Meryl Streep will be the first woman to voice Aslan — Greta Gerwig wanted someone over 70 with a child's sense of wonder
Liam Neeson voiced the lion in the last three Narnia films. For Netflix’s The Magician’s Nephew, Gerwig told Empire she wanted gravitas without self-seriousness.
Alright, it's official: Greta Gerwig is taking the reins for at least two of Netflix's new Narnia films, and she's decided to ruffle a few feathers in the process. The biggest talking point so far? She's tapped Meryl Streep to play Aslan — yes, as in the towering lion and spiritual backbone of C.S. Lewis's children's classic. Before anyone starts clutching their pearls: yes, Streep will be the first woman to voice or play the iconic lion. The last time Aslan spoke, it was with Liam Neeson's voice… and let's face it, those are rather large paws to fill.
Meryl Streep is the first woman to take on Aslan in a Narnia adaptation.
Gerwig hasn't stopped at Streep. She's brought on Daniel Craig, Beatrice Campbell, Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, and Ciarán Hinds to round out the cast, aiming for that magic balance of "unbelievably heavy-hitting but still family friendly". If you're wondering how in the world Gerwig landed on Meryl Streep for a role previously occupied by Neeson's rumbling masculinity, she tackled that straight on in a chat with Empire Magazine.
Gerwig explained the (surprisingly long) wishlist she had for whoever would play Aslan — it's not just about sounding wise. Here's what she told Empire:
I wanted someone who was profound but not pretentious, who had gravitas but not morose self-seriousness. Someone who could communicate depth and pathos as well as joy and delight. I wanted someone who was older than 70, so there was a wisdom of experience, but who also had the capacity of fresh wonder, like a child. And also to be one of the greatest actors to ever do it. That list is not a long one.
It's about more than just a gender swap, then — Streep fits a deliberately narrow bill. But Gerwig isn't just stopping with bold casting choices. She's going full-tilt on the style too. Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is reportedly being described internally as a "Rock 'n' Roll Blockbuster" (read: expect less Sunday school, more raucous energy). And the studio's comp list for the tone is… let's say eclectic: everything from Fantastic Beasts: The Secret of Dumbledore to Jumanji: The Next Level, random Spider-Verse entries, and even a few Guardians of the Galaxy nods have all been thrown in the hat.
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Perhaps most intriguing, there's word that Gerwig is betting heavily on practical effects rather than shiny CGI. All very noble artistically, but early internal screenings have apparently landed with a thud in some quarters — the reactions range from "faithful to Lewis" to just plain "boring". That said, this is all secondhand studio chatter, so pinch of salt and all that.