Although we don't yet know which two books Greta Gerwig is adapting for Netflix's Lewis' Narnia book series.

I think most people envision the story of the 2005 film when they think of the Narnia novels, but I'm excited to see how Greta Gerwig's The Chronicles of Narnia reboot will tackle the book series and its unusual arc. Some sources indicate that Gerwig will tackle The Silver Chair first (via What's On Netflix) — the sixth book in the chronology of Narnia's history, but I think there's a strong possibility that Gerwig's two-movie deal will include an adaptation of The Magician's Nephew, which is sequenced as the first book in recent releases.

Greta Gerwig's Narnia Reboot Is Sure To Do A Great Job With The Villain Uncle Andrew

The Underrated Villain Needs To Have A Key Role In Gerwig & Netflix's Narnia Reboot

In The Chronicles of Narnia novels, Uncle Andrew is, in my opinion, the most despicable character Lewis ever penned. Known as Andrew Ketterley, the underrated villain is Digory Kirke's uncle, but, perhaps more importantly, he was also one of the first humans to set foot in Narnia. Even though Uncle Andrew grew up with two sisters, Letitia and Mabel, and was raised by his godmother, Mrs. Lefay, he's incredibly misogynistic. This frustrates me even more because Mrs. Lefay was the one who told Andrew about the very existence of other worlds, though the contradiction also makes him a memorable villain.

...[Andrew is] willing to sacrifice these "lesser" people during his experiments.

Before Mrs. Lefay dies, she gives Andrew a magical box and tells him to destroy it. Instead of listening, Uncle Andrew studies magic and lives off Letitia's charity. In the end, he becomes an adept magician who's determined to access other worlds, like Narnia. Cruel and selfish, Uncle Andrew believes he's more important than women and children, and he's willing to sacrifice these "lesser" people during his experiments. Clearly, Narnia has problems Gerwig must fix or address. Andrew's attitude reflects some disturbingly popular views held during the early 1900s, so I can't wait for Gerwig to tackle this awful character.

The Barbie Movie Inspires Confidence That Greta Gerwig Will Get Uncle Andrew Right

Greta Gerwig's 2023 Blockbuster Tackled The Patriarchy & The Harm It Causes

In Barbie, which garnered $1.446 billion at the box office, Gerwig uses the Mattel toys to tackle the insidious nature of patriarchy. When Barbie (Margot Robbie) believes something is wrong with her, she heads to the human world with Ken (Ryan Gosling), who's hopelessly in love with her. In the real world, Barbie's unexpected villain twist takes center stage when Ken discovers the concept of patriarchy and brings the power structure to Barbie Land. This plot line is exactly why I think Gerwig can deftly handle a villain as cruel as Uncle Andrew.

Barbie opened viewers' eyes to real-world harm, using an incredibly accessible subject...

Although Barbie received some understandable backlash for its on-the-nose handling of the harms of patriarchy, I can't completely fault the movie's lack of nuance. A mainstream blockbuster, Barbie opened viewers' eyes to real-world harm, using an incredibly accessible subject and a comedic, often-welcoming lens. The Chronicles of Narnia books are a different beast entirely, but it's abundantly clear that Gerwig has the awareness and determination to not just gloss over problematic characters or ideas. In fact, all of Greta Gerwig's movies, from Lady Bird to Little Women, have prepared her for a 2020s Narnia reboot.

Netflix's Narnia Movies Should Expand On The Magician's Nephew Character

Uncle Andrew Is A Crucial Part Of The Portal Fantasy's Origin Story

When I think back on The Magician's Nephew pre-Narnia reboot, I picture Uncle Andrew as a villainous caricature. Instead of making him a mustache-twirling, mad scientist type, Gerwig's Narnia reboot could transform Andrew into someone viewers could, hypothetically, encounter in their everyday lives. While C.S. Lewis' depiction paints Uncle Andrew as an obvious villain, Gerwig could tackle his more insidious evils. On the outside, Uncle Andrew seems like a misunderstood, magic-obsessed longer, which would make The Chronicles of Narnia's reveal of his cruel beliefs much more jarring and, sadly, realistic.

As of September 2024, Greta Gerwig and Netflix's two-movie The Chronicles of Narnia reboot does not have a release date.

Source: What's On Netflix