Frequent Greta Gerwig collaborator Saoirse Ronan should certainly be a part of the Chronicles of Narnia reboot in some capacity, and a particular casting choice for her could simultaneously solve one of the series’ biggest story problems. The beloved Barbie director is delving further into the fantasy genre with Netflix’s Chronicles of Narnia reboot and is expected to write and direct at least two movies in this new series. Jason Isaacs’ recent tease about The Magician’s Nephew suggests that Gerwig may not be starting out with the Pevensie family, but she will likely get to them sooner or later.
However, Gerwig’s Narnia movies face many challenges, including and especially elements vital to the story of the sibling kings and queens of Narnia. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy are skillfully written as foils to each other while embarking on a magical journey of discovering Narnia, becoming its ideal rulers, returning to their childhoods, and bringing what they learned from Narnia back into their real lives. However, Susan has historically been regarded as having the most problematic story of the Pevensie siblings — yet Saoirse Ronan’s much-demanded casting for Narnia could greatly improve this character arc.
Casting Saoirse Ronan As Adult Susan Could Solve One Of Narnia’s Biggest Ending Problems
Ronan Could Do Justice To Susan If Portraying Her Later In Life, Long After Narnia
At one time, Saoirse Ronan would have been perfect to play Susan Pevensie, but has now aged out of the role, when Susan is in her late teens, at the oldest. However, Ronan could simply play an adult Susan, even in a very brief scene. Susan could be a very effective framing device for the Narnia movies through bookending scenes showing her in the real world, living a normal life, and reflecting on the past. While satisfying Lady Bird and Little Women fans, this could also be an avenue to fixing the problems with Susan’s Narnia story.
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The fact that Susan never returns to Narnia after the events of Prince Caspian has long been a point of contention among readers. However, exploring her life after Narnia could be the first step to creating a stronger story for her. Additionally, it would be a brief but still weighty role for Ronan, deserving of her talents. Ronan could take on a different minor role in Narnia, but it might be a waste of the Oscar-nominated actress. However, Susan is one of the main characters and someone fans want to see more of, so even the shortest scenes with her would be worth casting Ronan.
Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Remake Must Address The Issues With Susan Pevensie’s Fate
Susan Has Always Needed A Better Ending In Narnia
In C. S. Lewis’ final Narnia novel, Susan’s siblings all return to Narnia without her. The reason for this is essentially summarized as Susan has become a shallow, flirtatious young woman. The result is that she no longer believes Narnia actually happened, that it was merely a game they played as children. More importantly, the text characterizes Susan as having grown into a sexual adult, presented as a negative trait throughout the series when the characters are all children. Romances that happen among heroic adult characters are usually out of sight, while the evil witches have notably sexual characterizations.
Of all the things that Netflix’s Narnia movies should consider changing from the source material, this plot point is one that they have an undeniable obligation to alter.
Of all the things that Netflix’s Narnia movies should consider changing from the source material, this plot point is one that they have an undeniable obligation to alter, should the series go on long enough to show this. Scenes with an adult Susan showing her denying Narnia exists as a way to be happy with her life in the real world while emphasizing that condemning her for having any sexuality is unfair would improve her ending while rendering a metatextual moment that engages with both the history of the franchise and the outdated culture possibly still being depicted.
Narnia’s Ending Issues Must Be Addressed Carefully In Greta Gerwig’s Remake
Netflix Probably Still Shouldn’t Make Too Many Big Changes To Narnia’s Story
However, veering too far away from Narnia‘s original ending could also upset fans of the books. The concept of one of the main characters never returning to Narnia does have some poetry in it, illustrating their differing personalities. It’s the why Susan never returns to Narnia that needs to be handled better. The Pevensies live out a very complicated scenario where their different lives and different ages in Narnia and England clash, and it is plausible character development that Susan’s fond memories of Narnia were colored by these jarring transitions.
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Only a few scenes with Susan, skillfully portrayed by an actress such as Ronan, could fix her entire story. Her not coming back to Narnia doesn’t have to be a punishment; she can be a nuanced adult figure who has something to lose in the real world, and whose ending constitutes a bittersweet message about growing up and moving on. With unrivaled creatives like Greta Gerwig and Saoirse Ronan, it is by no means impossible for The Chronicles of Narnia to finally do Susan justice.
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a fantasy franchise based on the seven-book series written by C.S. Lewis between 1950 and 1956. The series is set in the magical world of Narnia, where children from our world are transported to fulfill prophecies, battle evil forces, and restore peace under the guidance of Aslan, a mystical lion. The franchise has seen multiple adaptations, including a BBC television series in the late 1980s, three major Hollywood films between 2005 and 2010, and an upcoming reboot by Netflix, which has generated significant anticipation. The franchise is beloved for its rich allegorical storytelling, blending Christian themes with epic fantasy elements.
- Created by
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C.S. Lewis
- Character(s)
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Aslan
, Lucy Pevensie
, Peter Pevensie
, Edmund Pevensie
, Susan Pevensie
, Prince Caspian
, The White Witch
, Reepicheep
, Eustace Scrubb
, Mr. Tumnus - Video Game(s)
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The Chronicles Of Narnia
