Any new film from Greta Gerwig is something to be celebrated. After all, the master filmmaker has emerged as one of the most unique and passionate voices in 21st century cinema. But her return is even more anticipated in the wake of 2023’s Barbie, a deeply idiosyncratic summer smash comedy that crossed $1.4 billion at the box office. Where do you go after that? You return with something very big, very bold, and very Greta: Narnia is calling.
Next year brings Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew – adapting C.S. Lewis’ sprawling fantasy saga to the screen with an origin story tale that’s never hit cinemas before, and a very specific vision. Empire went on set with Gerwig and her cast – including Daniel Craig, Emma Mackey, and incoming youngsters David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell – witnessing first-hand the unexpected reference points, cultural resonances, and expansive world-building she’s incorporating into her most ambitious film yet. Inside our world-exclusive Narnia issue – packed with the first images anywhere from the film – we speak to the director and her cast about creating this brave new world, illuminating the philosophies of Lewis’ creation, and exploring the ramifications of moving the Narnia stories into the 1950s.
Your journey into Narnia starts right here: Empire’s newsstand cover brings you face-to-face with none other than Aslan, the mythical lion at the heart of Lewis’ saga. In Gerwig’s film, Aslan’s heterochromic eyes and bold red-striped visage nods to one of her key creative inspirations: David Bowie. And he’s voiced by the one and only Meryl Streep, reunited with her Little Women director.
“I wanted someone who was profound but not pretentious, who had gravitas but not morose self-seriousness. Someone who could communicate depth and pathos as well as joy and delight,” Gerwig tells Empire of casting Streep as Narnia’s deity-of-sorts. “I wanted someone who was older than 70, so there was a wisdom of experience, but who also had the capacity of fresh wonder, like a child. And also to be one of the greatest actors to ever do it. That list is not a long one.”
This month’s exclusive subscriber cover – from concept artist Jaime Jones, who worked on the film – is an epic sneak-peek at Aslan literally creating Narnia itself.
There’s plenty more to come inside the issue – and stay tuned for more reveals on empireonline.com in the near future. Take your first steps into Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew when Empire’s November 2026 issue hits newsstands on Thursday September 24. Pre-order a copy online here. Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew comes to cinemas from February 12, 2027, and on Netflix from April 2, 2027.
