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Spoiler notice: This preview explains the novel’s central premise and confirmed information about Greta Gerwig’s adaptation. It does not reveal how Digory and Polly’s journey ends.
The first door into Greta Gerwig’s Narnia will not open at the back of a wardrobe.
The Magician’s Nephew travels further into the past, before Lucy Pevensie first steps through the coats and into a snow-covered forest. It returns to the moment Narnia itself begins—and to two children whose curiosity releases something dangerous before they understand what they have found.
That makes this more than another introduction to an enchanted kingdom. It is an origin story about temptation, responsibility and the price of entering worlds that were never meant to be disturbed.
What is The Magician’s Nephew about?
The story follows Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, two children living in London who discover that Digory’s eccentric uncle has been experimenting with magical rings.
Those rings do not simply make people disappear. They transport their wearers beyond the familiar world and into a quiet forest filled with pools, each providing a passage into a different universe.
For Digory and Polly, the discovery feels like an invitation to explore. They soon learn that crossing into another world is far easier than controlling what returns with them.
Their journey leads them to Charn, a ruined place that once belonged to a powerful civilisation. The city is silent, but it is not harmless. Against Polly’s better judgment, Digory awakens Jadis, a formidable queen connected to the destruction surrounding them.
Once Jadis is free, the children’s adventure becomes a desperate attempt to contain the consequences of that decision.
The birth of Narnia
Digory and Polly eventually enter a place where there are no castles, roads or kingdoms. There is only darkness and an empty landscape waiting for life.
Then Aslan begins to sing.
The song brings light, stars, plants and animals into existence. A world forms around the children as they watch, giving them a view of Narnia that previous screen adaptations have only described.
This creation is expected to be one of the film’s defining moments. It also establishes why Aslan is more than a ruler or guide. His voice gives Narnia its life, while the arrival of Jadis introduces the darkness that will trouble the land for generations.
Meryl Streep has been confirmed as the voice of Aslan. Gerwig described her as a performer capable of bringing depth, authority and joy to the character. Her casting gives the film one of its most intriguing creative choices. People confirmed Streep’s casting and Gerwig’s comments.
Digory’s personal reason for taking the journey
The fantasy surrounding Digory does not remove the pain waiting for him at home.
His mother is seriously ill, and his fear of losing her influences the decisions he makes. When he encounters a world filled with impossible power, he cannot avoid wondering whether some part of it could save her.
That gives the story its emotional conflict. Digory is not tempted because he wants wealth or control. He is a frightened child who has found magic while someone he loves is dying.
The question is whether love gives him the right to use that power regardless of the consequences.
Polly provides an important counterweight. She shares Digory’s bravery and curiosity, but she is often quicker to recognise danger. Their friendship must survive a journey in which one impulsive decision can place several worlds at risk.
How is it connected to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe?
The Magician’s Nephew takes place long before the Pevensie children arrive in Narnia.
Its story explains the origins of several familiar parts of the world, including Aslan’s creation of Narnia and the arrival of the evil that will later threaten it. Digory also has a larger connection to the saga, but viewers unfamiliar with the books should be allowed to discover that relationship through the film.
Gerwig’s decision to begin here means the new franchise can establish Narnia from its beginning instead of immediately retelling The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
It also allows the movie to stand apart from earlier adaptations. Audiences are not being asked to watch another version of Lucy meeting Mr Tumnus. They are being taken to a story that has never received a major theatrical adaptation.
Who appears in the film?
Beatrice Campbell and David McKenna lead the younger cast, while the wider ensemble includes:
Meryl Streep
Daniel Craig
Carey Mulligan
Emma Mackey
Denise Gough
Ciarán Hinds
Susan Wokoma
Kobna Holdbrook-Smith
Gerwig writes and directs the film. She previously adapted Little Women before directing Barbie, making this her largest fantasy production so far.
When will Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew be released?
The film opens in cinemas on February 12, 2027 and reaches Netflix on April 2, 2027.
The release represents an important change for Netflix. Rather than giving the movie a brief qualifying run, the company is providing it with an exclusive theatrical window lasting more than 45 days. Reuters confirmed the cinema and Netflix dates.
Regional cinema listings and ticket availability will be announced closer to release.
Flicklevel outlook
Beginning with The Magician’s Nephew is a strong creative decision because the story offers something both familiar and new.
Aslan, Jadis and Narnia remain recognisable, but audiences will encounter them through Digory and Polly rather than the Pevensie family. The central conflict also carries real emotional weight. Digory’s mistake is tied to grief and hope, not simple recklessness.
The film’s success will depend on whether Gerwig can make Narnia’s creation feel wondrous without losing the intimate story of two children forced to repair the damage caused by their curiosity.
If that balance works, The Magician’s Nephew could give Netflix’s new franchise an identity of its own.
Trusted sources: Reuters release report | Meryl Streep casting confirmation