Greta Gerwig Pushing For A Theatrical Release For Upcoming Netflix 'Narnia' Show
Image Source: CultureSlate
The Chronicles of Narnia is set to return, helmed by Barbie director Greta Gerwig. But with Netflix being the distributor, it seems unlikely that the film will see a theatrical release. This is something that Gerwig wants to see happen, as she has strong feelings about the movie-going experience.
Shared at the 2024 Will Rogers Pioneer of the Year Dinner, Gerwig stated, “There are easier ways to make money, less terrifying businesses, but there are none that are more exciting and filled with this much joy and wonder. Going to a dark theatre, watching the lights go down, and being transported – those were my favourite memories growing up, and they’re my favourite experiences now.”
As for getting Narnia onto the big screen, it seems there’s some resistance from Netflix despite Gerwig trying to make it happen. Insider Matthew Belloni says that Gerwig has been quietly talking with the newly appointed film head, Dan Lin, about limiting such grand material to a streaming platform. Netflix holds the rights to the Narnia books and is willing to provide for an A-list director. But theatres are not part of their model, which has been reinforced with previous statements by the company.
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May of 2024 saw co-CEO Ted Sarandos reflecting on the success of Gerwig’s Barbie, where he said it “definitely would have enjoyed just as big an audience on Netflix.” He further stated that, “I don’t think there’s any reason to believe that certain kinds of movies do or don’t work. There’s no reason to believe that the movie itself is better in any size of screen for all people.”
This stance has been a large reason why no film on Netflix has seen a theatrical release since 2022. That year, the company appeased Rian Johnson by giving Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery a limited, one-week theatrical release. Whether Gerwig can change the minds of Netflix remains to be seen.
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Source: Narnia Web
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