Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ Unveils Its First Poster With a Cosmic Silhouette and a Winged Horse
Few fantasy worlds are as beloved as Narnia, and few filmmakers could take on its origin story with as much anticipation as Greta Gerwig. After years of speculation, casting announcements and a release date shuffle, the first piece of full-scale promotional art has arrived. It’s a striking image, and it suggests a very different tone from earlier screen versions.
The poster shows the dark outline of a profile, filled with swirling stars and glowing nebula light, set against a pale cosmic backdrop. Across the center, a winged horse soars along a bright lens flare. The tagline reads “A Universe Begins,” with “A Film by Greta Gerwig” above the title, ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew.’
The poster also confirms the date and format, listing the film as playing only in theaters on February 12 and promoting an IMAX experience. That detail underscores how different this release is from a typical Netflix project. It’s also the latest in a series of reveals that began in September with the film’s logo and first behind-the-scenes photo.
‘The Magician’s Nephew’ will be Netflix’s first wide theatrical release. IMAX previews begin on February 10, followed by the global release on February 12, and the film arrives on Netflix on April 2, 2027. It will also be the first Netflix movie to receive a full exclusive theatrical window of 45 days.
The plan has changed along the way. The film was originally set for a Thanksgiving 2026 release, with a two-week run exclusively in IMAX before streaming. It was moved after a cast member’s injury reportedly delayed production by six weeks, and the shift gave Netflix the chance to expand the rollout. IMAX said the delay creates an opportunity for a wide release with a full theatrical window, and that it supports Gerwig and Netflix in pursuing it.
The source material is C.S. Lewis’s 1955 novel, which serves as a prequel to ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.’ Although it’s the first book chronologically, it was actually the final one Lewis completed. The story follows two children, Digory and Polly, who discover the Wood between the Worlds after an uncle gives them a magical ring.
Their adventures lead them to the dying world of Charn and then to the creation of Narnia itself, as Aslan sings the world to life. Gerwig has said she fell in love as a child with the improbable and brilliant idea of a cosmic lion singing Narnia into being. The poster’s starry silhouette and glowing lens flare seem to capture that sense of cosmic beginnings.
Newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell play Digory and Polly. Emma Mackey takes on Jadis, the White Witch, and Daniel Craig plays Uncle Andrew. Carey Mulligan appears as Digory’s mother, and Meryl Streep, confirmed through Empire’s cover story, voices Aslan.
The ensemble also includes Ciarán Hinds, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough and Susan Wokoma. Streep and Gerwig previously worked together on ‘Little Women,’ in which Streep played Aunt March. Gerwig is also reuniting with ‘Barbie’ collaborators Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, who will compose the original score.
The scale of the project is hard to miss. Gerwig is one of two Narnia films she has signed on to make for Netflix, and the film is reportedly the most expensive in the streamer’s history. The company has described the rollout as matching the scale and fandom of Lewis’s beloved books.
The books have sold more than 120 million copies worldwide, and earlier film versions grossed a combined $1.6 billion. Those numbers help explain why Netflix is investing so heavily. They also raise expectations for a new franchise built on a different foundation.
Poster art is a first impression, and this one leans toward mystery and wonder rather than a traditional storybook look. It avoids showing any characters and instead focuses on a single image of creation. That restraint fits a film about the very beginning of a universe.
It also hints at the visual ambition that Gerwig is bringing to the project. With IMAX in the picture, the film is clearly designed to be seen on the biggest screens possible. Fans will now be waiting for a teaser trailer to see how the story comes to life.
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