Greta Gerwig is rebooting The Chronicles of Narnia franchise for Netflix, and some of her regular collaborators would be perfect casting choices to play C.S. Lewis’ iconic literary characters. Following her work on Barbie, one of the most highly anticipated movies of 2023, Gerwig is leaving behind her roots in small-scale dramas like Lady Bird and Little Women and moving into big-budget blockbuster territory. The New Yorker reports that Gerwig has struck a deal with Netflix to write and direct at least two movies based on Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia books.
From Aslan to the Pevensie kids, there are plenty of key roles to cast in the reboot of The Chronicles of Narnia franchise. Throughout her directorial career, Gerwig has worked with legendary actors like Meryl Streep, Laura Dern, and Stephen McKinley Henderson. Like most auteur filmmakers, Gerwig tends to reuse actors whom she trusts and has built a solid working relationship with, like Timothée Chalamet. Some of Gerwig’s closest collaborators line up perfectly with the beloved characters from Lewis’ books, though Gerwig would also likely need to mix up the cast with some new additions as well.
Related
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Confirmed: Production Status & Everything We Know
Director Greta Gerwig has officially been tapped to helm a Chronicles of Narnia reboot, and here’s what we know about the upcoming film series.
10 Timothée Chalamet
As Mr. Tumnus
Timothée Chalamet brought his broody brand of pathos and movie-star charisma to love interest roles in Lady Bird and Little Women: he played pompous bookworm Kyle Scheible in Lady Bird and the handsome, charming Theodore “Laurie” Laurence in Little Women. The best role for Chalamet in The Chronicles of Narnia would be Mr. Tumnus. The actor recently showed off his ability to play more eccentric roles in Wonka, and he could bring some of that eccentricity to the faun who guides the Pevensies through Narnia.
Chalamet’s frequent scene partner in Gerwig’s movies, Saoirse Ronan, is often fancast in the role of older Pevensie sibling, Susan. Ronan, who likely would have been great in the role if the Narnia reboot had happened a few years before the announcement of Gerwig as the director, may be aging out of a role as one of the children. The Pevensies, after all, grow up throughout the story. Gerwig might still find another part for her though as there are plenty of potential voice roles in the talking animals of Narnia.
9 Stephen McKinley Henderson
As Digory Kirke
Professor Digory Kirke acts as a father figure to the Pevensie children when they’re evacuated and sent to stay with him during the war. The great Stephen McKinley Henderson is often cast as a wise, warm-hearted character like Lady Bird’s drama teacher Father Leviatch. One exception was the wildly unprofessional psychiatrist in Beau is Afraid. Henderson has been one of the world’s most renowned character actors for decades. He has the impressive ability to command the audience’s attention without overplaying a scene. He could have fun as the eccentric Professor.
8 Kingsley Ben-Adir And Lupita Nyong’o
As Mr. and Mrs. Beaver
There is a tendency to want to cast older actors in the roles of characters whose names are preceded by “Mr.” or “Mrs.” That isn’t necessary though. Instead, what Gerwig needs is a pair of actors who are great at controlling their voices since they’ll presumably be recording their lines in a studio with CGI beavers appearing as the characters on screen. Both Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lupita Nyong’o have demonstrated their abilities with their voices in the large variety of roles they’ve taken on. They’ve both affected a variety of accents in particular.
Both actors also have incredibly full schedules, so voice roles, which they could record in a shorter amount of time instead of committing to live-action roles on set, would work out in their favor. Though Nyong’o hasn’t yet worked with Gerwig, Ben-Adir played one of the many different Kens in her Barbie movie.
Related
10 Chronicles Of Narnia Details Cut From The Disney Movies That Netflix’s Reboot Must Include
While the Chronicles of Narnia films introduced viewers to the enchanting realm, some essential details from the original books were omitted.
