Greta Gerwig’s take on Narnia might have found its replacement for Aslan, previously played by Liam Neeson. The magical talking lion will reportedly be getting a major shake-up in the new adaptation, this time played by a legendary actress that most fans likely did not expect. However, if it turns out to be true, it could be pitch-perfect casting.

According to Nexus Point News, three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep is in talks with Netflix and Gerwig to star in Narnia as Aslan. She joins the likes of Daniel Craig and Charlie XCX, who have been rumored to have major roles in the upcoming seven-film franchise. Of course, Netflix has yet to confirm any casting for the Chronicles of Narnia reboot, but as talks continue to surface in reports, an official announcement could arrive sooner rather than later. Streep joining the cast of Narnia would mark her biggest movie role since 2021’s Don’t Look Up, which coincidently came from Netflix as well.

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Streep’s most recent role is in the acclaimed award-winning comedy Only Murders in the Building, which recently added another major Oscar winner to the crew. If she joins Narnia, it would land her a franchise role for the next ten years or so as Netflix looks to adapt each book into a feature-length film. The first installment is eying a late November 2026 release date, before heading to the streaming platform around Christmas day the next month. After some reported in-house disputes between Netflix and Gerwig, Narnia is getting a wide theatrical release along with a bevy of confirmed IMAX showings, much to the chagrin of some theater chains.

Is ‘Narnia’ Eyeing Saoirse Ronan for a Major Role?

Saoirse Ronan, a frequent collaborator with Greta Gerwig, has been a longtime favorite to reunite for the Chronicles of Narnia reboot. It’s not clear what role she could potentially take over, but Ronan herself has clarified the rumors circulating online. As of right now, Ronan has not been formally offered by Gerwig to feature in Narnia, but it seems it would be a pretty simple process if she decided she wanted to be in it if the director did not directly ask her.

“There isn’t like, no truth to it. She hasn’t asked me yet; she’s writing it. But we have the kind of relationship where I just sort of go to her and I say, ‘So, I’ll be in this, just so you know’ and she takes some time to think about it and she goes, ‘Okay.’ She honestly hasn’t asked me about Narnia. I think she’s so kind of wrapped up in writing it right now.”

For now, the rumored cast of Narnia includes Meryl Streep, Daniel Craig, and Charlie XCX. The main characters — Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy —have not been cast yet, but there is a chance that Netflix is borrowing a page out of HBO’s book for their Harry Potter reboot and looking for unknown actors for the lead roles.