Netflix has unveiled the first official look at Daniel Craig in its highly anticipated reboot of The Chronicles of Narnia, confirming that the former James Bond star will portray Andrew Ketterley, the titular magician who sets the entire series’ events into motion. The reveal arrived after the streaming giant shared its initial glimpse of Aslan—played by Meryl Streep—with audiences earlier this year, and it landed in the UK’s Empire magazine as part of a broader feature on the adaptation.
The photograph places Craig in a period costume complete with a work apron, standing inside a room overflowing with lenses while light refracts in every direction. On its surface, the image evokes the whimsical old-man archetype one might expect from a fantasy film reminiscent of Doctor Who. But the character is far more complex than that initial impression suggests.
A Villain With Complications
Craig offered a candid assessment of his character’s moral ambiguity, admitting he would “like to say that his intentions are good, but I’m not so sure they are.” He explained that Ketterley “gets overexcited about what could be, and therefore overlooks the people around him and the consequences of what he’s doing,” painting a portrait of a man blinded by ambition rather than pure malice.
Director Greta Gerwig distilled the character even more plainly. “He’s the stupidest magician in the world who actually made magic,” she said, capturing both the competence and the recklessness that define the role. The magician is integral to establishing the events that shape the rest of the series, making Craig one of the foundational figures in Netflix’s ambitious reimagining.
“He’s the stupidest magician in the world who actually made magic.”
Greta Gerwig, Director
A Fresh Approach to a Beloved Franchise
Netflix is deliberately diverging from the approach taken by Walden Media, which produced the previous film adaptations. The seven Narnia novels were not written in chronological order, and Walden Media adapted the first three books Lewis authored. Netflix will instead follow the story’s internal chronology, meaning its debut film adapts The Magician’s Nephew—the second-to-last book Lewis actually wrote.
This structural decision positions Craig’s magician at the very origin of the Narnia universe, giving the studio a chance to establish mythology from scratch rather than picking up familiar threads. Alongside Streep and Craig, the film assembles an ensemble cast including David McKenna (Lord of the Flies), Beatrice Campbell (The Phoenician Scheme), Emma Mackey (Sex Education, Emily), Carey Mulligan, and Ciarán Hinds (Game of Thrones, Silence).
A Rock Opera From Greta Gerwig
Gerwig is directing, writing, and co-producing the film following her acclaimed streak with Lady Bird, Little Women, and Barbie. Describing her creative vision for the project, she told reporters that she “wanted a rock opera,” adding, “I wanted it to be big and transporting.” That ambition aligns with Netflix’s own strategy of treating the property as a flagship tentpole.
The studio has set the film for its first-ever wide theatrical release on February 12, 2027, before making it available to stream on April 2, 2027. The dual rollout marks a significant moment in Netflix’s push toward theatrical distribution while maintaining its streaming core.
Looking Ahead
As production continues, fans and critics alike are watching closely how Gerwig translates Lewis’s world to the screen. With its unconventional chronological structure and a star-studded cast anchored by two of Britain’s most respected actors, Netflix’s Chronicles of Narnia reboot is shaping up to be one of the most watched adaptations of the decade once it arrives in theaters next year.
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