Greta Gerwig’s Concerns About Netflix’s Narnia Reboot Make Perfect Sense

Greta Gerwig has been voicing concerns about her latest project with Netflix, upset that the streaming platform’s The Chronicles of Narnia reboot will not get a theatrical release. Rumors of her discontent have spread as the lack of theatrical release for Chronicles of Narnia has become an issue for Gerwig and Narnia fans alike. After the massive success of her last three releases (Lady Bird, Little Women, and Barbie), Gerwig has the influence and right to express herself when it comes to the terms of her following projects, and her apprehensions make perfect sense.
Gerwig agreed to work on at least two of Netflix’s Narnia movies before her culture-shifting Barbie had even begun shooting. With her consistent success between 2017 and now, it is reasonable she would hope to give her upcoming projects the theatrical spotlight often associated with upstanding works and creators, and that hope extends to Greta Gerwig’s The Chronicles of Narnia reboot. Unfortunately for Gerwig, she agreed to partner with a platform that specializes in streaming and has historically shied away from theaters.
Greta Gerwig Is Right To Be Concerned About Netflix’s Release Plans For Its Narnia Reboot
Her Last Three Films Have Been Big Theatrical Successes
Greta Gerwig has numerous good reasons to be concerned that Netflix has no plans for the Chronicles of Narnia reboot to hit theaters. As an actor since 2006 who expanded her role to screenwriting and directing, Gerwig has been involved with the many different facets that go into filmmaking. That level of involvement extends to a concern for the audience’s experience while viewing a movie. Watching a film in the theater over the living room leads to a more memorable occasion. Gerwig has mentioned that her favorite childhood recollections involved the transportation encountered when viewing a film in the theater.

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Gerwig no doubt wants her work to continue to have the cultural success her last three films had, with those films being nominated for a combined 19 Oscars. Since the Oscars require a film to have a theatrical run of seven consecutive days, her Narnia remake couldn’t even be considered for the industry’s most prestigious award.
With Netflix making its profits off monthly subscribers over box office hits, they have no need or desire to hold the same concerns as filmmakers who hope to project their works into the success associated with high-grossing box office hits.
Audience perception should also be considered when streaming a film rather than releasing it in theaters. Viewers tend to associate works that go directly to streaming as less exciting, unimportant, simpler, and of lower quality. With Netflix making its profits off monthly subscribers over box office hits, they have no need or desire to hold the same concerns as filmmakers who hope to project their works into the success associated with high-grossing box office hits.
Why A Theatrical Release Suits Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Remake Better Than Streaming
Gerwig Has The Name Recognition And The Reputation For A Theatrical Release
Amid all the logistics and financial concerns of an industry attempting to appease its shareholders, there are many good reasons why Greta Gerwig’s Narnia remake is more suited to a theatrical release. Prestige and Oscar recognition aside, fantasy films are meant to carry their viewers to whimsical new worlds, creating a fully immersive experience through the theater’s large screens and surround sound. The level of excitement generated by a theatrical release is also something that would lead to further promotion and success.
And, C.S. Lewis’s
Chronicles of Narnia
warrants a significant release.
Gerwig, as an artist, undoubtedly hopes to have a captive audience for the works she spends countless hours creating. With its casual viewership checking their phones, chatting, and constantly pausing, streaming disrupts how someone should experience a film. Films that immediately go to streaming continually lose viewership, drastically depleting a work’s energy with each passing day. Gerwig’s collaboration with Lewis’s Narnia will have greater success if appropriately received as the large work it is.
One Netflix Franchise Reveals How Narnia Can Have The Best Of Both Worlds
Glass Onion Has Proven A Limited Theatrical Release Works
Even though Netflix’s model leans heavily toward its streaming service, and it is one of the few companies that profit off those services, it has and should entertain a limited theatrical release for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia remake. In 2022, Netflix had a limited theatrical release for its successful Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, directed by Rian Johnson, starring Daniel Craig and Edward Norton.
Glass Onion had a seven-day theatrical run in 600 theaters before streaming on Netflix the following month. The film brought in around 15 million dollars in theaters and could have made four times that if it had been screened in the 4,000 theaters often associated with a major release. Given its timeframe and lack of theatrical promotion, the film did very well. Glass Onion then became one of the platform’s top 10 most-watched movies. With Gerwig and Narnia both being well-known names, a brief theatrical release would lead to excitement and success for both Gerwig’s goals and Netflix’s streaming profits.
From the desire to forge memories, embrace success, build positive perception, transport viewers, and garner excitement and energy, Greta Gerwig has valid reasons for wanting to see her Netflix Narnia reboot released in theaters. It would benefit both her and Netflix if they reached a mutually beneficial agreement, even if that were a short-term release in theaters, like Netflix did with Glass Onion. And even though Gerwig has already agreed to work with the streaming giant, her current success should convince them to consider releasing The Chronicles of Narnia reboot in theaters.