Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia’ Trailer Leaves Fans Torn Between Awe and CGI Complaints

Few literary worlds carry as much nostalgia as C.S. Lewis’s ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’, which is why Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ was always going to face intense scrutiny. The film adapts Lewis’s 1955 novel, the sixth book published in the series but the first in chronological order, which tells the story of how Narnia itself was created.

The ‘Barbie’ director’s Netflix project had already drawn early pushback from some conservative media figures, given the books’ Christian allegory and Gerwig’s previous film. Netflix is also treating it as its biggest theatrical release ever, with IMAX previews on February 10, 2027, a worldwide release on February 12, and streaming on Netflix starting April 2.

The first trailer finally landed on October 13, and fan reactions have been all over the place. The Hollywood Reporter rounded up responses ranging from glowing praise to complaints that the adaptation had “lost its soul to CGI.”

The preview leans into a glittery, glam rock aesthetic, set to Led Zeppelin’s famously hard-to-license “Stairway to Heaven.” It showcases shimmering landscapes, flying horses, and the dramatic creation of Narnia.

The first trailer for Greta Gerwig’s ‘NARNIA’ has been released. In theaters on February 12, 2027. https://t.co/k7MU0V2Z1A

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 13, 2026

Some viewers were brutal in their assessments. One described the footage as a “bizarre, disastrous fever dream,” complaining about some of the worst-looking CGI backgrounds they’d seen, while another argued the visuals looked like they were made with AI.

Others labeled the effects “CGI slop” and questioned whether the film would capture the atmosphere and emotional depth of Lewis’s books. For these fans, the trailer simply didn’t feel like Narnia.

A common theme among skeptics was the trailer’s resemblance to a superhero blockbuster. Social media users joked about titles like ‘Narnia: Ragnarok’ and ‘Guardians of Narnia’s Galaxy’, with one quipping that the film had been given the ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ treatment.

Another fan put it more simply, pleading with the studio not to “Marvel my Narnia.” Some even joked that Aslan would show up in ‘Avengers: Doomsday’. Not everyone was disappointed, though. Many said the trailer surpassed their expectations, with one calling it the best trailer they’d seen in years.

Others praised the film for embracing the more pagan, mythic side of Narnia. One fan compared the blend of Jim Henson-style fantasy, early ‘Harry Potter’ and Led Zeppelin to something they never expected but completely loved.

A third group landed somewhere in between. Some described the trailer as visually stunning but felt nothing clearly signaled that it was a Narnia film. Others admitted they enjoyed Gerwig’s bold style but wished she had applied it to a different franchise. One viewer called it the most conflicted they had ever felt about a trailer.

First official poster for Greta Gerwig’s ‘NARNIA: THE MAGICIAN’s NEPHEW’. First trailer releases tomorrow. In theaters on February 12, 2027. https://t.co/1e88k4IMeh

— Pop Base (@PopBase) October 12, 2026

Gerwig debuted the trailer at the IMAX theater atop the AMC Lincoln Square in New York, where audience members wore light-up rings that synced with key moments. She said she was tearing up after watching it with the crowd.

The film also reunites her with Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, who are composing the score after their work on ‘Barbie’. Gerwig said they began working on the music during pre-production and even played some of it for the cast during filming.

The adaptation features David McKenna as Digory Kirke and Beatrice Campbell as Polly Plummer, with Daniel Craig playing Digory’s eccentric Uncle Andrew. Emma Mackey stars as the White Witch, while Carey Mulligan and Denise Gough also appear, and Meryl Streep voices Aslan. With such a high-profile cast and a divisive first look, all eyes will be on how the finished film lands when it reaches theaters early next year.

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