Actor Liam Neeson has given his approval to Meryl Streep stepping into the role of Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming adaptation of CS Lewis’ ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’. Neeson, who previously lent his voice to the iconic talking lion in three films from the fantasy franchise, welcomed the casting choice with a humorous response after learning that Streep would be taking over the character.
The Oscar-nominated actor, however, was unaware that a new ‘Narnia’ film was in development until a ScreenRant reporter informed him about the project. Reacting to the news, Neeson said, “I’m sorry, this is news to me,” before being told about Streep’s involvement.
When he learned that the ‘Mamma Mia!’ actor would voice Aslan, Neeson responded, “Meryl is playing Jesus Christ? Well, if you’re going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl.”
Why Meryl Streep was Greta Gerwig’s choice for Aslan
Gerwig, who is writing and directing ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’, had a specific vision for the character when considering potential actors for the role. In an earlier interview with Empire, the filmmaker explained that she wanted someone capable of conveying both the spiritual depth and emotional range associated with Aslan.
“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 said.
Gerwig also revealed that age and experience were important considerations while making her choice. She was looking for an actor over 70 who could bring wisdom to the character while retaining a sense of childlike curiosity.
“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,” added Gerwig. “And also to be one of the greatest actors to ever do it. That list is not a long one.”
Streep, who previously collaborated with Gerwig on the 2019 film ‘Little Women’, ultimately fitted the director’s requirements for the role.
Liam Neeson’s association with the Narnia franchise
Neeson first voiced Aslan in the 2005 film ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’. He subsequently returned for the next two installments, ‘Prince Caspian’ (2008) and ‘The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’ (2010).
The character holds particular significance in Lewis’ fantasy universe. Aslan, a powerful and godlike lion who created Narnia, is widely understood as a representation of Jesus Christ within the fictional world.
The connection was also acknowledged by Lewis himself. In a letter to a young reader written before his death in 1963, the author explained that Aslan represented another incarnation of Jesus, existing in the magical world of Narnia. The character’s sacrifice and subsequent resurrection further reflect the religious symbolism woven into the books. Lewis also viewed the seven-part series as a larger story about Jesus.
What we know about Greta Gerwig’s Narnia film
Titled ‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’, the upcoming project adapts the sixth book in Lewis’ publication order but tells the earliest story in the fictional timeline. It explores the creation of Narnia by Aslan, taking place approximately 1,000 years before the events of ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’.
Netflix announced Gerwig’s involvement in adapting Lewis’ fantasy series in 2023. Streep was subsequently linked to the role of Aslan in April 2025.
The film is scheduled to premiere in theaters on February 12, 2027.
Anna Popplewell also reacts to the new Narnia adaptation
Neeson is not the only actor from the earlier film series to share thoughts about Gerwig’s upcoming project. Anna Popplewell, who played Susan Pevensie in the first two ‘Narnia’ films, recently expressed enthusiasm for the new adaptation during an appearance at Comic Con Brussels.
“The music is amazing. It looks really exciting. I can’t wait to watch it,” she said.
Popplewell also noted that the new film appeared to have a different visual identity from the earlier adaptations, something she expected from Gerwig as a filmmaker.
“It looks very different, I think, from the world that we created in our adaptation. And I think I would expect that from Greta Gerwig. She’s such a wonderful director and writer, but it would be very surprising if she didn’t have her own take on ‘Narnia’.”