Veteran actor Liam Neeson, known for lending his distinctive voice to Aslan in three 'Chronicles of Narnia' films between 2005 and 2010, recently reacted to the news that Meryl Streep will be stepping into the paws of the beloved talking lion for Greta Gerwig's new Netflix project. The revelation, initially a surprise to Neeson, quickly turned into high praise for his successor.

When informed by a reporter about Streep's casting in Gerwig's adaptation of C.S. Lewis's classic series, Neeson admitted, "I’m sorry, this is news to me," as reported by Deadline. His surprise, however, was swiftly followed by an unequivocal endorsement. Upon learning Streep would voice Aslan, often depicted as a Christ-like figure, Neeson quipped, "Meryl is playing Jesus Christ? Well, if you’re going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl."

Greta Gerwig, the acclaimed director behind 'Barbie' and 'Little Women,' is set to helm multiple 'Narnia' films for Netflix, with 'Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew' slated for release in February. This particular story is chronologically the first in the 'Chronicles of Narnia' series, exploring Aslan's creation of the magical land a millennium before the events of 'The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,' a film in which Neeson first voiced the character.

Gerwig herself had a very specific vision for the voice of Aslan, as she revealed in an interview with Empire. She sought an actor who could embody profound wisdom without pretension, possessing gravitas yet devoid of self-seriousness. "Someone who could communicate depth and pathos as well as joy and delight," Gerwig explained. She further specified a preference for an actor over 70, someone with the "wisdom of experience" but also the capacity for "fresh wonder, like a child." Concluding her criteria, Gerwig stated that the actor also needed to be "one of the greatest actors to ever do it." Meryl Streep, whose attachment to the role was confirmed last April, evidently fit this exceptionally selective profile.

Neeson's previous tenure as Aslan spanned 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe' (2005), 'The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian' (2008), and 'The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader' (2010). His blessing for Streep's casting signals a passing of the torch with full confidence, setting an exciting precedent for the new generation of Narnia adaptations.