By Islam El-Sakka
Liam Neeson has responded to the news that Meryl Streep will take over the voice of Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia adaptation for Netflix, saying there is “nobody better” for the role.
Neeson’s previous tenure as Aslan
Neeson, 74, voiced the lion Aslan in three Disney-produced Narnia films: “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” (2005), “Prince Caspian” (2008) and “The Voyage of the Dawn Treader” (2010).
Streep cast in Gerwig’s prequel
Streep, 77, will voice Aslan in “The Magician’s Nephew,” the prequel to the Narnia series, which Gerwig is directing for Netflix. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on February 12 before streaming on Netflix.
Neeson’s reaction
Asked about the casting in an interview with ScreenRant, Neeson said: “Meryl is playing Jesus Christ? Well, if you’re going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl.” Author C.S. Lewis conceived Aslan as an incarnation of Jesus.
Trailer divides opinion
The film’s trailer, set to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” has sparked debate on social media. Some critics accused the adaptation of disrespecting the source material, while others praised the decision to begin with the origin story and the trailer’s visual style.
Potential for further adaptations
If the film succeeds, Gerwig intends to adapt additional Narnia novels for Netflix. Lewis wrote seven books in the series, beginning with “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” in 1950.
