Greta Gerwig’s adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia will hopefully see the series through its completion, though one book may be skippable in the long run. C.S. Lewis published the Narnia books in the 1950s, and they’ve stood the test of time as a cherished collection of children’s fantasy novels with rich, complex themes. Many modern audiences are familiar with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, due to Disney’s 2005 movie adaptation, but there’s six more installments to the Narnia book series to explore.

The Disney Narnia series adapted three books before indefinite delays, and the eventual sale of the property rights concluded any chance of continuation. After purchasing the rights in 2018, Netflix announced Greta Gerwig would direct The Chronicles of Narnia as a film series, or at least the first two. Hopes are high for the iconic fantasy series as Gerwig is one of the most recognizable names in Hollywood, following the $1 billion success of Barbie and her critically acclaimed movies Little Women and Lady Bird. There’s still minimal info regarding the reboot or Netflix’s plan to structure the series.

Why Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles Of Narnia Movies Should Skip The Horse And His Boy

The Horse And His Boy Deviates From The Narnia Series

One of the biggest questions regarding Greta Gerwig’s reboot is the proper order for the Chronicles of Narnia series. There’s some discrepancy regarding the release order and C.S. Lewis’s intended chronological reading order. Either way, The Horse and His Boy falls into a weird situation that throws off the course of events. The book is arguably the weakest in the series, though it must be said it serves as a worthy representation of Lewis’s themes. When adapting novels into a film series, however, choices will often be made by studios for entertainment value, which could easily result in it being skipped.

The biggest problem with The Horse and His Boy isn’t that the book itself is bad; it’s that it deviates heavily from the series’ characters and overarching plot. Literature tends to have more freedom in exploring different angles of a universe, whereas Netflix may not be as willing to stray away from its main characters and narrative. The Horse and His Boy is a great book for kids, but it’s challenging to imagine it translating into a franchise movie that Netflix could market.

Narnia’s Other Weaker Stories Can’t Be Skipped By Greta Gerwig’s Reboot

Netflix Will Have To Make The Chronicles Of Narnia’s Low Points Work

The Chronicles of Narnia books with the lowest aggregate scores from readers on Goodreads are The Silver Chair and The Horse and His Boy, and while The Last Battle is on the better end, it still has some of the most divisive talking points in the series. Regardless of opinions about The Last Battle or any of the other Narnia books, they can’t be skipped if Netflix wants to complete the series. Greta Gerwig and Netflix should bring The Chronicles of Narnia to life as faithfully as possible, but it seems likely that some books will be changed for movie audiences.