5 Things We Learned at the IMAX Sneak Peek of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew
At a special Netflix preview event, Greta Gerwig presented the brand new trailer and behind-the-scenes footage and offered insights into the epic production.
C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia is one of the most beloved children’s books series of the last 100 years, and thanks to Netflix and Greta Gerwig, we’re getting a brand new adaptation. This time, though, they’ll start at the beginning, with Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, an adaptation of the sixth novel in the series that also serves as the origin story of the world of Narnia itself.
At a special event in New York, Rotten Tomatoes was invited to a sneak peek of the new film’s trailer, which dropped on October 13, and some behind-the-scenes footage, as well as a conversation between Gerwig and Stephen Colbert. Read on for the five biggest takeaways!
1. Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven” Makes Its Film Debut
The first trailer for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew unfolds to an unexpected accompaniment: Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven.” It marks a historic moment as a sweeping introduction to Greta Gerwig’s vision of Narnia, representing the very first time the iconic track has ever been featured in a movie or TV show.
The choice goes far beyond its epic sound. Gerwig explained that the song’s narrative, spiritual journey, and themes of self-enlightenment deeply mirror the story of the film. Securing the rights required speaking directly with Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, who granted their express permission after connecting with the heart of the project. Devoted fans of C.S. Lewis themselves, the legendary duo felt a shared love for the world of Narnia, making the historic song a natural fit.
2. Greta Gerwig Has a Long History with The Chronicles of Narnia
In her conversation with Stephen Colbert, Greta Gerwig noted that she had loved the Narnia books since childhood, reading them over and over again. “I don’t remember a time where I didn’t remember the books,” she explained, saying that the story is part of her DNA and who she knew herself to be.
She also described how the British television adaptation was one of her first experiences with motion pictures, remembering how her parents placed a small television on a chair for her to watch. Narnia and Little Women — another piece of classic literature she has adapted for the big screen — helped shape her identity.
Gerwig revealed that the project began even before she made Barbie, with her earliest drafts of the script penned in 2020 and 2021. At an event for the 2019 Noah Baumbach film Marriage Story, Gerwig had spoken to Netflix head Ted Sarandos and talked his ear off about how the Narnia books should be adapted, to which he responded by asking, “You wanna write the movie?”
To achieve a deeper connection with Lewis and the source material, Gerwig said she read what he read and walked in his shoes by visiting Oxford and Belfast. She wanted to align with his vision and “commune with a mind that shaped you,” which ultimately allowed the “gift of [Lewis’s] language” to guide her process.
3. Faith and Film Go Hand in Hand for Gerwig
Gerwig revealed that a thread of faith runs through all of her work, and that film and faith go hand in hand for her, noting that churches and movie theaters both bring people together as a community. With both, there is a vulnerability and the potential for transformation. She explained that, to her, filmmaking is a leap of faith — “Being an artist is an act of hope” — and creation and hope are central ideas to her process.
4. Gerwig Created a “Safe Space for Stupidity” on Set
Gerwig went into detail to describe the creative process behind the production of the film, explaining how she embraced the “challenge of creation,” building a world and bringing it to life. She praised the behind-the-scenes crew for the “wildest creativity” they brought and touted the practical sets, real plants, and handmade feel that made the world come alive. Because she sees film as a “most deeply collaborative art form,” she made sure to create “a safe space for stupidity,” encouraging new ideas and experimentation across the board. In that way, she ensured that the film is not just hers, but everyone’s.
5. Narnia’s Magic Begins with the Friendship at Its Heart
The heart of the adventure in The Magician’s Nephew is the two children and their friendship, so it was important to Gerwig that the right actors were chosen and that they worked well together. The team auditioned thousands of actors over several months until they finally settled on David McKenna as Digory Kirke and Beatrice Campbell as Polly Plummer. Gerwig first connected with McKenna and Campbell through their audition tapes, but seeing them together at a screen test helped confirm her choice: between scenes, they were already looking out for one another, showing the natural bond she wanted at the heart of the film. As she recalled, the “kids were already taking care of each other.”
Likewise, the adult cast adopted a “heart-forward” approach to the process. At one point, Daniel Craig (who plays Digory’s uncle Andrew Ketterley in the film) wanted to make one of the young stars feel safe and confessed, “I’m a bit nervous for rehearsal,” which was met with the response, “Don’t worry. Greta’s really kind.” Gerwig also explained that there were moments when the entire crew burst into dance to make the kids comfortable, saying that it seemed like they were “just waiting to be asked.”
Gerwig ended the presentation by expressing her love of the shared theatrical experience: “I love watching movies in a movie theater.” She wants the audience to experience laughter, tears, and an epic adventure, and her hope is that people leave the theater wanting to create, whether that be a song, a cake, or a film.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew opens in theaters on February 12, 2027 before streaming on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
