The Chronicles of Narniais soon getting a reboot at Netflix, which may delve further into the arcs of minor characters from the books. Right after the smash hit ofBarbie,acclaimed director Greta Gerwig is taking on at least two of the newNarniamovies.With such a talented writer-director behind the wheel, known for nuanced stories that make good use of supporting characters, everyone is eager to see how the main and minor characters take shape in the new movies.
Book (chronological order)
Release date
1955
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
1950
The Horse and His Boy
1954
1951
1952
1953
The Last Battle
1956
Gerwig’sNarnia’s release dateis unknown, as are the cast and story details. However, there are severalthings for Gerwig’sNarniamovies to fix, one of which is world-building and characterizations only being explained as they are relevant to the human children’s adventures.The world of Narnia could be very rich and better reinforce its themes if Gerwig leverages the supporting cast,which includes a variety of mysterious villains and delightful magical creatures that make Narnia a vibrant place.
10Uncle Andrew Ketterley
From The Magician’s Nephew
Netflix’sNarniashould definitely expand on Uncle Andrew and Mrs. Lefay, an intriguing backstory that isn’t completely explained inThe Magician’s Nephew. In the chronological firstNarniabook, Diggory Kirke travels to a magical otherworld to rescue his friend Polly Plummer after she is sent there by his uncle, who is experimenting with some magical rings.Andrew inherited the rings from his godmother, Mrs. Lefay,whose name is believed to be an allusion to Morgan le Fay.
10 Harsh Realities Of Reading The Chronicles Of Narnia, 68 Years After The Series Ended
Some things about the Chronicles of Narnia books have not aged well, presenting some harsh realities for the next people to adapt them to deal with.
Andrew is a detestable villain who views others as expendable, after power, wealth, and at one point, a romance with Jadis. While he thematically represents corrupt adults in contrast to the children, his history withMrs. Lefay has major implications for the interactions between magical worlds besides Narnia and the real one.Just one monologue from Andrew about Mrs. Lefay could drastically expand this aspect of the history of theNarniasetting.
9Mrs. Pevensie
From The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe, The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader, & The Last Battle
The Pevensies' mother plays a significant role in the first movie, while there is a substantial passage about her inThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader, andshe dies and goes to Aslan’s country with her husband and three of her children inThe Last Battle.The movie scenes she does have and some parts of the book describe her as caring and hardworking. However, the books do not delve into how the experience of Narnia might have affected her relationship with her children.
The books don’t suggest she ever noticed them being fundamentally different, or the wedge that eventually formed between Susan and the others.
Exploring Mrs. Pevensie’s character could be a strong subplotthat broadens the depiction of the Pevensies’ lives in the real world post-Narnia. The books don’t suggest she ever noticed them being fundamentally different, or the wedge that eventually formed between Susan and the others. Her noticing small things about her children, who have ruled a country and grown up without her, and eventually finding out about Narnia would make her a less incidental part of the story.
8Fledge The Pegasus
InThe Magician’s Nephew, a cabbie from England called Frank and his horse Strawberry are brought to Narnia by chance just as Aslan creates it.Aslan brings Frank’s wife Helen there as well and makes the couple the first queen and king of Narnia and turns Strawberry into a talking winged horsewho uses the new name Fledge. Fledge has a good speech about how he didn’t enjoy being a cab horse, delving into themes of animal abuse thatNarniaoccasionally touches upon.
There is a division between talking animals and"dumb"animals in Narnia, with the talking one being the equals of humans. Non-talking animals are supposed to be treated kindly but are still hunted for game. Fledge’s dialogue is valuable, and the movies should faithfully adapt it, butexpanding the arcs of Fledge and other animals like him would better illustrate the place talking animals have in Narnia.
7Glozelle
From Prince Caspian
In thePrince Caspianbook,Glozelle kills Miraz essentially because of one insult.The movie depicts more tense scenes between Miraz and his commanders to show how their decision to assassinate him was a long time coming. This is probably meant to be evidence of the overall corruption of the Telmarine regime, where Miraz killed his brother to take the throne, only to be killed by his advisors for the same reason.
Showing more of the conspiracy against Miraz in the newPrince Caspianmovie would make this theme even stronger,improving upon the previous iteration. The significance of the Telmarine invasion in Narnian history would be made more profound by showing the inner workings of their court and fleshing out individual characters. Glozelle is the main example, who could be made a much more diabolical and memorable villain in the context of this storyline.
6King Caspian IX
From Prince Caspian & The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader (Mentioned)
Yet while the Telmarines’ rule is characterized as a bad thing in Narnia, Caspian’s dedication to his father’s legacy and his wish to avenge him paints the previous king as a noble figure.Caspian IX was also a Telmarine king,who did not reverse the subjugation of the Narnians. Reconciling the kinder characterization of him with the cruel description of his dynasty would also makePrince Caspiana much more politically complex installment.
It’s possible that Caspian IX wanted to do good but was prevented from it by the nature of his court and the aristocrats he had to contend with. Additionally, the fact that there was an uninterrupted line of kings called Caspian raises eyebrows when the Telmarines are known for overthrowing their own monarchs.Caspian’s father shapes so much of his character and the story of twoNarniabooks but invites a lot of questionsabout how good of a person he was.
