Netflix’s highly anticipated The Chronicles of Narnia film franchise is set to kick off with a film adaption of The Magician’s Nephew. 

An offer has been made to Meryl Streep to portray a central character in the series: Aslan, the Great Lion. Streep is in talks to portray Aslan, who will be female in the series. Aslan in the novels is a talking lion who serves as Narnia’s guardian and a mentor to the human children. Typically portrayed as a male, Aslan was created as an allegory for Jesus by author C.S. Lewis.

The Academy Award winning actress can currently be seen in Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building as “Loretta Durkin.” Her most recent credits include the Apple TV+ anthology series, Extrapolations and Adam McKay’s Netflix feature, Don’t Look Up. Streep is CAA and Gendler Kelly & Cunningham.

The film, written and to be directed by Greta Gerwig, will adapt the sixth novel in the series, The Magician’s Nephew, which chronologically takes place first in the series. The novel tells the origin of Narnia and is centered on Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer who discover the magical world through Digory’s uncle’s magic. The role of Digory’s uncle, Andrew, is currently eyeing Daniel Craig, as reported by Deadline in March 2025. The novel also introduces Jadis, who goes on to become the White Witch, a role which is eyeing Charli XCX, also reported by Deadline earlier this month.

The film is aiming to start shooting sometime this year with a theatrical release on Thanksgiving Day 2026, followed by a release on Netflix in December 2026.