Meryl Streep to Voice Aslan in Greta Gerwig's Narnia Adaptation

Moviegoers who grew up with Liam Neeson's voice as Aslan will hear a different sound in the upcoming Narnia film. Meryl Streep has been cast to voice the mythical lion in Greta Gerwig's adaptation of The Magician's Nephew, marking a major shift for the franchise.

The original Chronicles of Narnia trilogy established Neeson as the definitive voice for the character. The new film, scheduled for release in 2027, will feature Streep as Aslan, a figure widely interpreted as an incarnation of Jesus within the story's lore. This change replaces the male voice that defined the character for a generation of fans.

Neeson learned about the new project only this week. In a recent interview with ScreenRant, he admitted he had not heard about the adaptation until the conversation started. When asked about his thoughts on the new movie or its trailer, he replied, "I'm sorry, this is news to me." The revelation that Streep would take the role prompted a playful reaction from the former voice actor. He stated, "Meryl is playing Jesus Christ? Well, if you're going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl."

Gerwig provided specific reasons for choosing Streep for the part. In comments to Empire, the director described her goal as finding a performer who was "profound but not pretentious" and possessed "gravitas but not morose self-seriousness." She wanted an actor capable of communicating both "depth and pathos" and "joy and delight." Gerwig noted she sought a performer older than 70 who could bring a "wisdom of experience" while retaining "the capacity of fresh wonder, like a child."

The director also cited David Bowie as an inspiration for the visual and tonal approach of the film. In this version, Aslan features multicolored eyes and a red-striped face. Gerwig described the project as "big and transporting," comparing its overall feel to a "rock opera." She added that the list of actors who could pull off the role was "not a long one."

Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is set to open in theaters on Feb. 12, 2027. Following its theatrical run, the film will become available on Netflix starting April 2.

The casting of Streep concludes the era of Neeson's vocal performance for the character, though his public endorsement signals a smooth transition for the franchise into its next phase.