Greta Gerwig explains casting Meryl Streep as Narnia’s Aslan

Greta Gerwig has explained why Meryl Streep was her first choice to voice Narnia’s famous lion, Aslan.

Greta Gerwig has explained why Meryl Streep was her first choice to voice Narnia’s famous lion, Aslan.

The Barbie filmmaker chose her Little Women star to voice the god-like talking lion in her upcoming fantasy film, Narnia.

Explaining why the Oscar-winning actress was the perfect choice, Gerwig told Empire magazine, “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.”

She continued, “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.”

Aslan, a wise and powerful lion, is portrayed as male in C.S. Lewis’s book series and in the three earlier screen adaptations, in which he was voiced by Liam Neeson.

The character was referred to as “he” in Empire’s casting reveal, while Netflix representatives confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that the announcement “says it all.”

The cover of Empire magazine also features a first-look image of Aslan, showing the character with uniquely coloured eyes and a red mark on his forehead.

Gerwig explained that Aslan’s look was inspired by David Bowie, a key influence on the movie, which she wanted to feel like a “rock opera” despite not being a musical.

“Narnia is literally a world made out of music,” she noted. “It is a world sung to life by Aslan, and rock ’n’ roll to me felt like a world made out of music.”

The Magician’s Nephew has not previously been adapted for the screen. While it was the sixth book published in the series, it is the first chronologically, telling the origins of Narnia. The novel is set in the early 20th century, while the film takes place in the 1950s.

The film stars newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell alongside Emma Mackey, Daniel Craig and Carey Mulligan. It is scheduled to arrive on Netflix on April 2, 2027.

Greta Celeste Gerwig is an American actress, screenwriter and filmmaker known for her work in independent films, including Baghead and Yeast, as well as her acclaimed directorial projects.

Mary Louise “Meryl” Streep is an American actress whose career has spanned more than five decades. She is widely recognized for her acclaimed performances across film, television and theatre.