The casting of Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan in Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of “The Chronicles of Narnia” has sparked significant criticism. Some Christian and media figures question the choice of a female actress for the character, who is a Christ-like figure in the series. An online petition has also called for Netflix to replace director Greta Gerwig for future Narnia films.
The petition titled “Demand Netflix to replace director of the Narnia films” surfaced on Change.org. It emerged after negative reactions from Christian fans and critics to the implications of having an actress voice Aslan.
“Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew,” the upcoming film by Gerwig, is based on the 1955 novel by C.S. Lewis. This book is the sixth published and first in sequence within “The Chronicles of Narnia.” The film is set to premiere in theaters on February 12, 2027, and on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
“When I did it, they had a hundred million or more people who had read ‘Chronicles of Narnia.’ Now I’m sure it’s double or triple. And most of them know that Aslan is a Christ figure. We understand that Christ in the Revelation gets married to the church, that he’s a guy, but he’s fully God and Holy man.” – Dr. Ted Baehr
Dr. Ted Baehr, founder of Movieguide and former president of the Episcopal Radio-TV Foundation, expressed confusion over Streep’s casting. He highlighted Aslan’s established identity as a Christ figure in C.S. Lewis’s work. He mentioned speaking briefly with Gerwig, who shared that his version of the story was her favorite. Baehr suggests the change could alienate millions of Christian viewers.
Gerwig, who identifies as a Unitarian Universalist and churchgoer, envisions her version as a “rock opera.” She explained to Empire that she sought someone profound yet not pretentious for Aslan’s voice role. Streep, according to Gerwig, could communicate both depth and joy.
Fox News reached out to Gerwig’s agent for more comments and to Netflix for a statement. Ned Lott, a casting and voice director in the industry since 2000, shared his experiences casting Aslan for the 2005 film “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” He emphasized the importance of preserving the integrity of the books in casting decisions.
Lott recalled the selection process for the 2005 film, describing how Liam Neeson eventually voiced Aslan. He explained that casting should focus on the character rather than the performer. He noted instances where actors voice different-gender characters, primarily for comedic effect. However, Lott expressed puzzlement over the recent choice of Streep as Aslan.
With the anticipation building for the new “Narnia” film, the casting decision continues to draw attention and raise questions among fans and critics alike.
Leave a Reply