@jasmine_tarkheena  Please excuse my asking, but I need to know what you mean by "iconic character" before I can answer you. Do you mean memorable, representative or likable, or something else?

I did a bit of a Search and found these:

A website for writers says: An iconic character is often larger than any one story they appear in. An iconic character is essentially someone whose presence is so desirable that it independently elevates their story. Someone who you want to spend time with and go on any adventure with.

Dictionaries have said:
An iconic image or thing is important or impressive because it seems to be a symbol of something
Very famous or popular, especially being considered to represent particular opinions or a particular time

@coracle

I think what I mean is that these are characters you are going to remember.

I think some say that Puddleglum is sort of an Eeyore type of character. True, he kind of expects the worst. However, it turns out he puts a brave face on. When he gives the speech while the Lady of the Green Kirtle is trying to convince them that Narnia and the whole over world never existed, he is clinging to what he knows is true. He even tries to tell Eustace and Jill that they should not go to Harfang. It might be because he is older and wiser. He suspects that this is not right. I guess there could be a concern that Netflix will make him into an Eeyore character, but I think he should be someone you'll remember.

Jewel is a loyal friend. He even chooses to stay with Tirian even things were getting out of hand. What better friend than that? It will be interesting how they will play out their deep friendship.

So how to get a character right? That is a challenge there. I think in the Walden trilogy, the iconic characters were Mr. Tumnus in The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, Reepicheep in Prince Caspian, and Eustace in Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Obviously, Netflix will have give these characters their own take.

Then we have Puddleglum, which they'll have to go the opposite of Tom Baker in the BBC. Then maybe Bree and Hwin; it will be interesting what voice actors they'll cast. They might go on the level of the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre. Then maybe Uncle Andrew. It will be interesting how they'll play out his character. Then Jewel; I think he can be loyal, soft and gentle, yet fierce in battle. I guess he was kind of iconic in the Focus on the Family Radio theatre with Philip Sully doing the voice; he had such warmth in him. Then I think it would be great if Netflix made Emeth an iconic character. He is perhaps the character I am looking forward to seeing the most. For Focus on the Family, Charlie Burnell brought a softness in him; he doesn't have a big role, but he is likable.

As for the villains, I think the only iconic villains Walden had were the White Witch and Miraz. For the White Witch, they gave Tilda Swinton an unique look, went for the opposite of Barbara Kellerman. I actually liked her designed, where her hair was frozen and was slowly melting as spring came. For Miraz, they had Sergio Castellito take his own approach, the opposite of Robert Lane. I actually liked how Walden made Miraz more subtle, compared to the BBC. So the way Netflix is to have iconic villains, obviously the White Witch and Miraz will have their own take on them.

Then there is the Lady of the Green Kirtle, which I so much like to be play by a different actress than the White Witch. Then there is Prince Rabadash, which I think he can be courteous yet act childish. Then there is Shift the Ape, who can be manipulative; I think Victor Spinetti in the Focus on the Family Radio Theatre brought out the voice in the him. Then there is Ginger the Cat; honestly I don't know why he was voiced by a woman in the BBC Radio 4; at least Focus on the Family Radio Theatre went for the opposite by casting a man as the voice of Ginger. Then there is Rishda; I think he can be subtle and over the top. As much as I loved Stash Kirkbride's voice as Rishda, I felt he was too over the top at times. He was subtle, yes, maybe even more so than Philip Jackson in the BBC Radio 4.

So I am not expecting Netflix to replicate the characters from the old franchise. They will have to give each of them their own look and take.

Posted by: @jasmine_tarkheena

Then we have Puddleglum, which they'll have to go the opposite of Tom Baker in the BBC.

I'm curious here — why should they "have to go the opposite of Tom Baker"? Out of all that gets said about the BBC adaptations, and despite all their shortcomings and quirks, I don't think I've ever once heard anyone have a bad word to say against that portrayal of Puddleglum. In fact, the general consensus (and I agree with this) seems to be that Tom Baker just absolutely NAILED it!! That is, he got the character exactly right in a way that would be hard to do better.

It wouldn't really work for a new actor to outright imitate Baker's portrayal, of course, but I'd say there's a fair bit that one could learn from it — he just really "gets" the long face, the deadpan attitude, the deep mournful voice, and yet somehow makes him lovable at the same time, so that in the end you understand exactly why Jill throws her arms around him and kisses him goodbye, which is something that Marsh-wiggles are clearly not at all used to!  

@courtenay 

They would have to give the characters their own take. I think Tom Baker did a fine job as Puddleglum in the BBC TV series. I'm sure Netflix would want to portray him differently.

I think the most challenging for Netflix is to get the character of Aslan right. That's a really hard character to do. He should be like a mentor and also have a wildness in him. "Not safe but good". In other words, "Not a tame lion."

Posted by: @jasmine_tarkheena

I think the most challenging for Netflix is to get the character of Aslan right. That's a really hard character to do. He should be like a mentor and also have a wildness in him. "Not safe but good". In other words, "Not a tame lion."

Too right about Aslan. I haven't yet seen a portrayal of him in any adaptation that does him justice! The BBC's puppet version (actually pretty high-tech for the time) with Ronald Pickup's voice gave him a warmth and gentleness but not enough wildness and awesomeness. The Walden CGI version with Liam Neeson's voice just looks and sounds completely fake to me for some reason. (I only saw the first film, but the scene that made me cringe to the guts the most was where the two girls are following Aslan in the night and he turns around and says, just like a condescending and exasperated parent, "Shouldn't you be in bed?" It just totally destroyed the poignancy of that scene. I think I, in the cinema, actually hissed between my teeth: "Your line is: 'Oh children, children, why are you following me?'" )

David Suchet in the Focus on the Family radio version is a bit of a mixed bag — at times I think he hams it up too much when he's apparently trying to sound big and impressive (I can just hear his rather overdone intonation of "That, O Man, is Cair Paravel of the Four Thrones, in one of which YOU must sit as King!"). But in the quieter, more deeply emotional parts — yes, including that walk to the Stone Table with the girls — I think he usually does get it right.

I remember in another discussion somewhere here, it came up that it might help if the producers can modify Aslan's voice after it's recorded, in order to make it sound more wild and animal-like. Obviously that too could be overdone to the point of absurdity, but I think it would help if his voice does sound not-quite-human somehow. I remember in the BBC version they seemed to sometimes add a little "growl" behind Pickup's voice as he spoke, and in the 1978 animated film, Stephen Thorne's voice seems to have a bit of extra resonance added (though it otherwise does sound like a human voice). But with modern sound technology they could probably go a bit further and make Aslan's voice into something really distinctive — and, hopefully, a bit spine-tingling! It needs to be.

@courtenay 

I've seen all three of the Walden movies. They're enjoyable, though not perfect. The third was more of a hit-miss compared to the first and second, though.

I think Liam Neeson in the Walden sounded more like a Gandalf and Obi-Wan Kenobi. David Suchet in The Focus on the Family Radio Theatre had a very powerful voice. Then there are the audio books read by with Michael York, Kenneth Branaugh, Alex Jennings, Jeremy Northam, Lynn Redgrave, and Patrick Stewart.