5Lilliandil
From The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader & The Silver Chair
Ramandu’s daughter, named Lilliandil for the movie adaptation ofThe Voyage of the Dawn Treader, is the daughter of a retired star who takes the form of an old man. The main characters meet her on the island of Aslan’s Table, and after the events of the book, she returns to Narnia with Caspian and marries him.The Voyage of the Dawn Treadermishandles her character by terming her the"mother of grandmother of great kings"— and this is about all she does in the story.
I Hope Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles Of Narnia Remake Explores A Fascinating Detail From The Movies
Though the movie iterations of The Chronicles of Narnia aren’t universally praised, there’s one aspect of films that Greta Gerwig should keep.
Lilliandil is killed by the Lady of the Green Kirtle, settingThe Silver Chair’s plot in motion. However, this queen of Narnia could be a much better character in her own right if the movies spent more time on her.If Gerwig is the one to adaptThe Silver Chair, she will likely take the time to explore Lilliandil as an intelligent and invaluable queen,given her history of empowering movies about women.
4Coriakin The Magician
From The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
The magician Coriakin is also one of the enigmatic characters Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, and Eustace meet during their voyage.Coriakin was also once a star, becoming a wizard ruling over the Duffersin Aslan’s service. He’s not the most moral character, as he casts spells on the Duffers, supposedly for their own good but without their consent. However, Coriakin still presents possibilities for the expansion of theNarniaworld. Namely, no other humans besides the two witches get to use magic at all.
Narnia has essentially no magic system and the rules of Coriakin being able to use magic are not explained.
Even in an ethically dubious area, Coriakin being a wizard and a servant of Aslan is unique.Narniahas essentially no magic system and the rules of Coriakin being able to use magic are not explained. Becausethe movie links the scattered adventures throughoutThe Voyage of the Dawn Treaderinto one narrative,Coriakin becomes a plot device to explain the final thing to be defeated. However, his simply existing on his island with no other purpose than world-building would make Narnia even more dynamic.
3Roonwit The Centaur
From The Last Battle
InThe Last Battle,Roonwit informs King Tirian and Jewel the Unicorn that he has discerned from the stars that the Aslan who has been seen in Narnia is a fakeand the kingdom is in peril. Roonwit is then killed in a battle that happens out of sight of the main characters. He could have been a more significant supporting character, but the plot only uses him for these brief beats. The centaurs are also another case of how magical creatures are genre trappings more than characters in theNarniafranchise.
Centaurs are widespread among the Narnian population,and the movies suggest that they are their most skilled and noble soldiers. However, none of the centaurs in the series are given any characterization or individual arcs. Doing this with Roonwit or another centaur character would help make the crowds of various Narnians feel like more than a backdrop. Because Roonwit mentions reading the stars, they could also discuss scholastic practices among the centaurs and other Narnians.
2Bacchus
TheNarniaworld is inhabited by other god-like figures who make it a fantastical place, but because logical world-building was not Lewis’ priority, these characters tend to just show up — like Father Christmas randomly appearing to give the children presents. Likewise,inPrince Caspian, Aslan summons the Bacchus and his followers to bring the forest to life againand ride against the Telmarines. This character’s mythology holds great potential for theNarniamovies.
Bacchus is the Roman name for the Greek god Dionysus, bringing this ancient mythological influence into the setting.The book also depicts a River God whom Aslan frees,which is vividly adapted in the movie. The existence of these minor gods in Narnia and the mythologies they hail from should be further developed, exploring what kind of power they have and how they got to Narnia.
1The Lady Of The Green Kirtle
From The Silver Chair
The Lady of the Green Kirtle is possibly the biggest unsolved mystery of theNarniaseries.She suddenly appears to be the main villain inThe Silver Chair,with no context or backstory, killing Queen Lilliandil and luring away Prince Rilian. Above all, theNetflixNarniamovies must do justice to the Green Ladywhen she is such an enjoyable villainess who recalls thebestNarniabookswith another evil witch.
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Remake Can Bring Justice To 1 Character After 68 Years
While there are many aspects of the Narnia books and movies that have stood the test of time, certain characters were never given enough depth.
Fans ofThe Chronicles of Narniahave long speculated thatthe Lady of the Green Kirtle may be a resurrected form of the White Witch.It is natural to draw parallels between the two when, after multiple books of bland villains, a charismatic sorceress suddenly takes up the plot again. The Green Lady also tempts Rilian away from his family, as the White Witch once tricked Edmund with sweets. In both cases, the rules of their magic are not explained, creating many possibilities for new versions of the story.
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narniais a fantasy franchise based on the seven-book series written by C.S. Lewis between 1950 and 1956. The series is set in the magical world of Narnia, where children from our world are transported to fulfill prophecies, battle evil forces, and restore peace under the guidance of Aslan, a mystical lion. The franchise has seen multiple adaptations, including a BBC television series in the late 1980s, three major Hollywood films between 2005 and 2010, and an upcoming reboot by Netflix, which has generated significant anticipation. The franchise is beloved for its rich allegorical storytelling, blending Christian themes with epic fantasy elements.
