C.S. Lewis’ Family Backs Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’ Film Amid Meryl Streep-Aslan Backlash

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The family of late Christian author and apologist C.S. Lewis released a statement expressing their enthusiasm for the upcoming Netflix adaptation of "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew," directed by Greta Gerwig, which comes amid the controversy over the film’s development and casting, which also included how the family was previously “upset about the film.

The families of David and Douglas Gresham, stepsons of Lewis, issued a statement which confirmed their support for the film, according to Narnia Web.

“From our ongoing conversations with [director] Greta Gerwig, we have personally witnessed her sincere passion for the Narnia series. Her life-long love of C.S. Lewis is apparent to everyone involved with this film," the statement said.

"We saw this enthusiasm during our visit to the set in London. We are thrilled to be working with such a talented and accomplished director and production team, and are keen to continue working with them on future projects. Our vision is for this movie to be enormously successful and for this calibre of talent to be applied to all of the Chronicles of Narnia," continued the statement, which was issued through Netflix. 

The statement comes amid criticism against the movie, including the recent casting of actress Meryl Streep as Aslan the lion. Soon after it was announced that Streep would voice Aslan, many took to social media to vent and express their frustrations with the casting choice. One person on X/Twitter even called Streep's casting as Aslan "blasphemous."

As Crosswalk Headlines previously reported, Movieguide’s Ted Baehr claimed the Lewis family was upset and argued that Streep's casting as Aslan was a theological issue, given that the character represents Jesus Christ.

"Theologically this is a tremendous heresy and it's a tremendous problem. ... So it shouldn't happen," Baehr said of Streep's casting. "C.S. Lewis would be turning over in his grave. His family is very upset about it, and I think we should be upset about it."

Additionally, a petition that has amassed thousands of signatures is calling for the removal of Gerwig from all future Narnia films. 

"Lewis’s work is a classic, not just loved but revered by millions who draw spiritual and moral strength from its pages. This modern reinterpretation risks erasing the very essence that made Narnia a guiding light for so many," the petition reads.

"Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew" is scheduled to open in theaters in February 2027 and will later be released on Netflix in April. 

Photo Credit: ©Eric Charbonneau/Getty Images for Sony Pictures

Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.