Netflix to Develop ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ Films and TV Series

Netflix has struck a deal with fan-favorite series The Chronicles of Narnia to bring C.S. Lewis’ magical land to the small screen, with the series announcing the news on Facebook on Wednesday.

The streaming giant will develop both films and a television series based on Lewis’ novels, which follow four children as they venture into a magical realm and meet a host of characters including the talking lion Aslan.

As the result of a multi-year deal between Netflix and The C.S. Lewis Company, Netflix will “develop classic stories from across the Narnia universe into series and films for its members worldwide.”

The Chronicles of Narnia was previously adapted into three feature films by Disney — The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, with each film based on one of Lewis’ novels in the Narnia series.

“C.S. Lewis’ beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we’re thrilled to be their home for years to come.”

“It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world,” added Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis. “Netflix seems to be the very best medium with which to achieve this aim, and I am looking forward to working with them towards this goal.”

It is currently unclear whether Netflix will create their own versions of films that have already been made, adapt books in the series that have not yet been made into films or offer movies based on a Narnia-related story that was not one of Lewis’ novels.

“Narnia is one of those rare properties that spans multiple generations and geographies,” said Mark Gordon, eOne’s President and Chief Content Officer, Film & Television. “eOne and I are excited to be collaborating with The C.S. Lewis Company and Netflix who have the capacity to translate the Narnia universe into both stellar feature-length and episodic programming. We cannot wait to get started on the multiple productions we hope to undertake.”

The deal is the first time that the rights to all seven of Lewis’ Narnia books have been held by the same company. The series, which was published between 1950-1956, has been a fan-favorite and classic for years, selling over 100 million copies and having been translated into more than 47 languages worldwide.

Photo Credit: Walt Disney Pictures