Greta Gerwig's "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew" Sent for Reshoots After Unsuccessful Test Screenings - Insider

Netflix has bet a lot on the adaptation, costing over $300 million, and decided not to take risks after the initial test screenings.

Greta Gerwig's "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew" is set for additional filming. According to insider Jeff Sneider, the decision was made by Netflix management after test screenings whose results did not meet the company's expectations.

One of the preliminary screenings took place several months ago in Paramus, New Jersey. Viewers were shown a two-hour version of the film, which Gerwig personally presented to gather initial feedback. The reaction was mixed, although participants reported that they were shown a film with unfinished editing and visual effects.

Nevertheless, the test results, according to sources, concerned Netflix, and the company scheduled additional filming in London. The amount of material Gerwig will need to reshoot or rework, and whether this will affect the release schedule, is currently unknown.

Netflix's particular attention to the project is understandable given its scale. According to insiders, the budget for "The Magician's Nephew" could exceed $320 million. If confirmed, the film would become the most expensive in Netflix's history, surpassing the Russo brothers' "Electric State," which cost exactly $320 million to produce.

For the same reason, Netflix is preparing an unusually long theatrical run for "Narnia." The film will appear on big screens on February 12, 2027, and will remain there for 45 days before arriving on streaming on April 2. Typically, Netflix films, if they are released in cinemas, spend about two weeks or slightly more there.

"The Magician's Nephew" will be a prequel to the main "Chronicles of Narnia" story and will tell of the creation of the magical world. Gerwig, however, changed the historical context of C.S. Lewis's book: the adaptation's setting will be moved from the Victorian era to the 1950s.

The cast includes Meryl Streep, Daniel Craig, Emma Mackey, Ciarán Hinds, Carey Mulligan, David McKenna, and Beatrice Campbell. Seamus McGarvey, who worked on "Atonement" and the first "Avengers," served as cinematographer, and the music was composed by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt.