Saoirse Ronan Shoots Down “Narnia” Rumor

Sony Pictures Classics
Last weekend came a report that Irish actress Saoirse Ronan, scoring rave reviews for her role in “The Outrun,” would reunite with her “Lady Bird” and “Little Women” director Greta Gerwig for her new multi-film adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ “The Chronicles of Narnia” books.

If accurate, it would’ve marked the first casting on the project to date. However it turns out it’s not, repeating a similar situation a month ago when “Enola Holmes” actor Louis Partridge was reportedly cast and then that report was quickly shot down.

Whereas a publicist dismissed the Partridge reports, Ronan herself was the one to take down the “Narnia” rumors while making an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The actress says at present, she hasn’t been asked:

“There isn’t like no truth to [the rumors]. She hasn’t asked me, yet. She’s writing it. We have that kind of relationship where I just sort of go to her and I say, ‘So I’ll be in this, just so you know.’ And she takes some time to think about it and then goes, ‘Okay.’ But she honestly hasn’t asked me about Narnia, I think she’s so kind of wrapped up in writing it right now.”

The project, the first of at least two movies based on the books, was originally aiming to begin shooting this Fall but now isn’t expected to begin production until well into 2025.

Netflix executive Scott Stuber revealed last year that the plan is to take the arc of the entire seven-book series and adapt it for the screen across just two or three films.

Netflix took over the franchise in 2018 in a multi-year deal with the C.S. Lewis Company. The books have sold more than 100 million copies over the years.