Greta Gerwig (39) will reboot the classic book “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. stage Lewis. According to an article in The New Yorker, she is said to have written and directed at least two films. A task for which the director, who is currently stirring up cinema with her “Barbie” film, has great respect.
Speaking on the Total Film podcast, Gerwig confirmed the article, revealing, “I haven’t even really started looking into this yet, but I’m really scared of what feels like a good place to start.”
Fear seems to be a good advisor in Gerwig’s case, as the filmmaker goes on to explain: “I think if I’m scared, that’s always a good sign. If I stop being scared, maybe I’ll think, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t be doing this.’ No, I’m terrified of it. It’s extraordinary. And it’s exciting.”
“Narnia” will be the fantasy debut of Gerwig, who was long considered an “indie star” and celebrated her breakthrough as a director in 2017 with her debut film “Lady Bird”, which was nominated for several Oscars. “I want to do big things and small things and everything in between. And having another big screen is exciting and scary.”
After a BBC television series that aired in the 1980s and 1990s, the Narnia trilogy was released in cinemas from 2005 to 2010. Disney was responsible for “The King of Narnia” (2005) and “Prince Caspian” (2008), while 20th Century Fox marketed part three, “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”. In 2018, Netflix announced that it had acquired the film and television rights to the famous book series.
The podcast also asked Gerwig if she could imagine directing a Bond film. She said: “Oh my god. We’re just going to stick with some lions and dolls for now.” But she wouldn’t give 007 – and the producer of the film series – a general rejection either, it seems: “You never know, I really like Barbara Broccoli.”
