“Nobody better than Meryl”: Liam Neeson reacts to Meryl Streep replacing him as Aslan

Right, then — it looks like The Chronicles of Narnia is having another go on the big screen, but this time with Netflix behind the wheel and Greta Gerwig (of Barbie fame) calling the shots. The next film isn’t yet another retread of Turkish Delight and sibling squabbling: they’re rolling the dice on The Magician's Nephew, which is the prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Think less snow and fawn, more cosmic apples and world beginnings.

Netflix will give The Magician's Nephew a 45-day run in cinemas before it lands on streaming in April 2027.

Liam Neeson Out, Meryl Streep In

Now, the last time Narnia landed in cinemas, it had Liam Neeson soundtracking all your childhood dreams as the voice of Aslan — properly iconic, his turn. He did three films: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. But for this reboot, Aslan is getting a new voice, and it's quite a swap: Meryl Streep has signed on for the job.

Neeson, for what it’s worth, was not kept in the loop about this change. During a recent ScreenRant natter, he was actually told on the spot that Streep had been cast. He hadn’t seen the trailer, didn’t even know there was a reboot in the works. His reaction was exactly as you’d expect from the man — slightly bemused, but quick with the banter. When the idea of Streep playing Aslan (who, let’s not forget, is C.S. Lewis’s take on Christ in lion form) was put to him, here’s Neeson’s response:

‘Meryl is playing Jesus Christ? Well, if you’re going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl.’

Honestly, you can’t fault the casting — if you’re bringing in a new Aslan, you might as well go top shelf. Still, not many could have predicted Streep voicing a giant talking lion in a fantasy blockbuster. Welcome to 2026, I suppose.

Gerwig’s Thinking (and That Cast...)

Greta Gerwig has been pretty open about why she roped in Streep. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, she said she wanted an actor who could do ‘profound but not pretentious’, bring real depth without the pontificating, and swing between pathos and fun. Crucially, she was after someone over 70 — a sort of seasoned wisdom with a sense of wonder still fizzing underneath. It’s hard to come up with a better fit than Streep on all those counts.

If you’re running the numbers on the rest of this cast, it’s an impressive line-up:

• Carey Mulligan as Mabel Kirke
• Daniel Craig as Andrew Ketterley
• David McKenna as Digory Kirke
• Beatrice Campbell as Polly Plummer
• Emma Mackey taking a crack at the White Witch
• Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Ciaran Hinds, Susan Wokoma, and Denise Gough all fleshing out the world

Release and Format Oddities

Netflix isn’t doing their usual trick of dumping the film on streaming straight away, either. Instead, The Magician’s Nephew is getting a proper cinematic launch, dropping wide in cinemas on 12 February 2027. Only after 45 days will it slink onto Netflix — so, 2 April 2027 is the streaming date, if that’s more your style. That’s pretty unusual for a Netflix film, which shows they’re banking on this one making a splash in both boxes and living rooms.