Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia reboot for Netflix could be a refreshing change of pace for the fantasy genre compared to what has been released in the past ten years. The 21st century has already seen two considerable waves of fantasy adaptations. Movies in the 2000s tried to mimic the success of Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings films and the Harry Potter series, leading to the previous Narnia adaptations and other films like Eragon, Stardust, and The Golden Compass.
The cultural phenomenon of Game of Thrones in the 2010s resulted in another slew of high-budget fantasy projects, this time on television. Shows like The Witcher, Rings of Power, and His Dark Materials have achieved varying degrees of success, but none reached the level of popularity studios had hoped for. With the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, high-budget fantasy projects could slow down again. However, Greta Gerwig’s confirmed Chronicles of Narnia movies could pave the way forward for the genre once again, fulfilling an aspect of fantasy recent projects haven’t touched on.
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Movies Will Be A Different Kind Of Fantasy To Most Of The Last Decade
Many recent fantasy TV shows like The Witcher have been dark, edgy, and skewed toward an adult audience, as studios have seen the success of Game of Thrones and want to emulate it. One of the reasons fantasy TV shows are so hard to adapt is due to this disconnect between studios and the material they have access to. Not every fantasy story is Game of Thrones, and they’ll often lose vital pieces of their identity in trying to be more like it. The Chronicles of Narnia are an entirely different sort of fantasy.
With Greta Gerwig in charge, Netflix’s Chronicles of Narnia films could offer a unique fantasy movie experience, creating something that’s suited for younger audiences with a lighter tone. That doesn’t mean they should be entirely children’s movies, as C.S. Lewis’s novels are rich in thematic depth that adults can enjoy too. Not to mention, Greta Gerwig’s Narnia movies are so exciting because she has experience tackling mature themes in child-appropriate movies, creating artistic cinema that’s also easily accessible. Her adaptations could offer a light-hearted sense of magic and wonder that the fantasy genre desperately needs.
Why Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles Of Narnia Movies Are So Exciting (Even After Previous Letdowns)
Even after the previous Narnia films received mixed reviews, Gerwig’s adaptations should be something to look forward to. The source material is timeless and powerful on its own, and it’s never been brought to life by a filmmaker as talented or popular as Greta Gerwig. Her comments about the project so far have demonstrated a solid understanding of how to be faithful to the books while incorporating her own style. The future looks bright for The Chronicles of Narnia and the broader fantasy genre.
Chronicles of Narnia Adaptations | Release Year | Rotten Tomatoes Score | IMDb Score | Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|---|
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | 2005 | 75% | 6.9/10 | $291 million |
Prince Caspian | 2008 | 66% | 6.5/10 | $141 million |
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader | 2010 | 50% | 6.3/10 | $104 million |
The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe | 1988 | Not scored | 7.2/10 | Television |
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe | 1979 | 69% | 7.1/10 | Television |
