Netflix's return to Narnia is facing a challenge from readers who fear C.S. Lewis's Christian vision could be lost in translation-and one prominent fan is asking supporters to withhold their money.
Chaz Migliacci has launched a petition demanding a different director for future adaptations of Lewis's beloved books. When checked, the Change.org page displayed 8,710 verified signatures and explicitly urged readers to refuse to attend, watch or otherwise support the new adaptations.
According to CBN News, Migliacci has studied Lewis's work for 20 years and runs a Narnia fan community with more than 81,000 members. That community's membership is separate from the petition's signature count.
Speaking with CBN, Migliacci argued that his concerns reach beyond individual casting decisions. He fears that modernising the stories could weaken the theology, philosophy and personal convictions that shaped Lewis's fictional world.
Among the controversies discussed in the interview are Meryl Streep voicing Aslan, reports of a changed historical setting and the production's musical direction. Migliacci presents these choices as warning signs; their effect on the completed film remains a matter of debate.
The campaign's demand is specific: replace Gerwig for adaptations of the remaining six books. Its central allegation is that changes to foundational elements risk obscuring the spiritual meaning readers have found in Narnia for generations.
Gerwig, meanwhile, has publicly described a deep attachment to Lewis's writing. Netflix's official coverage says she reread his works and visited places connected with his life while preparing the adaptation. She has called the opportunity "the honor of a lifetime."
The musical dispute also has a confirmed basis: Netflix says the trailer uses Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven." Gerwig explained that she saw a connection between the song's spiritual journey and the story she was adapting. That explanation reveals the central disagreement: creative choices Gerwig regards as sympathetic to Lewis are precisely what some readers find troubling.
The petition establishes organised opposition, rather than a verdict on the finished film. But its boycott language raises the stakes for Netflix: some of the readers most invested in Narnia are now being urged to stay away.
Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is scheduled to open in theatres on February 12, 2027, before arriving on Netflix on April 2.
