Even Barbie Success Isn’t Enough for Greta Gerwig to Guarantee a Theatrical Release for Narnia: Netflix to Blame?
- Last year's Barbie saw Great Gerwig's reputation in Hollywood reach new heights.
- Despite this success, Gerwig seems to be struggling in getting a theatrical release for Narnia from Netflix.
- The Lady Bird director got candid about what she found compelling about The Chronicles of Narnia.
Another day and yet another allegation against the world’s biggest streaming platform, Netflix. After how big of a deal last year’s Barbie was, one would think Greta Gerwig would get her way around the industry now. However, that does not seem to be the case as the Hollywood rumor mill has churned out the possibility that the director’s Narnia reboot movies will not get a theatrical release.
For those wondering what Netflix has got to do with this, it is the streaming platform for which Gerwig is making the movies. Even so, it does not necessarily have to be just a streaming release. The world has witnessed what the filmmaker is capable of. So, if the movies were to have a theatrical release, there is no doubt they would pull in millions, and yet the Little Women director seems to be struggling to make it happen.
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Movies Might Not Get a Theatrical Release
Initially intending to become a playwright, Greta Gerwig began her journey in the entertainment industry as an actress. She appeared in numerous movies and shows and received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the 2012 comedy-drama, Frances Ha.
Having co-directed the 2008 mumblecore film, Nights and Weekends, she did not make her solo directorial debut until 2017 with Lady Bird. The movie was released to critical and commercial acclaim and paved the way for Gerwig to establish herself as a director.
In July, it was announced that Netflix had hired the Maggie’s Plan actress to make two movies based on C. S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia book series. This sounded like a dream come true for millions of fans who were quite excited to see how the director would apply her expertise to fantasy movies.
Recently, Puck‘s Matthew Belloni has reported that Gerwig has raised concerns to Netflix’s Dan Lin about the movies’ theatrical release along with the streaming one. This has led many to wonder if the streamer is going to interfere with the movie’s theatrical release.
With its ensemble cast and a thought-provoking story, last year’s Barbie turned out to be the biggest film of Gerwig’s career so far. The movie might have been robbed at the Academy Awards, but it made sure to rob people’s hearts worldwide.
It broke several records by becoming the highest-grossing film of the year, bagging over a billion dollars. So, it would be only fair for Netflix to let the Narnia movies be released at least in select theatres just like they did for Glass Onion.
Greta Gerwig on What She Finds Thrilling About The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia was adapted into a namesake film series. The films were successful with the last of them having been released in 2010, but the end of the production house’s contract with the author’s estate led them to give up on making a fourth movie.
Now, Netflix and Greta Gerwig have joined forces to adapt the book series. During an interview with Time, Gerwig revealed what she finds compelling about that world.
It’s connected to the folklore and fairy stories of England, but it’s a combination of different traditions. As a child, you accept the whole thing—that you’re in this land of Narnia there’s fauns, and then Father Christmas shows up. It doesn’t even occur to you that it’s not schematic. I’m interested in embracing the paradox of the worlds that Lewis created, because that’s what’s so compelling about them.
The streamer’s CEO Ted Sarandos has also expressed his faith in Gerwig’s vision and has stated that the films will be “bigger and bolder” than audiences could ever imagine. He has also assured fans that the movies will be an honest adaptation of the source material.
