Netflix’s upcoming Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is facing criticism from longtime fans and Christian viewers after the studio confirmed that Meryl Streep will voice Aslan, the male lion who serves as the central Christ figure in C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series.

The casting has raised questions because Aslan is more than simply a fantasy character. Lewis explicitly connected the lion to Jesus Christ, explaining in a 1961 letter that he imagined what would happen if Christ entered a world like Narnia to save it. Aslan is portrayed throughout the books as a male lion, and previous film adaptations used male actors, including Liam Neeson.

Gerwig has defended her decision to cast Streep, saying she wanted an actor over 70 who could convey wisdom, depth, authority, joy and a sense of childlike wonder. However, the decision has prompted critics to question why a traditionally male Christ figure needed to be voiced by a woman in the first place.

The concerns extend beyond Streep's casting. Gerwig has described her version of Narnia as a world “made out of music,” with influences from David Bowie and other rock musicians. The new design for Aslan also reportedly draws from Bowie, including mismatched eyes and red markings, giving the character a markedly different appearance from previous adaptations.

Some longtime Narnia fans have criticized the changes as moving the story away from Lewis' original vision. Reactions to the first-look material have included complaints that the new film's visual style and “rock opera” approach feel disconnected from the Narnia audiences know from the books.

The movie is scheduled to open in theaters on February 12, 2027, before arriving on Netflix April 2. Netflix describes it as an adaptation of Lewis' story about the creation of Narnia, but the early controversy has centered on how far Gerwig's interpretation will depart from the source material.