Netflix Gaslights NARNIA Fans With Aslan Casting

Discussion Summary

Meryl Streep as Aslan

Brett Dasovic and Mary react skeptically to reports that Meryl Streep will voice Aslan in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia adaptation. They argue that Aslan’s male identity matters because the character is commonly understood as an allegory for Christ. They question why the production would cast a prominent female star if it intends Aslan to sound unmistakably male.

A report in Relevant Magazine offers some reassurance: an anonymous person involved with the film reportedly said Aslan is clearly male and that audiences will hear Aslan rather than Streep. Gerwig has also referred to Aslan as “he.” The panel remains unconvinced, speculating that the voice may have been altered in post-production. One quip imagines Streep sounding like “Meryl Streep on testosterone.” They also suggest other actors with deep, commanding voices who could have been considered, including Dennis Haysbert, Keith David, and Morgan Freeman.

Gerwig, Colbert, and Faith

The conversation turns to Stephen Colbert’s onstage discussion with Gerwig about faith. Gerwig says faith has been a theme in her work and mentions her experience at Catholic school. A panelist jokes that attending Catholic school seems to make people think they are experts on religion, then says Lady Bird did not strike them as a particularly favorable portrayal of Catholic-school life. Another jab describes Colbert and Gerwig sharing a stage as “two threats to society.”

C. S. Lewis, the Film’s Reception, and Its Release

The hosts question a supportive statement attributed to C. S. Lewis’s stepson, Douglas Gresham. They note that Gresham was reportedly diagnosed with dementia in 2024 and ask how much weight fans should give the statement.

The panel also criticizes the film’s apparent visual effects, predicts it may struggle at the box office, and mocks its planned February release. A viewer comment adds complaints about a timeline shift and claims the trailer shows the pub where Lewis and Tolkien met being destroyed.

Creative Ownership and Adaptations

The discussion broadens to creative ownership. The hosts consider how creators may view adaptations differently from fans, how studio consolidation can limit artists’ choices, and how only a few powerful figures may be able to insist on creative control. The panel closes on the idea that even beloved works can eventually be misunderstood or altered, regardless of how carefully their creators made them.

People Discussed

• Personalities on the show: Brett Dasovic and Mary
• Notable people discussed: Greta Gerwig, Stephen Colbert, Meryl Streep, C. S. Lewis, Douglas Gresham, Dennis Haysbert, Keith David, and Morgan Freeman