Meryl Streep voices Aslan in Gerwig’s Narnia, opening February 2027

By Tom Whitfield

Meryl Streep will voice Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew,” opening February 12, 2027, according to ScreenRant. The casting gives Streep a role previously voiced by Liam Neeson in the original “Chronicles of Narnia” film trilogy, where Aslan was the mythical lion.

In a recent ScreenRant interview, Neeson was asked for his thoughts on the adaptation and whether he had seen its trailer. He replied: “I’m sorry, this is news to me.” The answer establishes only that he had not known about the project; it does not confirm whether he had seen the trailer.

ScreenRant then told him that Streep would play Aslan. According to the report, Aslan created the world of Narnia and is often seen as an incarnation of Jesus. Neeson responded: “Meryl is playing Jesus Christ? Well, if you’re going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl.”

Neeson’s second answer should not be mistaken for familiarity with Gerwig’s production. He endorses Streep after learning that she is playing Aslan; he does not describe the script, the new design or the director’s approach. The enthusiasm is therefore retrospective, not informed approval of the new adaptation.

Gerwig’s brief for Aslan

Gerwig told Empire: “I wanted someone who was profound but not pretentious, who had gravitas but not morose self-seriousness. Someone who could communicate depth and pathos as well as joy and delight.”

She continued: “I wanted someone who was older than 70, so there was a wisdom of experience, but who also had the capacity of fresh wonder, like a child. And also to be one of the greatest actors to ever do it. That list is not a long one.”

Gerwig said David Bowie was a source of inspiration for Aslan’s look and for the film’s essence. In this version, Aslan has multicolored eyes and a red-striped face. She described the movie as “big and transporting” and said it felt like a “rock opera.”

What does Streep’s casting change for Aslan?

For audiences, the immediate change is the performer attached to Narnia’s creator. Streep takes on a role that Neeson voiced in the original trilogy, while Gerwig describes Aslan through multicolored eyes, a red-striped face and a look inspired by David Bowie. In practice, the casting does not tell us whether the figure will feel recognizably Aslan or newly unfamiliar.

The useful test is not casting prestige alone. It is whether Gerwig can turn depth, pathos, joy and “fresh wonder” into a performance consistent with Aslan’s mythic role and Christian associations. The interview and casting account supply intention, not that evidence.

The cited material does not settle the question. Gerwig supplies a rationale for the casting, a Bowie reference and a scale described as operatic, but no recording method, song or footage showing the result. The report also gives no production update. Its evidence supports a casting intention and a release schedule, not a judgment on the finished performance.

The report also schedules a Netflix stream on April 2, after the theatrical opening.

Until a trailer or production update tests those claims, the date and casting establish a commitment; the performance and design remain promises.