One scene from Disney's Disney's Narnia movies adapted The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe in 2005, followed by Prince Caspian in 2008, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in 2010. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe movie was largely well-received, but its sequels, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, did not fare as well when it came to the reception from critics and general audiences.

After Netflix acquired the rights in 2018, Greta Gerwig's Narnia movies are highly anticipated, especially after she directed and co-wrote Barbie, which became a massive critical and commercial success. Gerwig's take on C.S. Lewis' classic fantasy books can improve on Disney's movies, but this will be challenging for a particular scene.

The Battle Of Beruna Is The Best Scene From Disney's Narnia Movies

It Still Holds Up 20 Years Later

The best scene in Disney's Narnia movies is the First Battle of Beruna, which is the climactic battle in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. When released in 2005, Disney was clearly trying to rival The Lord of the Rings and other recent fantasy movies by delivering an epic battle sequence. While the Battle of Beruna is not on par with a Lord of the Rings battle, it is executed incredibly well on a narrative and technical level that makes it the highlight of Disney's Narnia movies.

The movie does a fantastic job expanding on the details about the battle in Lewis' source material. The cinematography, the music, and the shooting location in New Zealand all contribute to creating the scale and high stakes that bring the battle to life. 20 years later, the battle still holds up, and it is just as thrilling to watch the ers of Aslan fighting against the White Witch's army. The many types of animals in the battle are also seamlessly incorporated alongside the human characters. It will be difficult for Greta Gerwig's movies to do the Battle of Beruna as effectively.

Greta Gerwig's Narnia Movies' IMAX Plan Bodes Well For It Beating Disney's Franchise

The First Movie Will Have A Two-Week IMAX Release

Even though Disney set a high bar for the Battle of Beruna, the confirmed IMAX release for Greta Gerwig's first Narnia movie is a promising sign. Despite being a Netflix movie, the movie will play in approximately 1,000 IMAX theaters worldwide for a two-week window beginning on Thanksgiving Day in 2026. Having the movie released globally and exclusively on IMAX screens for two weeks suggests a high level of quality and scale that could do justice to the Battle of Beruna.

Even if The Magician's Nephew is Gerwig's first Narnia movie, if it performs well in IMAX theaters, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will probably get an IMAX release as well, which will be the perfect opportunity to show off the Battle of Beruna.

It is important to keep in mind that Gerwig's first Narnia movie is not confirmed to be The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The first movie may instead adapt The Magician's Nephew, which was published after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but it is a prequel set earlier in the chronological timeline. Even if The Magician's Nephew is Gerwig's first Narnia movie, if it performs well in IMAX theaters, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will probably get an IMAX release as well, which will be the perfect opportunity to show off the Battle of Beruna.

Gerwig's Chronicles Of Narnia Movies Can Succeed Where Disney Didn't

Disney's Franchise Ended Prematurely

While the Battle of Beruna is a high point for Disney's Narnia movies, they struggle in other areas that Gerwig's reboot can improve on. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is an overall strong adaptation, although it has the benefit of adapting arguably the best Narnia book. Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader are not as successful at adapting their respective source material. Questionable decisions were made, including forcing a romance between Prince Caspian and Susan Pevensie that is not in the books.

In general, Disney's Narnia movies lack the sense of joy and wonder that is present in the books and the land of Narnia does not feel as magical or awe-inspiring as it is intended to be. Gerwig's movies can fix this and ensure that the story becomes a full-fledged, long-running franchise that does not end prematurely. From Little Women to Barbie, Gerwig's creative vision is consistently received well, and with Little Women, she has proven how adept she is at adapting beloved literature. This is poised to continue with her direction for The Chronicles of Narnia movies.