Reported Test‑Screening Backlash Hits Greta Gerwig’s Narnia

Overview

• Entertainment reporter Jeff Sneider published anonymous-sourced claims Friday that internal test screenings of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew produced negative audience reactions, prompting Netflix to order reshoots and bring additional editorial help to the project.
• Those reports say the film now credits multiple editors and that executives reacted so badly to a screening that attendees described the room as 'bleak,' but Netflix has not publicly confirmed these specific claims.
• The trailer has driven wide public attention, amassing roughly 34 million views in two days and using a licensed Led Zeppelin track after Gerwig met with Robert Plant and Jimmy Page to secure permission.
• Greta Gerwig has defended creative choices including casting Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan, and the C. S. Lewis Company and Lewis’s family have issued statements backing Gerwig’s adaptation.
• The production’s reported $280 million price tag and Netflix’s theatrical‑first release plan raise commercial stakes for February 2027, and the reported internal concerns could influence whether Netflix proceeds with planned sequels or alters its release strategy.