Greta Gerwig Narnia Trailer Opens the Door to The Magician's Nephew

Some movie trailers are just marketing. Every so often, one feels like an invitation. On Tuesday, October 13, Netflix released the first official trailer for Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, the new film written and directed by Greta Gerwig, and it is clear she wants audiences to feel a sense of wonder again.

I grew up in a world where stories like this one taught kids to be brave, to tell the truth and to look out for each other. So when a filmmaker with Gerwig's track record takes on C.S. Lewis, I pay attention. The details below come from reporting by Variety, Polygon, The Hollywood Reporter, The Associated Press and Netflix's own Tudum site.

What the Trailer Shows

According to Variety, the trailer opens with Daniel Craig as Andrew Ketterley, the magician of the title, telling the children that "sometimes one story is the beginning of all the others." He hands them a magic ring that carries them into strange and beautiful lands.

Along the way they meet Jadis, the future White Witch and last Queen of Charn, played by Emma Mackey, and Fledge, a talking horse that can fly. Near the end, a narrator asks, "Have you ever seen a world born?" before viewers catch a glimpse of Aslan, the great lion, voiced by Meryl Streep, singing Narnia into being.

The whole trailer is set to Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." That alone made headlines, because the band has long been reluctant to license its music for film and television.

The Story Before the Wardrobe

Most people know Narnia through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, published in 1950. The Magician's Nephew came out in 1955, but it tells the beginning of the story. Polygon notes that it is set about 1,000 years before the wardrobe adventure and works as a prequel to the larger Chronicles of Narnia.

The two young leads are newcomers. David McKenna plays Digory Kirke and Beatrice Campbell plays Polly Plummer. Variety reports that the cast also includes Carey Mulligan and Ciarán Hinds.

Netflix's Tudum site describes this as the first ever adaptation of The Magician's Nephew. Earlier Narnia projects included a BBC miniseries from 1988 to 1990 and three feature films released in 2005, 2008 and 2010.

How Gerwig Got the Job

At a preview event at the AMC Lincoln Square IMAX theater in New York, Gerwig spoke with Stephen Colbert about how the project began. Variety reports that she approached Netflix chief Ted Sarandos at a cocktail party and told him the studio should start with The Magician's Nephew. About 20 minutes later, she said, he asked if she wanted to write it.

"I don't remember a time I didn't know the books," Gerwig said, according to Variety. "I wouldn't be who I am without these books."

She also explained how she cast her two young stars after reviewing thousands of taped auditions over several months. During a screen test, she said, Campbell sniffled and McKenna motioned off camera to get her a tissue. In that moment, Gerwig said, she could see the two of them were already taking care of each other.

Why the Music Matters

Gerwig has described Narnia as "a world made out of music." She told Empire, as quoted by Polygon, that she "wanted a rock opera" and wanted the film to be "big and transporting."

To get "Stairway to Heaven," Gerwig wrote to Robert Plant and Jimmy Page and showed them an early cut of the film. The Hollywood Reporter quoted her as saying, "They saw the heart of the film." That is a strong endorsement from two musicians who rarely say yes.

When You Can See It

This is a big moment for Netflix. Variety reports that Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is the streamer's first movie to receive a global theatrical release. It will open in IMAX and theaters worldwide on February 12, 2027, with sneak previews in IMAX beginning February 10, 2027. It arrives on Netflix on April 2, 2027.

Polygon notes the film had originally been expected in 2026 before Netflix moved the date in May. It is also Gerwig's first feature since Barbie in 2023.

My Take

What stood out to me most was not the special effects. It was what Gerwig said she hopes people feel when they leave the theater. "I hope they laugh. I hope they cry. I hope they feel like they've been on an adventure," she told the audience, according to Variety. She added that she hopes people walk out wanting to make something, because "making something is an act of hope."

That is a message I can stand behind. Whether you grew up with these books or you are about to meet Digory and Polly for the first time, this is one to put on the calendar for February. Bring the kids, bring your parents, and let yourself feel a little wonder again.