Is it possible that they've decided to make an original prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, one that serves the same function as The Magician's Nephew but isn't based on that book at all? That wouldn't explain why they need a swimming pool in the 1950s but it'd fit in with the weirder news we've been getting lately.  

@courtenay Well, part of the reason for the secrecy, was that we've spent the past two days tracking and preparing for this...

https://www.narniaweb.com/2025/08/first-look-at-netflixs-narnia-set-as-filming-begins/

Would you look at that Lion's Mane!

I know its only a background set detail, but so delightful none the less!

That mighty-looking lion has got to be a positive, right?! A hint at what's to come.

I must say, despite some of my feelings, those photos are intriguing. (Think one of the posters states it's 1953? -- a C.S. Lewis link?)

In initial response to the thread topic: A surprising and somewhat concerning update. I find the 1950s swimming baths quite a random choice. If it's to do with Lewis telling the story or something, then why the Baths? So probably another explanation, which I'm less convinced by for being a good choice. If it's set 1950s... a shame, but not all ruin yet. I do rather wish our first proper adaptation of The Magician's Nephew would be more close to the book before other versions started coming out with quite big differences. I'd really like it to be as intended! 

I just really need to accept that there definitely will be changes to these versions and that they won't be nearly as close to the books as I'd like. If I can accept that and separate it, perhaps I can just go with whatever they throw at us next.

I'm actually pretty excited by this, so far. I quite like the 50s vibe. I know it all seems bonkers and at odds with the source material, but it makes me even more intrigued to understand what Greta's whole vision is. I need answers.

At least that glorious mane is encouraging to see.

And also... I just knew that Rock 'n roll comment had to mean SOMETHING!

@icarus Oh WOW... I must say that golden and magnificently moaned Lion suddenly makes me feel more optimistic about this production than I have since the start of April!!!

Mind you, obviously it's from a scene set in our world, and we can assume the image is a teaser for what (and who) is to come later in the story — I've remarked before that I'm wary of adaptations drawing too many connections / parallels between this world and Narnia, in case it starts to look like Narnia is a product of the children's imagination or subconscious thoughts and feelings rather than a separate world in its own right (like the 1939 movie of The Wizard of Oz). In this case, though, I'm far less concerned about that than I am relieved to have at least a hint that a definitely male Lion will be included somewhere in this production...

I assume the "Gerwig Easter egg" is the name Isadore on one of the posters, as I believe that's the name of one of her own children (as well as being used in the audition script we heard about a while ago)?

@col-klink I'm also wondering if this could turn out to be an original prequel that's not based on any of the books (or only very loosely) at all. In some ways, I'd almost rather have someone's attempt at a totally different story connected to Narnia, than an adaptation of one of the actual books that just fails to get it "right" (for me at least).

And the questions remain unanswered, for now. If this is MN or a new Narnia prequel, and it's set in the 1950s, does that mean all the other Netflix Narnia adaptations will be set in the 1990s? (Assuming they keep the 40-year gap between the events of MN and LWW — or maybe make it a bit longer and bring the sequels into the present day, or nearly, perhaps in order to make Digory as the Professor "very old", which Lewis's timeline fails to do?)

Or if it's a framing device and we jump from there back to 1900 or so... why the 1950s? The book was published in 1955, but even if they are going to have Lewis himself appear as the overarching narrator, I can't quite see why they need these outdoor scenes of posters, let alone the swimming pool. (I'd expect Lewis to be shown in his study, or strolling around in Cambridge (where he was working by then) or Oxford (where he still lived during the weekends). Both Oxford and Cambridge, incidentally, are easy to do "period" filming in, because of all the old buildings — think Inspector Morse, for those who know it. But they don't seem to be going down that route so far.)

And of course the burning question... who or what is Elliott Macnab?? I did look up the name and it doesn't seem to be a real-world business or person, so I assume it's just meant to be the name of the company in the advertisement, presumably building new homes. But what if it's a teaser for something else? I'm just letting my imagination run wild for a moment with some potential lines from the sequels...

"They say Elliott is on the move — perhaps has already landed."

"Wrong will be right, when Elliott comes in sight..."

"... by the great Macnab, by Elliott himself..."

(Hmmm, no, I don't think it quite works. But hey, at least it's Elliott and not Eloise. ) 

@icarus Oh WOW... I must say that golden and magnificently moaned Lion suddenly makes me feel more optimistic about this production than I have since the start of April!!!

Mind you, obviously it's from a scene set in our world, and we can assume the image is a teaser for what (and who) is to come later in the story — I've remarked before that I'm wary of adaptations drawing too many connections / parallels between this world and Narnia, in case it starts to look like Narnia is a product of the children's imagination or subconscious thoughts and feelings rather than a separate world in its own right (like the 1939 movie of The Wizard of Oz). In this case, though, I'm far less concerned about that than I am relieved to have at least a hint that a definitely male Lion will be included somewhere in this production...

