Narnia reboot from Barbie's Greta Gerwig gets new release date for cinemas and Netflix
CS Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia is getting a reboot from Barbie writer-director Greta Gerwig, and the first film in the new Netflix franchise has been given a release date for both cinemas and the streamer.Narnia: The Magician's Nephew will release in cinemas first, including IMAX, on 12 February 2027. It will then come to Netflix on 2 April 2027. Originally, the film was set to have a limited cinema release in November this year.The upcoming fantasy-adventure film is actually the first on-screen adaptation of Lewis's novel, which is the sixth of the series in terms of publication but the first from a chronological standpoint.James Gourley//Getty ImagesRelated: First look at Jodie Whittaker in new Netflix rom-com with "incredible cast"The date of this particular announcement is actually quite timely, as The Magician's Nephew was originally published on 2 May 1955 — a whole 71 years ago!As well as a major writer-director behind the camera, the film boasts a stacked cast too. There's Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep in terms of the big names.Newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell will play lead characters Digory Kirke (played by Jim Broadbent in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) and Polly Plummer, respectively.Following the announcement, Gerwig said: "Working with Netflix to bring this film to life has been extraordinary and IMAX continues to be an incredible partner. I cannot wait for people to see the film in theatres on 12 February and on Netflix on 2 April."I was a child when I first read The Magician's Nephew, and I fell in love with the gorgeously improbable but completely brilliant concept of a cosmic lion singing the world of Narnia to life.""I didn't know that I would grow up to make films, but a universe built out of music is an idea that always lived in my heart. It is the honour of a lifetime to be asked to imagine it into being," added the filmmaker, who has directed Little Women and Barbie.DisneyRelated: Steven Spielberg's mysterious sci-fi thriller confirms earlier UK release date After the three Narnia films released between 2005 and 2011, the film franchise remained in limbo for over a decade, with attempts to get an adaptation of The Magician's Nephew and The Silver Chair off the ground not getting very far.Gerwig has signed on to do two Narnia films as part of this Netflix deal. The second film hasn't been confirmed yet, but The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is the next novel chronologically.Narnia: The Magician's Nephew will release in cinemas on 12 February, 2027, and will then come to Netflix on 2 April.The new edition of Living Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Sir David Attenborough, is here! Buy Sir David Attenborough in newsagents or online.Joe Anderton is a freelance news writer at Digital Spy, having worked there since 2016. In his time, he's covered a host of live events and interviewed celebrities big and small. A big fan of TV and movies both mainstream and obscure, Joe also enjoys video games and in particular PlayStation. Joe currently does not use Twitter, but he only ever used it to tell people to watch the film Help! I'm a Fish.
