Netflix has secured the rights to C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia series and says it will “develop classic stories from across the Narnia universe into series and films.”
The multi-year deal with The C.S. Lewis Company will see the on-screen revival of the brand after the previous film franchise stalled following 2010’s The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and marks the first time that rights to the entire seven books of the Narnia universe have been held by the same company.
All series and films produced through the deal will be Netflix productions, with Mark Gordon of Entertainment One (eOne) alongside Douglas Gresham and Vincent Sieber serving as executive producers for series and as producers for features.
“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,” said 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.”