What Is the Story About?
The Magician’s Nephew is not where most people started reading Narnia. That was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — four children, a wardrobe, a snowy world. This story goes back even further. It is the creation story. The story of how Narnia came to exist. Two children — Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer — stumble into a wood between worlds, a quiet place full of still pools, each one a doorway to a different universe. They find one world that is dying, ruled by an ancient witch called Jadis. They accidentally bring her back with them to London. And then, to escape the chaos, they jump into a pool that leads them to a world of total darkness, a world that does not exist yet. What they witness there is the singing of a great lion, and a world taking shape out of nothing, note by note. That lion is Aslan. What follows is the creation of Narnia — and the series of choices that will determine whether this new world starts with hope or shadow. Greta Gerwig has described the book as one she has loved her entire life. She sees it as a story about grief, wonder, and what it means to be responsible for something new and fragile. Carey Mulligan plays Digory’s mother, who is dying throughout the story. The film has been described as more emotionally grounded than the previous Disney adaptations, with the family drama and the fantasy epic running alongside each other rather than one overwhelming the other.
Why This Film Is a Much Bigger Deal Than It Looks
The $280 million budget makes this one of Netflix’s most expensive films ever made. The only Netflix film that reportedly cost more was the Russo Brothers’ The Electric State at $320 million. Narnia sits above The Irishman, Red Notice, and Grey Man. That number alone signals how seriously Netflix is treating this property. But money is not the biggest story here. The biggest story is the theatrical release strategy. Netflix almost never sends its films to cinemas. When it does, the window is usually very short. For Narnia, they have committed to a full 49-day theatrical exclusive — starting February 11 in the UAE and February 12 globally, running through the end of March before hitting Netflix on April 2. That is a Super Bowl weekend opening worldwide. That is the kind of launch traditionally reserved for the biggest franchise blockbusters in Hollywood. Netflix is betting that Greta Gerwig, after the extraordinary global success of Barbie in 2023, can fill seats around the world. The casting of Meryl Streep as Aslan is the most talked-about element of the film. Streep has never done a major fantasy franchise film before. Her voice as the lion is something that no trailer can fully prepare you for until you are sitting in the dark with a big speaker system. Sharjah audiences can browse all available VOX Cinemas showings and book seats through VOX Cinemas Sharjah at City Centre Sharjah and City Centre Al Zahia.
The Chronicles of Narnia on Screen — Complete History
| # |
Film |
Year |
Director |
Lead Cast |
Budget |
Box Office |
Studio |
| 1 |
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe |
2005 |
Andrew Adamson |
Tilda Swinton, William Moseley, Georgie Henley, Liam Neeson (voice) |
$180M |
$745M |
Disney / Walden Media |
| 2 |
Prince Caspian |
2008 |
Andrew Adamson |
Ben Barnes, William Moseley, Georgie Henley |
$225M |
$420M |
Disney / Walden Media |
| 3 |
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader |
2010 |
Michael Apted |
Ben Barnes, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes |
$155M |
$415M |
Fox / Walden Media |
| 4 |
The Magician’s Nephew |
2027 |
Greta Gerwig |
Meryl Streep (voice), Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, Emma Mackey |
$280M |
TBA |
Netflix / Sony |
It is worth noting that Gerwig’s film cost $280 million—more than the first two Disney Narnia films combined. The production scale signals something very different from what came before. Ajman audiences can find all local screenings and times through VOX Cinemas Ajman at City Centre Ajman. Fujairah residents can check all available showtimes and book seats through VOX Cinemas Fujairah at City Centre Fujairah. Residents in Ras Al Khaimah can find all current listings at VOX Cinemas Ras Al Khaimah at Al Hamra Mall. And audiences in Al Ain can find full cinema listings and showtimes through the guide to VOX Cinemas Al Ain for all available options in the city.
What Makes This Narnia Different From the Disney Films
Three things set Gerwig’s version apart from the three Disney adaptations. The first is the source material. The Magician’s Nephew has never been filmed before. The Disney films covered The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. This is genuinely new Narnia on screen. The second is the setting. The Disney films were set largely in Narnia itself — the snowy landscape, the battles, the courts. Gerwig’s film starts in post-war 1950s London, not Victorian England as Lewis wrote. The decision to shift the time period is deliberate and changes the visual palette of the film entirely. The third is the emotional register. Gerwig has spoken about her interest in the grief at the centre of the story — a dying mother, a desperate son, a choice made out of love that shapes a world. The fantasy is real but the emotional engine of the story is very much about loss and the people we cannot save. That is a different Narnia than the one most audiences grew up with.
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is one of the biggest releases of February 2027. Greta Gerwig. Meryl Streep. $280 million. A story that has never been on screen before. February 11 in the UAE cinemas. For more film guides and UAE entertainment news, visit Ever List.
