Greta Gerwig’s reported $280 million Netflix adaptation of Narnia is facing internal unease after reportedly receiving a muted response in summer test screenings.
“It’s 100 percent true, and everyone at Netflix thinks the movie is awful. It’s a genuine problem,” an unnamed source told entertainment journalist Jeff Sneider this week.
The project, titled Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, marks the fourth solo feature from the Oscar-nominated filmmaker, who previously directed the blockbuster Barbie.
A second source described the mood after a screening as deeply negative, saying, “The air went out of the room. It was bleak.” Sneider also reported that additional reshoots were arranged despite not being part of the original schedule.
The cast includes Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan, the iconic lion. Viewers received their first glimpse of the character near the end of Netflix’s Led Zeppelin-heavy trailer released Tuesday.
In C.S. Lewis’s original seven-book series, Aslan is male and is broadly understood as a literary depiction of Jesus Christ.
Although Streep’s casting does not automatically indicate that the character will be portrayed as female, the decision has still drawn anger from conservative critics.
The preview also used music by Led Zeppelin, a group long known for rarely approving requests to license its songs.
Insiders told The InSneider this week that Greta Gerwig’s $280 million Narnia movie has sparked concern at Netflix following reportedly disappointing test screenings
The fantasy film is Greta Gerwig’s fourth solo directing project and features Oscar winner Meryl Streep as the mystical lion Aslan
Sneider’s newsletter, The InSneider, reported last week that Gerwig, 43, had complained to her agent about alleged “meddling” by Netflix film chief Dan Lin. The report said the director had received “a lot of notes about early cuts” of The Magician’s Nephew.
Lin has overseen Netflix’s film division since 2024.
A separate source told Sneider that the situation recalls the post-production troubles surrounding Barbie. According to the source, “at least one individual—an experienced editor or director, or possibly both… was brought into the editing room to ‘save’” that film.
Sneider wrote that Warner Bros. executives were initially “very worried” about Gerwig’s cut of Barbie, even though the film ultimately earned a Best Picture nomination.
He pointed to the editing credits for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew as possible evidence of behind-the-scenes complications. The film lists three editors—Gerwig regular Nick Houy, along with Wyatt Smith and Andrew Weisblum—rather than the single editor typically associated with her projects.
Sneider speculated that the growing size and ambition of Gerwig’s productions may ultimately create difficulties for the director.
“I don’t expect Gerwig to return for the Narnia sequel—if there is one,” he wrote. While praising the trailer released Tuesday, Sneider added that he “trust[ed]” the negative assessment shared by his second source.
He also questioned how the trailer might play without “one of the greatest songs of all time” accompanying the footage. The song in question is Led Zeppelin’s rock epic Stairway to Heaven, which Jimmy Page and Robert Plant reportedly refused to license until this year.
The film reportedly cost $280 million and also stars Daniel Craig. Sources said the lackluster screenings prompted additional reshoots
Sneider’s report also linked the film’s troubles to Netflix’s broader business challenges, including the 1,000 layoffs announced Wednesday as the streaming giant continues to contend with platforms such as YouTube. Netflix shares have fallen by more than 40 percent since December.
Sources told the journalist that there were ‘rumblings’ that either Lin or fellow Netflix executive Bela Bajaria ‘will have to face the music soon.’ Bajaria, previously the company’s chief content officer, was fired the day after the report was published, on Thursday.
The day before, Gerwig spoke onstage with Stephen Colbert at Netflix’s Narnia IMAX exclusive sneak peek event in Manhattan. She talked up the original books by CS Lewis.
During an interview with Empire for a cover story about the upcoming film, Gerwig detailed her decision to cast Streep to voice Aslan.
The director, who previously worked with Streep on 2019’s Little Women, said her vision of the latter was partially inspired by late and oft-androgynous singer David Bowie.
‘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,’ she told the magazine.
‘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.’
‘David Bowie saved my life. Paul McCartney saved my life. David Gilmour saved my life. Pete Townshend saved my life. Jimmy Page, Robert Plant,’ she added.
The film – based on the first of the seven book series by British author CS Lewis – releases in February
Gerwig spoke onstage with Stephen Colbert at Netflix’s Narnia IMAX exclusive sneak peek event in Manhattan on Wednesday
‘When I heard their music, I had this deep sense of [thinking], “You’re gonna be OK.”‘
Our News Outlet approached Netflix for comment.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos appeared to acknowledge the company’s recent struggles during Bloomberg’s 2026 Screentime conference last month, after losing roughly $100 billion in market capitalization since December.
‘Overall, we’re not growing as fast as I want us to, and we’re working on making that move faster,’ he said on September 30. ‘The business is great and growing fine.’
The film releases in February, before landing on Netflix in April.
