Narnia: The Magician's Nephew: Dates, Rating and Faith Guide

Narnia: The Magician's Nephew will open in theaters on February 12, 2027 and arrive on Netflix on April 2, 2027. IMAX and other premium large-format previews start two days earlier, on February 10. Greta Gerwig's film was rated PG on October 27, 2026, for "thematic elements, fantasy action, some language, brief violence and smoking." There is no free legal way to watch it, because it is a new release. You can watch the official trailer for free on YouTube.

This page collects the dates, the rating, what we know so far about content for kids, and the faith questions Christian viewers keep asking. We checked the dates against Wikipedia, RELEVANT and NarniaWeb on October 28 and 29, 2026. Release plans can still move, so recheck before you book tickets.

Release dates at a glance

• February 10, 2027: IMAX and premium large-format previews.
• February 12, 2027: wide theatrical release. Netflix handles the US release and Sony Pictures handles international distribution, according to Wikipedia.
• April 2, 2027: streaming on Netflix worldwide. In France, where local rules block a theatrical run for a Netflix film, April 2 is the first date.

This is a change from earlier plans. Wikipedia notes that the film was first set for a limited IMAX run on November 26, 2026 and a Netflix debut on December 25, 2026. That Christmas slot went to another Netflix film. It is also Netflix's first wide theatrical release, with at least 45 days in theaters before streaming.

Where to watch it, and can you watch it free?

For the first seven weeks, theaters are the only way. After April 2 it will be part of a Netflix subscription. We found no free or ad-supported legal option, and none is planned. Any "full movie" upload that appears on YouTube or social media before then is fake or pirated, and the official trailer lives on Netflix's own YouTube channel. If a Netflix subscription is what you're after, our guide to Christian movies on Netflix in 2026 shows what faith-friendly titles are on it now, and where to watch Christian movies free lists the legal free services.

What the film is about

Lewis published The Magician's Nephew in 1955. It is the sixth book in publication order and the first in the story's chronology: it explains how Narnia began. Two children, Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer, are tricked by Digory's Uncle Andrew into using magic rings, and they end up in a place called the Wood between the Worlds. They wake Jadis, a queen who becomes the White Witch, then witness Aslan sing Narnia into being.

The cast, per Wikipedia: David McKenna as Digory, Beatrice Campbell as Polly, Daniel Craig as Uncle Andrew, Emma Mackey as Jadis, Carey Mulligan as Digory's mother Flora, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as the London cabby Frank (the future first King of Narnia), and Meryl Streep voicing Aslan. Gerwig moves the London part of the story from the early 1900s to the 1950s, RELEVANT reports. The first trailer, released October 13, 2026, drew 481 million views in its first week according to NarniaWeb's summary of a Deadline report.

What does the PG rating mean for kids?

The rating comes from the Classification and Rating Administration, the MPA division that issues US ratings, as NarniaWeb reported on October 27. For comparison, the three earlier Narnia films from Walden Media were each rated PG as well. You can look up what any rating means on FilmRatings.com.

We have not seen the film. Family review sites such as Common Sense Media, Plugged In and Parent Previews usually post close to release, so check them in February. Until then, the book is a fair guide to which scenes could land hard:

• Charn. Digory rings a bell in a hall of silent royal figures and wakes Jadis. She then tells the children that she destroyed her whole world with a single word. This is the book's darkest moment.
• Jadis in London. She storms through the streets, and in the book she is frightening and proud rather than gory.
• Uncle Andrew. His experiments with magic and the harm he causes to the small animals he sends through the rings are unsettling, though not graphic.
• Death and grief. Digory's mother is gravely ill, and much of the story rests on his fear of losing her. Young children who have lost a parent may find that hard.

Gerwig told Empire that Aslan is "awesome in more of an antique sense — filled with awe," and "powerful and big, but it can also be frightening," as NarniaWeb quoted. A story about creation told with a big lion may be too intense for some children under seven or eight. Our list of Christian movies in theaters in fall 2026 has other releases to compare, and free Christian movies for kids covers gentler options for younger viewers.

The faith questions Christians are asking

Lewis was one of the best-known Christian writers of the 20th century. He described Aslan as his answer to a question: what might Christ be like if there were a world like Narnia? Gerwig has said she read or re-read everything Lewis wrote, including Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and Surprised by Joy, and told an IMAX audience in New York that "film and faith have always gone together," according to NarniaWeb's report of the event. The C.S. Lewis family, through the families of David and Douglas Gresham, said in a statement released via Netflix that they were thrilled to work with Gerwig.

The biggest debate has been Meryl Streep voicing Aslan. RELEVANT noted that she will be the first woman to voice the lion in a major screen version, after Liam Neeson in the three earlier films. Aslan is not being changed into a lioness: Gerwig and Empire both refer to him as "he." In the same RELEVANT report from the IMAX preview, an unnamed person who had seen the film said the voice comes across as Aslan, not Streep. We can't verify that, so judge the performance in February.

The story has plenty to discuss around the dinner table, even before you've seen the film:

1. Creation. In the book, Aslan sings Narnia into existence. Read Genesis 1 and Job 38:4 to 7, where the morning stars sing together at creation. How is a world made by a word and a song different from one made by accident? 2. Temptation. Digory wants to save his mother, which is a good wish, but Jadis pushes him to disobey Aslan's command to get it. Compare it with Genesis 3. How can a good wish lead us toward a bad choice? 3. Mercy and cost. In the book, Aslan's eyes fill with tears when Digory pleads for his mother. John 11:35 says "Jesus wept." What does it tell us that God is not far away from our pain?

For a larger look at faith-based adaptations, see our guide to biblical accuracy in movies and our tips for hosting a church movie night.

How to get ready before February

• Read the book first. HarperCollins has announced movie tie-in editions of all seven Chronicles from November 10, 2026, with deluxe editions of The Magician's Nephew following on November 17, as NarniaWeb reported. Your public library will have the older editions free.
• Pick an order. Publication order starts with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Chronological order starts with The Magician's Nephew. Both work for a family read-aloud.
• Plan a family night. Our list of faith movies for family night has more picks for mixed ages while you wait.

Watch the trailer

Video: NARNIA: THE MAGICIAN'S NEPHEW | Official Trailer | Netflix by Netflix (YouTube)

Sources

• Wikipedia, Narnia: The Magician's Nephew (release dates, cast, release history, Netflix and Sony distribution)
• NarniaWeb, "Netflix's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew Officially Rated PG," October 27, 2026 (rating and reasons)
• RELEVANT, "Aslan Is a Male Lion. So Why Is Meryl Streep Voicing Him in Greta Gerwig's Narnia?" September 17, 2026 (Aslan casting, 1950s setting, release plan)
• RELEVANT, report from the IMAX sneak-peek event (Aslan's voice)
• NarniaWeb, Gerwig at the IMAX event, October 13, 2026 (Gerwig on Lewis and faith)
• NarniaWeb, C.S. Lewis family statement, October 6, 2026
• NarniaWeb, trailer views (Deadline via WaveMetrix), October 20, 2026
• NarniaWeb, HarperCollins tie-in editions, October 16, 2026
• Motion Picture Association, FilmRatings.com (what US ratings mean)
• The Bible, Genesis 1 and 3, Job 38:4 to 7, John 11:35 (NIV, Bible Gateway)