Step into the Wood between the Worlds
Besties, the wait is finally over. Greta Gerwig is officially taking us back to Narnia with the first trailer for The Magician’s Nephew, and the vibes are absolutely immaculate. Set to the legendary sounds of Led Zeppelin’s "Stairway to Heaven," the footage introduces us to Digory and Polly, the two kids who stumble upon the magical realm.
Daniel Craig plays the titular magician Andrew Ketterley, who kicks things off by giving the duo a ring that acts like a portal to other worlds. We get glimpses of Emma Mackey as Jadis (the future White Witch) and Fledge, a literal flying horse. But the real showstopper? The legendary Meryl Streep is voicing Aslan, the mythical lion who sings Narnia into existence. Talk about a main character moment.
The Gerwig Glow-Up
At a recent preview event in NYC, Gerwig shared how she manifested this project. During a casual convo with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos back in 2018, she made a beeline for him to pitch the prequel. She basically refused to make it for anything less than the big screen, and Netflix agreed to give it a global theatrical release on Feb. 12, 2027, before it hits the platform on April 2.
Finding the perfect leads—David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell—was a whole journey, but Gerwig knew they were the ones when she saw them naturally looking out for each other on set. They even comforted a self-proclaimed "nervous" Daniel Craig during rehearsals, which is honestly a mood.
Why it matters
This isn't just another adaptation; it’s a massive cultural milestone. It’s Gerwig’s first film since the Barbie phenomenon and marks Netflix’s first global theatrical release. By securing "Stairway to Heaven"—a song Led Zeppelin notoriously keeps under lock and key—Gerwig has proved that her vision is literally untouchable. Real talk: we’re all going to be crying in the theater this February.
