Summary
Greta Gerwig’sThe Chronicles of Narniaadaptation faces a difficult challenge due to the source material. Following the record-breaking success of Gerwig’sBarbie, she is attached to write and direct at least two of Netflix’s upcoming films based on the beloved book series by C.S. Lewis. While this is the first time Netflix has adaptedthe Narnia books, the series has been adapted numerous times in the past, including three films made by Disney.
Given her success with original stories likeLady BirdandBarbie, along with her critically acclaimed adaptation of the classic novelLittle Womenby Louisa May Alcott,Gerwig’s involvement with the Narnia rebootis exciting. Gerwig and Netflix have an opportunity to tell the series' entire story,going beyond the three novels that Disney adapted. At the same time, directly adapting all seven installments inThe Chronicles of Narniacomes with its own challenges.
There’s 1 Problem With Starting Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Reboot Where C.S. Lewis Intended
The release order of C.S. Lewis' Narnia books isn’t how he wanted them to be read, but there’s a problem with Gerwig following the series chronology.
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Reboot Faces An Adaptation Problem Thanks To The Books' Length
It Is A Problem That Harry Potter And A Song Of Ice And Fire Do Not Have
A major challenge that Gerwig and Netflix face is thatmost ofThe Chronicles of Narniabooks are relatively short. Many popular series that have been adapted into films or television series, includingHarry PotterandA Song of Ice and Fire, feature installments that are quite long, which enables the onscreen adaptations to have plenty of material to use. While the length of each Narnia novel varies depending on the edition, as per the first edition page lengths, most of the books in the series do not exceed 200 pages.
183
The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
172
The Horse and His Boy
199
195
223
217
The Last Battle
184
If Netflix is planning on creating one film for each book, there may not be enough material to adapt each one. Choosing to combine multiple books into a single film may seem like a solution, but that presents a whole series of problems, especially considering how separate some of the books feel from each other, and with how the protagonists change at certain points in the series. This leaves the ambitious projects with a difficult quandary as they bring Lewis' work to life.
The New Chronicles Of Narnia Movies Will Have To Change The Books
It Is An Inevitability For Gerwig’s Adaptations
Regardless of how Netflix decides to proceed, they will need to make changes from the source material, an inevitability that all adaptations must face. The key will bemaking changes that allow the adaptations to still feel true to the themes and spirit of Lewis' booksthat are accessible to a wide range of ages. Gerwig’s work onLittle Womenproves that she is well-suited to this task as her adaptation made some changes while still honoring the timeless original story.
If each book is individually adapted, certain elements will need to be expanded on and further fleshed out in order to make each film feel fully developed. If certain books are adapted together into a single film, specific characters or storylines may be condensed. This could work, but also runs the risk of rushing through critical character development and plot points, and may make it seem like some ofthe Pevensie childrenare needlessly sidelined when their time in Narnia comes to an end.
Greta Gerwig Must Be Careful To Avoid The Problems With Disney’s Narnia Adaptations
They Veered Too Far From The Source Material
While changes from the source material are inevitable, Gerwig and her co-creators must be diligent not to change too much as Disney did with some of their Narnia adaptations. Disney’sThe Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobewas a largely faithful adaptation, butPrince CaspianandThe Voyage of the Dawn Treadertook more liberties with the source material. This is part of the reason that Disney’s adaptations began to go astray, a mistake that Netflix cannot make.
Between the source material and Gerwig’s involvement, Netflix’sThe Chronicles of Narniafilms have the potential to become significant hits…
Just as HBO’sHis Dark Materialswas faithful to the spirit and themes of Phillip Pullman’s books, Netflix must do the same withThe Chronicles of Narnia. Certain details will have to be changed, butchanges that are too egregious will raise the question of why new Narnia adaptations are being made at all. Between the source material and Gerwig’s involvement, Netflix’sThe Chronicles of Narniafilms have the potential to become significant hits, but they will need to figure out how to best pace the series based on the short books.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
Cast
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) is a fantasy film directed by Andrew Adamson. It follows the story of four siblings who discover a magical wardrobe that leads to the enchanted land of Narnia. They join forces with Aslan, the majestic lion, to battle against the evil White Witch. The film features Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, and Anna Popplewell in the leading roles.
