Chronicles of Narnia Reboot Finds Its White Witch (And It’s Not Who We Thought)

After months of swirling rumors and speculation about who would portray the iconic villain in Netflix’s highly anticipated adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ beloved fantasy series, the search for Narnia’s most notorious antagonist has finally concluded.

British actress Emma Mackey has secured the coveted role of Jadis the White Witch in director Greta Gerwig‘s upcoming Narnia reboot, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The announcement comes as something of a surprise to fans who had been following casting rumors closely, as pop star Charli XCX was previously reported to be the frontrunner for the role of the tyrannical sorceress who plunges Narnia into endless winter. The casting represents a reunion between Gerwig and Mackey, who previously worked together on last year’s billion-dollar juggernaut Barbie, where Mackey appeared as one of the many versions of the iconic doll.



According to multiple industry sources speaking to THR, the competition for the villainous role was fierce, ultimately coming down to Mackey and The Substance star Margaret Qualley. This marks another significant milestone in Mackey’s rapidly ascending career, following her breakout role in Netflix’s Sex Education and recent starring turn as Emily Brontë in the critically acclaimed biopic Emily.The Netflix adaptation is reportedly tackling The Magician’s Nephew, the sixth novel published in Lewis’ series, but chronologically the first story in the Narnia timeline.

This prequel reveals the origin story of Narnia itself as well as how the White Witch first arrived in the magical realm. For those unfamiliar with the novel, it explains several mysteries established in the more famous The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, including why Narnia has human rulers and how a peculiar lamp post came to exist in the middle of a fantasy forest.Mackey joins an impressive cast that may include three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep, who is reportedly in discussions to provide the voice for a gender-swapped version of Aslan, the wise and powerful lion who serves as Narnia’s creator and rightful king.

The casting choice represents a significant departure from the traditional male portrayal of the character, who many scholars interpret as a Christ-like figure in Lewis’ Christian allegorical framework.[RELATED – Greta Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia Reboot Gets Major Update From Netflix Boss]In an unusual move for Netflix, which typically limits theatrical releases to brief Oscar-qualifying runs, Gerwig has successfully negotiated a two-week exclusive IMAX theatrical release for the film in late 2026 before it arrives on the streaming platform. This special arrangement reflects both Netflix’s substantial investment in the project and Gerwig’s growing clout following the phenomenal success of Barbie.

The film will mark the fourth major live-action adaptation of Lewis’ fantasy series, following Disney’s trilogy that began with 2005’s The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, where Tilda Swinton memorably portrayed the White Witch. Production on the new adaptation is expected to commence this July at the UK’s Shepperton Studios.For Mackey, the villainous role continues a period of impressive career momentum.

Beyond her Narnia commitment, she’s currently filming an untitled J.J. Abrams project alongside Glen Powell and Jenna Ortega, will appear at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival for Julia Ducournau’s new film Alpha, and stars in the titular role of James L.

Brooks’ comedy Ella McCay, scheduled for theatrical release in December.The casting decision particularly surprised fans because many had expected a higher-profile name to take on the iconic villain. While Mackey has been steadily building an impressive resume with critically acclaimed performances, she lacks the instant name recognition of rumored contenders like Charli XCX or the established prestige of Qualley, who many insiders considered the frontrunner after her acclaimed performance in The Substance.

This unexpected choice suggests Gerwig may be prioritizing performance ability over star power as she crafts her vision for this beloved fantasy world.The post Chronicles of Narnia Reboot Finds Its White Witch (And It’s Not Who We Thought) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

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