IMAX CEO Claims That Netflix Plans To Make 8 Narnia Films
IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond claims that Netflix plans to make 8 Narnia films.
During IMAX’s Q4 2024 Corporation Earnings Conference Call, Gelfond was asked about a deal IMAX put together with Netflix to release Greta Gerwig’s first Narnia film in theaters for a two-week exclusive IMAX run beginning on Thanksgiving Day 2026.
The deal was previously announced back in January with Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos saying, “Our core strategy is to give our members exclusive first round movies on Netflix. The Narnia Imax release is a release tactic. We routinely release movies and theaters a couple of weeks before to qualify for awards, to meet festival requirements and to prime the publicity pump a bit. In the case of Narnia, it’s a two-week special event, I think it’s very differentiated from other runs, because I doubt anyone has a screen as big as an Imax screen at home.”
Gelfond commented on the deal saying, “That deal took a pretty long time to put together because IMAX was uniquely positioned to do that deal. Because, again, given our relationship and our knowledge of studios, talent, exhibitors. Obviously, there’s a lot of different constituencies with different agendas that go in there. So we really had to construct something that would work for the exhibitors, that would work for Greta, that would work for Netflix, that would work for a lot of people. The right amount of windows. The right amount of playtime. … It’s a fairly complex deal to have met all the various constituencies.”
After noting that not all Netflix films will be a good fit for “eventizing,” he shared that this Narnia one is a good and pointed to the fact that Netflix is planning to make 8 of them.
He said, “This was a really great movie because I think there are like eight movies planned, something like that. And what IMAX does best is launch franchises and launch events, and whether that’s the League of Legends, whether that’s the Olympics, or whether that’s Superman coming up this year or Mission: Impossible. This is the kind of movie that is very conducive to an IMAX release.”
“As you know, it’s exclusive in IMAX. And it’s global. So I think the IMAX theaters that play it will do very well and I think it’ll create event status around Netflix and its content that our exhibitors otherwise wouldn’t have,” he added.
Netflix’s adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia was announced back in 2018. With Netflix sharing in a press release, “Netflix will develop new series and film projects based on C.S. Lewis’ beloved The Chronicles of Narnia series. Under the terms of a multi-year deal between Netflix and The C.S. Lewis Company, Netflix will develop classic stories from across the Narnia universe into series and films for its members worldwide.”
The company added, “The deal marks the first time that rights to the entire seven books of the Narnia universe have been held by the same company.”
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Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos said at the time, “C.S. Lewis’ beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world. Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we’re thrilled to be their home for years to come.”
Douglas Gresham, Lewis’ stepson, also stated, “It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world.”
“Netflix seems to be the very best medium with which to achieve this aim, and I am looking forward to working with them towards this goal,” he added.
In June 2019, the streaming service announced that Matthew Aldrich, the co-writer of Coco had joined the Netflix team “to oversee the development and creative live-action adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved The Chronicles of Narnia series.”
The company added, “Aldrich will work across both series and film and serve as a creative architect on all projects under the deal.”
Barbie director Greta Gerwig’s attachment to the project was announced during the promotion of that film when the New Yorker’s Alex Barasch reported that she “has a deal with Netflix to write and direct at least two films based on C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia.”
Gerwig confirmed her involvement telling Games Radar, “I haven’t even really started wrapping my arms around it. But I’m properly scared of it, which feels like a good place to start.”
She added, “I think when I’m scared, it’s always a good sign. Maybe when I stop being scared, it’ll be like, ‘Okay. Maybe I shouldn’t do that one.’ No, I’m terrified of it. It’s extraordinary. And so we’ll see, I don’t know.”
“I hope to make all different kinds of movies in the course of the time I get to make movies, which – it’s a long time, but it’s also limited,” she continued. “I want to do big things and small things and everywhere in between, and having another big canvas is exciting and also daunting.”
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It’s unclear what the first film will be about. A rumor from 2023 from What’s On Netflix’s Kasey Moore claimed Gerwig would initially adapt The Silver Chair.
Moore wrote, “Our sources told us in early 2023 that Gerwig’s first adaptation would be of The Silver Chair.”
The Silver Chair was the fourth novel published in The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, but it is the penultimate novel chronologically. The novel follows the characters of Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole as they are tasked by Aslan to find the missing son of King Caspian X, Prince Rilian.
The two go on a journey across Narnia and run afoul of the Lady of the Green Kirtle who has ambitions to conquer Narnia.
In December, Star Trek: Discovery actor Jason Isaacs seemingly revealed that Gerwig and Netflix would adapt The Magician’s Nephew first.
Isaacs spoke to The Week where he shared all his favorite books that he will be reading at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford for Macmillan Cancer Support.
One of the books he chose is The Magician’s Nephew and he explained why, telling the outlet, “I loved all the Narnia books as a kid. When Peter was told he wouldn't be coming back, I understood something devastating about mortality. I picked this one because Greta Gerwig is about to make a film of it, which I can't wait to see.”
If Netflix is making eight films, it seems that it will likely split at least one book in two given there are seven books in The Chronicles of Narnia series.
What do you make of Netflix planning to make eight films out of C.S. Lewis’ works?
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Netflix can no more do Narnia than Amazon can do The Lord of the Rings.
"Would it not be better to be dead than to have this horrible fear that Aslan has come and is not like the Aslan we have believed in and longed for? It is as if the sun rose one day and were a black sun."
- King Tirian, 'The Last Battle
A new IP would be nice. Lots on substack