Netflix is ​​finishing Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia, hoping to start production in 2024

Netflix film chief Scott Stuber has updated fans on the status of a highly anticipated project in Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia.

Stuber, 54, spoke with Collider during an event at the Egyptian Theater Hollywood for the reopening of the American Cinematheque, the outlet reported Tuesday.

“Well, I think people know that we’re ambitiously trying to get Greta Gerwig’s Narnia together and get that movie, which will be released next year,” Stuber said of the project with the Barbie director, 40, about the source material of C. S. Lewis.

Gerwig’s star – who is set to helm a pair of projects from the material – has been on the rise in recent years with a number of high-profile, critically acclaimed projects.

Most recently, this includes this summer’s blockbuster Barbie, which has raked in more than $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office.

Gerwig also directed the music video for the Dua Lipa song from the film’s soundtrack, Dance the Night.

She has received two Academy Award nominations for her work in the 2017 film Lady Bird, including Best Original Screenplay and Best Performance in Direction; and received another Oscar nod for best adapted screenplay for the 2019 film Little Women.

In the chat with Collider, Stuber said Netflix has “tried to be aggressive in” acquiring the IP of prominent authors with built-in fan bases.

“We went out and grabbed the C.S. Lewis library,” he said. “We went out and got [Roald] Dahl, so we have an opportunity to do some of those animated films around Charlie and some of those great titles.”

He said the streamer also “went to get some of those video games.”

It was confirmed that Gerwig will direct at least two new films based on the CS Lewis Narnia novels for Netflix last July.

While the actress turned filmmaker promoted Barbie on the Total Film podcastshe admitted how “terrified” she is of the difficult adjustment.

“I haven’t even really started doing it yet, but I’m pretty scared of it, which seems like a good start,” Gerwig said. ‘I think if I’m scared it’s always a good sign.

Details: Stuber, pictured in LA last year, said Netflix is ​​’aspirationally trying to get Greta Gerwig’s Narnia together and get that movie, which will be released next year’

Projects in the Work: Gerwig is currently attached to multiple films for the CS Lewis source material streaming service

Breakthrough: The novels have been adapted numerous times, most recently Disney’s adaptations of the first three novels in 2005, 2008 and 2010 respectively, with the 2005 film featuring James McAvoy’s breakthrough performance as Mr. Tumnus

“Maybe when I’m not afraid anymore, it’ll be like, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t do that.’ No, I’m terrified of it. It’s extraordinary. And it’s exciting.’

Lewis wrote seven novels that form part of The Chronicles of Narnia – The Lion, The Witch and the Garderobe, Prince Caspian – The Return to Narnia, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, The Silver Chair, The Horse and His Boy, The Magician’s Nephew and The Last Battle, all published between 1950 and 1956.

The novels have been adapted numerous times, most recently Disney’s adaptations of the first three novels in 2005, 2008 and 2010 respectively, with the 2005 film featuring James McAvoy’s breakthrough performance as Mr. Tumnus.

The story follows four British siblings who discover the magical world of Narnia in a seemingly ordinary wardrobe.

While the first four novels are set chronologically between 1940 and 1942, The Horse and His Boy goes back to 1940, The Magician’s Nephew is set in 1900, and The Last Battle moves forward to 1949.

Neither Netflix nor Gerwig has confirmed which two novels they plan to tackle first, but given the way the novels explore before and after the original books, it’s possible they could start somewhere other than the traditional starting point of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. ‘

Gerwig started her career as an actress in mumblecore films such as Baghead, Hannah Takes the Stairs (her feature debut) and Greenberg.

She co-wrote, starred and directed Nights And Weekends with Joe Swanberg before making her solo writing and directing debut with 2017’s Lady Bird, which she followed in 2019 with the Best Picture nominee Little Women.

With Barbie under her belt and Narnia on the horizon, Gerwig admitted that she doesn’t want to make just one type of film throughout her career.

“I hope to make all different kinds of films in the time I get to make films, which is long, but also limited,” she said.

“I want to do things big and small and everything in between, and having another big canvas is exciting and also intimidating,” she explained.