Netflix has moved Greta Gerwig’s new ”Chronicles of Narnia” film from 2026 to 2027. The adaptation is based on ”The Magician’s Nephew”, the first book chronologically in C.S. Lewis’s series, and it is now set for a wide overseas release on 10 February 2027, including IMAX screenings, before landing on Netflix on 2 April 2027.
The delay gives Netflix more time to position ”Narnia” as an event title that can travel in cinemas before it hits streaming, a strategy more studios are using for prestige franchises. It also means a longer wait for one of the streamer’s biggest fantasy bets, but one with a clearer rollout plan.
What ”The Magician’s Nephew” is about
Gerwig’s film goes back to the creation myth of Narnia, setting the story in postwar England and tracing how the magical world came to be. That makes it a smart entry point for a rebooted franchise: instead of retelling the most familiar chapter, it starts with the origin story.
- Wide overseas release: 10 February 2027
- IMAX screenings included
- Netflix streaming debut: 2 April 2027
- Based on: ”The Magician’s Nephew”
Netflix’s Narnia cast gives the film star power
The film’s cast is built to signal scale: Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, Emma Mackey, David McKenna, and Beatrice Campbell all appear, while Meryl Streep voices Aslan. That is the sort of line-up that tells exhibitors and subscribers the movie is being treated as more than just another streaming drop.
Netflix has been leaning harder into theatrical windows for its prestige titles, and this release plan fits that pattern. A fantasy epic needs spectacle, and IMAX is the clearest way to make a streamer-owned movie feel like a cinema event before it goes home to the app.
Netflix’s 2027 Narnia rollout
For fans, the obvious downside is simple: the movie is farther away than expected. For Netflix, the upside is control – a staged rollout that gives the film a shot at the box office abroad and then a fast pivot to streaming a few weeks later.
That leaves one open question: whether the extra time helps Gerwig deliver a fantasy franchise launch that feels fresh enough to justify starting with the prequel rather than the safer, better-known chapters. If it works, Netflix gets a new tentpole. If it doesn’t, the company will have spent a lot of runway on a very expensive wardrobe.