I assume the "Gerwig Easter egg" is the name Isadore on one of the posters, as I believe that's the name of one of her own children (as well as being used in the audition script we heard about a while ago)?

@col-klink I'm also wondering if this could turn out to be an original prequel that's not based on any of the books (or only very loosely) at all. In some ways, I'd almost rather have someone's attempt at a totally different story connected to Narnia, than an adaptation of one of the actual books that just fails to get it "right" (for me at least).

And the questions remain unanswered, for now. If this is MN or a new Narnia prequel, and it's set in the 1950s, does that mean all the other Netflix Narnia adaptations will be set in the 1990s? (Assuming they keep the 40-year gap between the events of MN and LWW — or maybe make it a bit longer and bring the sequels into the present day, or nearly, perhaps in order to make Digory as the Professor "very old", which Lewis's timeline fails to do?)

Or if it's a framing device and we jump from there back to 1900 or so... why the 1950s? The book was published in 1955, but even if they are going to have Lewis himself appear as the overarching narrator, I can't quite see why they need these outdoor scenes of posters, let alone the swimming pool. (I'd expect Lewis to be shown in his study, or strolling around in Cambridge (where he was working by then) or Oxford (where he still lived during the weekends). Both Oxford and Cambridge, incidentally, are easy to do "period" filming in, because of all the old buildings — think Inspector Morse, for those who know it. But they don't seem to be going down that route so far.)

And of course the burning question... who or what is Elliott Macnab?? I did look up the name and it doesn't seem to be a real-world business or person, so I assume it's just meant to be the name of the company in the advertisement, presumably building new homes. But what if it's a teaser for something else? I'm just letting my imagination run wild for a moment with some potential lines from the sequels...

"They say Elliott is on the move — perhaps has already landed."

"Wrong will be right, when Elliott comes in sight..."

"... by the great Macnab, by Elliott himself..."

(Hmmm, no, I don't think it quite works. But hey, at least it's Elliott and not Eloise. ) 

@icarus Oh WOW... I must say that golden and magnificently moaned Lion suddenly makes me feel more optimistic about this production than I have since the start of April!!!

Mind you, obviously it's from a scene set in our world, and we can assume the image is a teaser for what (and who) is to come later in the story — I've remarked before that I'm wary of adaptations drawing too many connections / parallels between this world and Narnia, in case it starts to look like Narnia is a product of the children's imagination or subconscious thoughts and feelings rather than a separate world in its own right (like the 1939 movie of The Wizard of Oz). In this case, though, I'm far less concerned about that than I am relieved to have at least a hint that a definitely male Lion will be included somewhere in this production...

I assume the "Gerwig Easter egg" is the name Isadore on one of the posters, as I believe that's the name of one of her own children (as well as being used in the audition script we heard about a while ago)?

@col-klink I'm also wondering if this could turn out to be an original prequel that's not based on any of the books (or only very loosely) at all. In some ways, I'd almost rather have someone's attempt at a totally different story connected to Narnia, than an adaptation of one of the actual books that just fails to get it "right" (for me at least).

And the questions remain unanswered, for now. If this is MN or a new Narnia prequel, and it's set in the 1950s, does that mean all the other Netflix Narnia adaptations will be set in the 1990s? (Assuming they keep the 40-year gap between the events of MN and LWW — or maybe make it a bit longer and bring the sequels into the present day, or nearly, perhaps in order to make Digory as the Professor "very old", which Lewis's timeline fails to do?)

Or if it's a framing device and we jump from there back to 1900 or so... why the 1950s? The book was published in 1955, but even if they are going to have Lewis himself appear as the overarching narrator, I can't quite see why they need these outdoor scenes of posters, let alone the swimming pool. (I'd expect Lewis to be shown in his study, or strolling around in Cambridge (where he was working by then) or Oxford (where he still lived during the weekends). Both Oxford and Cambridge, incidentally, are easy to do "period" filming in, because of all the old buildings — think Inspector Morse, for those who know it. But they don't seem to be going down that route so far.)

And of course the burning question... who or what is Elliott Macnab?? I did look up the name and it doesn't seem to be a real-world business or person, so I assume it's just meant to be the name of the company in the advertisement, presumably building new homes. But what if it's a teaser for something else? I'm just letting my imagination run wild for a moment with some potential lines from the sequels...

"They say Elliott is on the move — perhaps has already landed."

"Wrong will be right, when Elliott comes in sight..."

"... by the great Macnab, by Elliott himself..."

(Hmmm, no, I don't think it quite works. But hey, at least it's Elliott and not Eloise. )