‘Narnia’ Star Liam Neeson Learns Meryl Streep Is the New Aslan, and His Verdict Says It All

Few voice roles in modern fantasy are as closely tied to one actor as Aslan is to Liam Neeson. He lent the great lion his commanding voice in all 3 of the ‘Chronicles of Narnia‘ movies released between 2005 and 2010: ‘The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe’, ‘Prince Caspian’ and ‘The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’. That run made him the sound of Narnia for an entire generation of moviegoers.

When Netflix handed the franchise to Greta Gerwig, the biggest question became who would step into that role. Meryl Streep was first reported to be in talks in April 2025, and she has since been confirmed as the voice of Aslan in ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’. The casting has stirred strong opinions among fans, some of whom note that C.S. Lewis wrote Aslan as a male lion, although Lewis’ remaining family has expressed support for the new adaptation.

Now the original Aslan has weighed in, and it turns out he had no idea any of this was happening. Neeson told ScreenRant that a new ‘Narnia’ movie was news to him when interviewer Liam Crowley asked whether he had seen the trailer. The reporter then broke the news that Streep was taking over his old part.

Neeson’s first reaction was stunned disbelief. He asked whether Streep was really playing Jesus Christ, a nod to the way Aslan serves as a Christ figure in Lewis’ books. Once the interviewer confirmed it, he chuckled and gave his blessing, saying that if you make Christ a lady, “nobody better than Meryl.”

Before the conversation ended, Neeson also asked who was directing the film and learned the answer was Gerwig. For a franchise that tends to inspire fierce loyalty, the original lion’s seal of approval is a welcome moment for the new movie. It also joins a growing list of supportive reactions, as other stars of the earlier films, including Anna Popplewell, have also backed Gerwig’s vision.

Liam Neeson just found out a new ‘Narnia’ film is releasing with Meryl Streep playing Aslan 🦁 "Meryl Streep is playing Jesus Christ? … Well if you’re gonna make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl" (via @Screenrant) https://t.co/okzgQFtdZG

— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) November 5, 2026

Gerwig has been open about her reasoning. She has said she wanted someone who is profound without being pretentious, with gravitas but no heavy self-seriousness, who can convey both depth and pathos as well as joy and delight. She also wanted an actor older than 70, so that Aslan carries the wisdom of experience along with a childlike sense of wonder.

On top of that, Gerwig wanted one of the greatest actors working today, and she has noted that the list is a short one. Streep previously worked with her on ‘Little Women’ in 2019, so the two already share a creative history.

The new movie is shaping up to look and sound very different from the earlier trilogy. Gerwig has described her approach as a rock opera, something big and transporting, built around the idea that Narnia is a world sung to life by Aslan. David Bowie served as an inspiration for this version of the lion, who has multicolored eyes and a red-striped face.

The first trailer leaned into that spirit, using ‘Stairway to Heaven’ as the soundtrack. It shows Aslan appearing as a constellation in space before bringing Narnia into existence with an explosive roar.

A Universe Begins. See how Narnia was created in Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, a film by Greta Gerwig – only in theaters February 12. https://t.co/jwxksCL0N7

— Netflix (@netflix) October 13, 2026

‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ is set to open in theaters on February 12, 2027, before arriving on Netflix on April 2. The release was moved from its earlier November 2026 slot, and it is expected to be the first Netflix film to receive a wide global theatrical release.

The movie adapts the first book in the story’s chronology, following Digory and Polly as they discover the creation of Narnia. Alongside Streep, the cast includes Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan and Daniel Craig, with newcomers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell in the young leading roles. Gerwig is contracted to write and direct at least 2 ‘Narnia’ films, and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos has promised the movies will be bigger and bolder than audiences imagined while staying rooted in faith.

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