New (Odd) Casting Call for “Magician's Nephew”

Door Jam: April 14, 2025

The Door Jam is a place to squeeze in articles about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, their work, adaptations of their fantasy worlds, news from other franchises, and interesting articles. Unless otherwise stated, I’m not endorsing (or criticizing) any of these but merely sharing them with you.

This may be tame after last week’s rumors of a female Aslan, but Netflix and Greta Gerwig are casting three children described as leads.

It’s no female Aslan, but Narnia Web is reporting unusual casting news they say they’ve confirmed. Gerwig and Netflix are looking for three children to play the leads in their Narnia movie.

Narnia Web says the casting call is for:

• Boy One: 9-12 years old, British boy of Indian descent (Indian father, white mother)

• Boy Two: 9–12 years old, British, described as an “important character”

• Girl: 9-12 years old, British, described as an “important character”

While casting three children is not unusual on the surface, it is if they plan on making The Magician’s Nephew (or The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe) Only The Voyage of the Dawn Treader brings three children from our world, and that would be an odd place to start. Also, no one is described as being of Indian descent, though Digory’s father is away working in India during the events of The Magician’s Nephew.

If The Magician’s Nephew is still the plan, who could the extra boy be?

• A young Uncle Andrew — giving more of his backstory with his godmother, Mrs. Lefay

• Part of a storytelling device — a child hearing the Narnian stories from an older version of someone like Digory or Polly like Fred Savage’s character in The Princess Bride

• The voice of one of the Talking Beasts, like Strawberry/Fledge

• An added character who serves as an antagonist for the duo in England

• A brother of Polly or Digory

• A son of Frank and Helen

• An added friend who has the book adventures with Polly and Digory

Those are in the order of my most to least wanted. I would enjoy seeing Mrs. Lefay and her passing down the Atlantean box with dust from another world to Andrew. The idea of framing the entire series as stories told to someone also has potential.

On the other end, I’m not sure how you elevate to co-lead a brother of one of the main duo or Frank and Helen’s son. I’d also much prefer to leave the two-person dynamic between Polly and Digory intact, not adding a third child to the adventures.

I really need some official casting news and plot details from Gerwig and Netflix soon. These rumors are making me nervous.

Not Safe But Good

C.S. Lewis quote of the week

We may ignore, but we can nowhere evade, the presence of God. The world is crowded with Him. He walks everywhere incognito. And the incognito is not always hard to penetrate. The real labor is to remember, to attend. In fact, to come awake. Still more, to remain awake.

Letters to Malcolm Chiefly on Prayer

Tumnus’ bookshelf

A book by or about C.S. Lewis

I recently sent off the books to the Narnia Madness winners, including the book chosen by the grand prize winner, The Pilgrim’s Regress. I sent this annotated edition as it’s the version I would want for myself. Along with Lewis’ words, it includes additional context and explanations.

Behind the Wardrobe

Sneak peek at the bonus articles for paid subscribers

This week, paid subscribers will see more on the backlash to the female Aslan rumors, including some news sites that quoted me, an upcoming special edition Narnia book, a lesser-known spiritual mentor to Lewis, more on the Lewis exhibit in the Museum of the Bible, Lord of the Rings potentially coming to an amusement park, Tolkien’s humorous Middle-earth backstory for the invention of golf, why Tolkien hated Dune, and more.