Why Greta Gerwig Chose Meryl Streep to Voice Aslan in ‘Narnia’

Greta Gerwig wanted her version of Aslan to carry wisdom without stiffness, and she found that balance in Meryl Streep. The filmmaker has explained why the Oscar-winning actor became her choice to voice the lion in Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, Gerwig’s forthcoming adaptation for Netflix.

Gerwig wanted gravitas and wonder

Speaking to Empire, Gerwig described a demanding combination of qualities for the role: depth and pathos, but also joy, delight and a childlike capacity for wonder. She also wanted a performer older than 70 whose voice could suggest lived experience without becoming overly solemn.

That search quickly narrowed to Streep, whom Gerwig called one of the greatest actors to do the work. The two previously collaborated on Gerwig’s 2019 adaptation of Little Women, where Streep played Aunt March. Their reunion gives the new fantasy film a familiar creative connection even as Streep takes on one of the defining figures in C. S. Lewis’ world.

A musical vision for Narnia

Gerwig’s comments also offer a clearer sense of the film’s tone. Concept art shows Aslan with a red facial stripe and differently colored eyes, a visual reference to David Bowie. The director has described the project as carrying the spirit of a rock opera, an idea rooted in the book’s creation story, where Narnia is sung into existence.

Streep joins a cast that includes Emma Mackey as the White Witch, along with Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds, Daniel Craig and David McKenna. The film is based on The Magician’s Nephew, the novel that explores the creation of Narnia and the earliest arrival of evil in the fantasy realm.

The release plan gives the project an unusually substantial theatrical runway for a Netflix title. It is scheduled for an Imax preview on Feb. 10, 2027, followed by a wider theatrical opening on Feb. 12 and a Netflix debut on April 2.

By casting Streep and framing Aslan through both spiritual weight and rock imagery, Gerwig is signaling an adaptation interested in contrast: ancient wisdom delivered with playfulness, and a familiar fantasy world rebuilt through music.