Netflix’s Adaptation of 75-Year-Old Fantasy Masterpiece Series Gets Insane Hype: “Going To Change the World”

December 8, 2025, 2:30pm

Netflix has long been searching for a flagship, epic fantasy franchise, and it might have finally found it. Most of its efforts have been focused on TV shows, in particular adaptations, such as The Witcher or Shadow & Bone, neither of which worked out as the streamer would’ve hoped. However, fortunes should change in 2026 thanks to Netflix’s latest effort, which will initially be for the big screen instead of the small one: Greta Gerwig’s reboot of The Chronicles of Narnia.

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The classic C.S. Lewis books have been adapted before, by Disney in the 2000s and 2010s. Only three movies were made before the franchise fizzled out, and now Netflix and Gerwig are teaming up with the intention of delivering a superior version. It’ll begin with The Magician’s Nephew, chronologically the first in the series, though it was the sixth to be published. There are ambitious release plans for the movie, including a two-week IMAX exclusive theatrical run, which is generating some considerable hype. Speaking at IMAX’s Investors Day [via NarniaWeb], CEO Rich Gelfond said it’d be a “cultural event” that would “change the world.” Check out his full quote below:

“So this is one where, […] my team has to hold me back. Because I think, as I said before, that it’s really going to change the world. And I know that sounds like a lot of hyperbole, but Greta is making this movie for IMAX, and then fully understands that when word gets out about what this movie is, it’s going to create a cultural event.”

Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Should Be Huge For Netflix

The Chronicles of Narnia reboot will be huge for both Netflix and IMAX, and could indeed be a game-changer for theatrical rollouts. The film is, somewhat controversially, being released in around 1,000 IMAX screens in November 2026, before hitting Netflix one month later, a move that has been criticized by other theater chains such as Vue [via Variety]. Netflix already has a complicated and divisive relationship with theater chains, and its reluctance to give movies full theatrical releases has contributed to concerns over its bid to buy Warner Bros. Narnia isn’t going to help change that, but if it’s a success, it’s a model that could certainly be repeated, for better or worse.

As for the quality of the movie itself, that should be assured. While Narnia movies have gone wrong before, Gerwig is one of the best directors working in Hollywood right now, who has proven she can handle fantasy, big budgets, classic literary adaptations, and coming-of-age stories, all of which make her a perfect fit for Lewis’ stories. Gelfond agrees, saying:

“This is a real blockbuster movie that’s being made for [IMAX and Netflix] and you know, I guess I do have to talk a little about why I’m so excited about it. This is not your mother’s or your grandmother‘s Narnia. The music in it is unbelievably contemporary music, which IMAX fans like. I’m not gonna say specifically, but things like Pink Floyd and The Doors. You know that kind of music which people go to see in IMAX.”

The music comment is an interesting one, since it’s not what you’d expect from a Narnia movie, though it should certainly help generate more discussion around the film. As well as the sound design, which is always a big part of IMAX, the visuals should also be spectacular. Those elements will be important for IMAX screens, but it’s the story and performances that’ll ensure people come back not only for more showings, but for the Netflix release as well, and that’s where Gerwig should really shine.

With it expected to premiere on the streamer at Christmas, this is likely to be a major drop for the service and be a big holiday event. If it’s as big a success as it could (and should) be, then it makes sequels a lot more likely (initial reports had Gerwig down for two movies, but seven books in total could be adapted) and can finally give Netflix a massive fantasy franchise that can also be released in theaters.

Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew will be released in IMAX on November 26th, 2026, before streaming on Netflix at Christmas.

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