Netflix's The Chronicles of Narnia reboot finally gets an update, with Barbie writer and director Greta Gerwig tapped two helm two movies in the franchise. Based on the works of author C.S. Lewis, the first Chronicles of Narnia was released in 2005. Two subsequent installments were released in 2008 and 2010, but, due to diminishing critical and commercial responses to those films, the franchise has since laid dormant. In 2018, however, Netflix purchased the rights to the books and announced that more movies were coming.

After years of few development updates on Netflix's Chronicles of Narnia reboot, The New Yorker now reveals that Gerwig is contracted to write and direct at least two of the films. It remains unclear exactly how many films there will be overall to adapt Lewis' seven novels. Unfortunately, the new report also doesn't reveal a timeline as to when these films could enter production.

What Greta Gerwig Directing Means For Netflix's Chronicles of Narnia

Thus far, Gerwig has mostly dabbled in smaller character dramas, with Nights and Weekends, Lady Bird, and Little Women marking her only three released feature films. Barbie is Gerwig's biggest movie yet by far, but trailers have shown that it may be retaining her unique sense of humor and focus on nuanced characters and poignant themes. The first reaction to Barbie shared online is largely positive, and her handling of a larger budget for an adaptation of existing IP could inform how her Chronicles of Narnia movies come together.

Mattel seems to have mostly given Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach freedom to make the movie that they want to make and, historically, Netflix has taken a similar approach with their own talent. Even with this freedom, though, Gerwig has shown with the successful Little Women that she takes a thoughtful approach when it comes to adapting beloved novels.

Netflix's Chronicles of Narnia under Gerwig, then, is shaping up to be an interesting revival of the franchise. It could potentially marry her signature sensibilities as a filmmaker, which includes complex and compelling female characters, with a respect for Lewis' source material. Chronicles of Narnia will be Gerwig's first foray into big-budget fantasy storytelling and, while many questions remain, it could revitalize a franchise that previously saw waning audience interest.

Source: The New Yorker