Original Chronicles of Narnia Star Weighs in on Greta Gerwig Reboot

Barbie director Greta Gerwig is set to bring to life an iconic fantasy world with a new take on The Chronicles of Narnia book series, and while star of previous adaptations William Moseley never got to complete the years-spanning narrative, he expressed his enthusiasm over Gerwig taking the concept into a new generation. While there's no official timeline of when the first story in the series, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, will be moving forward, it could mark one of Netflix's most ambitious projects to date, given the sprawling nature of the series and the years the source material explores.

"In terms of what I think about Greta Gerwig directing, I think she's incredible," Moseley shared with Bleeding Cool. "Barbie was an amazing movie, and Little Women was brilliant. Everything she touches turns gold, so I think Netflix is lucky to have her, and I'm sure she will embrace the challenge. I hope she enjoys it because it's an incredible world to create, and I can't wait to see what she produces."

Even before last year's Barbie became a tremendous success, Gerwig had been in talks with Netflix to bring the beloved C.S. Lewis stories to life for the streamer. Barbie would go on to become one of the most critically acclaimed and financially successful movies of 2023, which built only more excitement for how she would approach the iconic material.

Moseley entered the Narnia franchise as Peter Pevensie in 2005 when Disney delivered The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the first big-budget adaptation of the first Lewis story in the series. The movie was a hit with both audiences and critics alike, which allowed for the development of the sequels The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian in 2008 and The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010. Due to dwindling enthusiasm for the series with each subsequent entry, this version of the franchise stagnated indefinitely, ultimately leading towards Disney losing the rights to the property. When Netflix secured the rights to the series, it confirmed that the Disney franchise was done for good, despite there being four more books in the series.

Based on Moseley's remarks, it seems like he's at peace with having never gotten to finish the franchise he starred in, though it's unknown if Gerwig's adaptations will have any connections to the previous films.

Stay tuned for updates on Gerwig's The Chronicles of Narnia.

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