Director Greta Gerwig, fresh off the global phenomenon that was Barbie, is delving into the fantastical world of Narnia, with her first project for Netflix being The Magician's Nephew. The film, which has already seen its first images released and boasts one of Netflix's largest budgets, is sparking conversations about its musical elements, as reported by Ecranlarge.

Gerwig herself has fueled much of this speculation, revealing in an interview with Empire magazine that her initial vision for Narnia was quite ambitious. "I had the same idea for Narnia. I wanted a rock opera. I wanted something grandiose, capable of transporting the audience," she stated, indicating a desire to infuse the classic fantasy with a powerful musical energy akin to her Barbie approach, which featured memorable musical numbers like "I'm Just Ken."

While Empire suggests the film won't fully commit to being a musical, Gerwig's deep personal connection to music, particularly rock and roll, is undeniable. She openly shared how artists like David Bowie, Paul McCartney, and Jimmy Page "saved her life" through their music. This profound appreciation seems to be directly influencing her interpretation of Narnia itself.

Gerwig highlights that the very essence of Narnia is musical. "Narnia is literally a world shaped by music. It’s a world to which Aslan gave life by singing," she explained, echoing the creation myth from Lewis's books where the lion Aslan sings the world into existence. This foundational concept resonated with her from childhood: "I was a child when I first read The Magician's Nephew, and I fell under the spell of this wonderfully improbable but absolutely brilliant concept: a cosmic lion singing to bring the world of Narnia to life."

Further supporting a strong musical presence, the film's score will be composed by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, who previously collaborated with Gerwig on Barbie. The musical supervision will be handled by George Drakoulias, known for his rock-oriented sensibilities. The decision to shift the story's setting from the early 20th century to the 1950s—the dawn of rock and roll—also appears to be a deliberate choice. Gerwig drew a parallel between the rock generation's ability to create something vibrant from desolate landscapes and the fantastical creation of Narnia.

Despite Empire's assertion that Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is not a musical, Gerwig's consistent emphasis on music, combined with her team's background and the narrative's inherent musicality, keeps the door open for a uniquely melodious fantasy experience. As Gerwig herself put it on Netflix's Tudum site, "the idea of a universe shaped by music has always inhabited my heart." Film and TV fans will have to wait until April 2, 2027, when Narnia: The Magician's Nephew premieres on Netflix, to discover just how much rock and roll will roar through C.S. Lewis's magical world.