Gerwig’s new version of The Chronicles of Narnia. After the success of the early 2000s films, Gerwig agreed to write and direct two of the latest adaptations of C.S. Lewis’ famous fantasy series. The story follows the Pevensie siblings as they journey into Narnia and face the battle between good and evil.
In Matthew Belloni’s newsletter, What I’m Hearing, he mentions that Greta Gerwig, known for the stunning visuals in her movies like Barbie and Little Women, wants a theatrical release for her Chronicles of Narnia films. She believes a big-screen experience would better show off the beauty of C.S. Lewis’ magical world.
However, Netflix is sticking to its streaming-first plan, something they’ve also done with other filmmakers like Rian Johnson for his Knives Out movies. Belloni also notes that while Gerwig and Netflix are having friendly talks about this, she still feels disappointed.
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Without a theatrical release, Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia could miss out on the big-screen experience that helps fantasy movies feel more magical. It might also lose the chance to earn money at the box office, which is important for showing if a franchise can succeed and grow.
Netflix usually looks at viewership numbers to measure success, instead of box office earnings, but this might not be the best plan for a huge series like Narnia.
Netflix has done limited theater releases before, like with Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, but that was more of an exception. For Greta Gerwig, not having a big-screen release could affect her vision for Narnia. Her last film, Barbie, became a huge hit, earning $1.446 billion in 2023. It’s still uncertain if Netflix will change its mind and give Narnia a theater release, but its focus on streaming is already making people wonder how the project will be received.
Industry experts are discussing the possible financial impact if Greta Gerwig’s Narnia movies don’t create enough excitement through streaming. This could slow down Netflix’s plans to make more movies in the series. While there are no official plans yet, with seven books in C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series, it’s likely Netflix wants to adapt them all. However, this will depend on how much it costs to produce them.
Even though Netflix offers easy access, some worry that the magic of Narnia might not come across as well on smaller screens. Watching at home could also affect how much attention the movie gets, as people might get distracted by their phones or other things, which wouldn’t be a problem in theaters.
This streaming-first approach shows the ongoing struggle between traditional movie theaters and online releases, marking a change in how big fantasy stories are shared. For now, fans can only hope that The Chronicles of Narnia remake gets the attention it deserves, whether through a short theater release or an amazing streaming launch that truly captures the wonder of Lewis’ world.
Source: What I’m Hearing