7 Ncuti Gatwa
As Reepicheep
Ncuti Gatwa has a working relationship with Gerwig after appearing as a Ken in the Barbie movie, and with Netflix after being a main cast member in Sex Education, but he’s also a star on the rise thanks to his new role as the title character in Doctor Who. He’d be a great choice for the voice of the warrior mouse Reepicheep. The Narnia franchise thrives on its sincerity, even in its more comedic and fantastical characters like Reepicheep, the warrior mouse, and Gatwa would play the voice role with the gravitas and honesty it would need.
6 Idris Elba
As Aslan
Aslan is the regal lion who brings hope and light to the winters of Narnia. The character has to be voiced by someone who can command attention, but still provide a measure of warmth for the children who grow to love him. Liam Neeson voiced the character in Disney’s movies, and Idris Elba would be a great choice to fill his shoes. Some might not think Elba would be interested in voice work, but he’s already voiced Knuckles in the Sonic movies and voiced several characters in Disney movies.
5 Margot Robbie
As The White Witch
Tilda Swinton has left behind some big shoes to fill with the role of Jadis, the White Witch, one of the big bads of The Chronicles of Narnia series. Gerwig must cast someone with real star power to provide a fresh take on the iconic villain. Her A-list Barbie star, Margot Robbie, would be a great choice for this villain. Robbie rarely plays villains, but her morally ambiguous turn as antihero Harley Quinn in the now-defunct DC Extended Universe proves she’d do something unforgettable with the role of the White Witch.
Related
Chronicles Of Narnia In Order (Books & Movies)
The Chronicles of Narnia books, written by C.S. Lewis, and movies can be consumed in multiple orders, including chronologically and by release date.
4 May Nivola
As Lucy Pevensie
Lucy Pevensie is one of the most important roles to cast in The Chronicles of Narnia reboot. She’s the audience surrogate who first discovers Narnia and has difficulty convincing her older siblings that it’s a real place. May Nivola could be a strong choice for the part. Nivola co-starred with Gerwig in White Noise as her character’s stepdaughter, Steffie Gladney, so they’ve got an established rapport.
3 Walker Scobell
As Edmund Pevensie
Edmund is the Pevensie brother who is just a bit older than Lucy, and the one first swayed by the White Witch because he feels separate from his siblings. Scobell is a relative newcomer, but his charm while playing Ryan Reynolds’s young self in Project Adam and the title character in Percy Jackson and the Olympians proves that he can hold his own opposite more established performers. The downside? Scobell is American and hasn’t had to use any kind of British accent in his work. The Pevensies are decidedly English, staying with relatives in the countryside during World War II.
2 Beau Gadsdon
As Susan Pevensie
Beau Gadsdon’s young career has largely been playing the younger versions of characters in flashbacks. She’s been young Lisbeth in The Girl in the Spider’s Web, young Jyn in Star Wars: Rogue One, and young Princess Margaret in The Crown. Gadsdon has been able to flawlessly step into the shoes of other actresses but only had a handful of chances to portray characters that are all her own. Susan, the older sister who is both brave and kind, but the first to leave Narnia behind, could be a star-marking role for Gadsdon.
1 Sam Nivola
As Peter Pevensie
Nivola’s real-life brother, Sam Nivola, played her fictional brother, Heinrich Gladney, alongside Gerwig in the White Noise cast. Just like their authentic sibling relationship rang true in White Noise, it could ring true if the Nivolas are both cast as Pevensie kids in The Chronicles of Narnia. The Nivolas previously worked together on the “Neighborhood Watch” segment of the anthology film With/In. They’ve developed a tangible on-screen dynamic that could bring Lucy and Peter’s brother-sister relationship to life.
Of course, part of the charm of Disney’s version of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe is that the Pevenside children were all played by actors most audiences weren’t yet familiar with. Georgie Henley made her professional acting debut as Lucy. It’s entirely possible that Greta Gerwig could go a similar route, casting actors whose work she already knows in the adult roles, but filling in the roles of the Pevensie children with virtual unknowns for Netflix’s Chronicles of Narnia reboot.
