Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Reboot Sets IMAX Release Date Ahead of Netflix Debut

Following the success of Barbie in 2023, Greta Gerwig’s upcoming project will be a new retelling of The Chronicles of Narnia. Gerwig will collaborate with Netflix for the upcoming reboot and has scored a major win for it to receive a wide release.

Initially supposed to be released on Netflix, IMAX has reportedly expressed interest in screening the upcoming adaptation of Narnia. The deal might’ve been difficult, considering Netflix’s policy on theatrical releases but, after months of negotiations, the movie will be officially heading to IMAX. Per Variety, Narnia will be exclusively released on Imax’s screens worldwide two weeks in advance before the movie’s wide release on Netflix. The Narnia film will premiere on Netflix on Christmas 2026, with an Imax release on Thanksgiving Day of the same year.

Related

Netflix Spends Big Bucks for Popular ‘BookTok’ Series Adaptation

Move over, Bridgerton, a new steamy literary romance is making its way to Netflix.

Posts

The popular C.S. Lewis fantasy series has been previously adapted before and Greta Gerwig is set to reboot the series on a big budget. Netflix agreeing to release films in IMAX is a rarity, considering that the streaming service usually opts for limited release for its titles in order to qualify for awards, like Emilia Perez and Maria, but mostly keeps all the films on its platform.

The upcoming Narnia adaptation has been in development for a long time. Netflix announced the plans to develop a new TV series and film project based on the series in 2018. Gerwig joined the project in 2023, and her deal would include directing at least two Narnia films.

In the fall of 2024, news broke out that IMAX and the Oscar-nominated filmmaker were looking into a theatrical release for the upcoming adaptation, but nothing could guarantee that Netflix would agree to it. Netflix reportedly intends to adapt all seven of Lewis’ books in the eponymous series, reportedly committing a $175 million budget to the first movie. Prior to the announcement, Gerwig was reportedly “bummed” over Netflix’s release plans, but the Imax news is exciting for the first installment, as well as the rest of the series.

Related

Netflix Announces Black Hawk Down Series Based on Ridley Scott’s 24-Year-Old War Masterpiece

The new series will feature firsthand accounts of the events Black Hawk Down is based on.

Posts

Daniel Craig also reportedly clashed with Netflix over the release of his Knives Out sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The director wanted the sequel to head to theaters, just like the first installment, and reportedly told Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos that directly. The sequel received a limited release in more than 600 theaters for a week in 2022, but the actor wanted more.

The Chronicles of Narnia Have Been Adapted Before

While Netflix is currently hoping Narnia will become its latest hit on the platform, this will be hardly the first time the seven books have been adapted. The first time C.S. Lewis’ novels received an adaptation was in 1967, when the first installment, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was adapted into a ten-episode series. The same novel was adapted again in 1979 as an animated special. From 1988 to 1990, several parts of the fantasy series were turned into three BBC TV serials, based on the first four novels.

Close

The Chronicles of Narnia has also been adapted to the big screen. Between 2005 and 2010, Disney and 20th Century Fox adapted the first three novels out of the seven-book series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. All three films grossed over $1.5 billion worldwide, although they had less commercial and critical success with each installment. There were plans for a fourth film but were abandoned once Netflix purchased the rights for a new adaptation.

Source: Variety

The Chronicles of Narnia

Created by C.S. Lewis

First Film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Latest Film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

First TV Show The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe