Gerwig’s Narnia Gamble: Glam-Rock Wonder or “Not My Narnia”?

Few directors would try to please both Narnia purists and glam-rock fans. Greta Gerwig is trying. Hours before the first trailer for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew dropped, she took the stage in New York to explain herself, and the internet has been arguing ever since.

Why Gerwig Says She’s the Right Person?

Gerwig grew up with the books. She says they were read to her before she could read, and as a kid she really did check the back of the wardrobe. To prepare, she reread Lewis’s work and visited Oxford, Cambridge and Belfast to “walk in his shoes.”

The film begins at the creation of Narnia, which follows Lewis’s own view that this book is the true beginning. She also got Led Zeppelin to approve “Stairway to Heaven” for the trailer. Gerwig sees it as a spiritual-quest song, and the band reportedly agreed after watching the film.

Narnia : Overview

The Internet’s Verdict: Split Down the Middle

Fans who love it call it one of the best trailers in years, a faithful story with a rock-opera twist.

Fans who don’t say the bright, space-rock look and heavy CGI feel more like a Marvel film than Narnia. Some also object to Streep voicing Aslan.

Even supporters have a worry. Netflix is already pitching this as a franchise before audiences have seen one film. Gerwig also skipped the hot topics at the event, including Aslan’s voice and the move to the 1950s.

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My Take

It’s different, and that’s what happens when you hire Gerwig. Whether it feels like Narnia may depend on how closely you hold the books to your heart. Based on The Magician’s Nephew (Wikipedia), the creation story is the most visual book in the series, so a bold look makes sense.

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