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‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ Finds a New Home at Netflix

The streaming service plans to revisit this universe for years to come.
The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe
Buena Vista Pictures
By  · Published on October 3rd, 2018

Some fictional universes are just too popular not to return to time and time again. As long as they’re making movies and TV shows, creators will ensure that the streets of Gotham and the halls of Hogwarts are never left dormant for too long. And that’s just to name a couple. However, when it comes to capturing the the imagination, Narnia is one world people just love to rediscover every so often. That’s why it was only a matter of time before another screen adaptation was announced.

In this case, however, we can expect a bunch of new adventures set in the world beyond the wardrobe. Netflix has just acquired the rights to C.S. Lewis‘ iconic novels and will be producing series’ and films inspired by these classic stories. If you’re unfamiliar with the books, they take place in the eponymous fictional universe and the stories revolve around children’s adventures there as they encounter witches, mythical beasts, and other fairy tale creatures. They’re beautiful.

According to the service’s Chief Content Officer, Ted Sarandos, the streaming giant has long term goals for their latest acquisition. “Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we’re thrilled to be their home for years to come.”

Sarandos isn’t the only one that’s happy with the news, either. Douglas Gresham, C.S. Lewis’ stepson, is thrilled that his old man’s legacy will be kept alive for the foreseeable future: “It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world.”

The books have had numerous adaptations in the past, spread across a variety of mediums. The most famous was the trilogy which kicked off in 2005 with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, followed by Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2008 and 2010, respectivelyBut no one really talks about those movies these days, so the world is ready for a reset. Netflix plans to start their franchise from scratch and give Lewis’ beloved stories a long shelf-life on the screen.

There’s certainly no shortage of source material, either. There are seven novels in “The Chronicles of Narnia” series just waiting to be brought to life and remind the world that they’re some of the most beloved stories ever created. Seeing all of them adapted under the supervision of Netflix could be the definitive retelling of these tales onscreen.

Of course, audiences are familiar with these stories. While the upcoming Netflix slate is good for introducing Lewis’ imagination to kids who might not be familiar with the books yet, for some more Narnia adaptations will be an adventure they’ve been on before. Seeing these tales retold on the screen as they were originally envisioned is fun for a trip down memory lane, but this also a perfect opportunity to shake things up and expand on the mythos. We already know that the Lewis estate has given Netflix their blessing, so hopefully they’re open to some fresh ideas.

Still, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t into this news. For the big kid in me, Narnia, like Middle-Earth, is one place I will always welcome back into my life with open arms. I can’t wait to see what Netflix has in store, and I’m confident that they’ll do Lewis’ iconic works proud.

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Kieran is a Contributor to the website you're currently reading. He also loves the movie Varsity Blues.