Netflix has announced that it has signed a multi-year deal with The C.S. Lewis Company to produce television series and feature films based upon the beloved The Chronicles of Narnia fantasy series. It marks the first time that the rights to all seven Narnia books have been held by the same company.
“C.S. Lewis’ beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer, Netflix. “Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we’re thrilled to be their home for years to come.”
“It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world,” added Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis. “Netflix seems to be the very best medium with which to achieve this aim, and I am looking forward to working with them towards this goal.”
“Narnia is one of those rare properties that spans multiple generations and geographies,” said Mark Gordon, eOne’s President and Chief Content Officer, Film & Television. “eOne and I are excited to be collaborating with The C.S. Lewis Company and Netflix who have the capacity to translate the Narnia universe into both stellar feature-length and episodic programming. We cannot wait to get started on the multiple productions we hope to undertake.”
Three Chronicles of Narnia movies – The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian and The voyage of the Dawn Treader – were released between 2005 and 2010, grossing over $1.5 billion at the box office.
Last year, The Mark Gordon Company and The C.S. Lewis Company announced plans to reboot the series with Joe Johnston (Captain America: The First Avenger) directing The Silver Chair. It’s unclear at present whether that project has now been shelved, or will fall under this Netflix deal.
