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The demand for one of Greta Gerwig’s most famous collaborators to appear in her iteration of The Chronicles of Narnia is understandable, but the debate about whom this actress should play may be overly complicated. Following her smash hit Barbie, the Oscar-nominated director signed on to write and direct the first two movies of Netflix’s Chronicles of Narnia reboot. Much speculation has been dedicated to how Gerwig will put her own spin on Narnia, including which of her previous collaborators may star in the first movie, which Jason Isaacs teased may be The Magician’s Nephew.
Timothée Chalamet is seemingly the perfect Mr. Tumnus; harder to place is four-time Oscar-nominated Saoirse Ronan, the star of Gerwig’s Lady Bird and Little Women. Ronan is too old to play Susan Pevensie, although she would have been perfect for this Narnian heroine as a teenager. However, when several of Saoirse Ronan’s best movies are directed by Gerwig, or demonstrate a kind of period fantasy, her being in Narnia still seems like a given. However, the character Ronan should play in one or multiple Narnia movies may be far simpler than fans realize.
Saoirse Ronan Should Play The White Witch In The New Narnia Movies
The White Witch Represents The Most Exciting Casting Possibilities For Gerwig’s Narnia Movies
When Narnia is so focused on the child heroes, the significant adult characters are far and few. The adult, human character who looms large over Narnia in the cultural zeitgeist is the White Witch, the main villain of both The Magician’s Nephew and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. While it has been discussed who should be cast as the White Witch in Gerwig’s Narnia, Ronan has been largely left out of fan casts. Yet it could be as simple as matching Gerwig’s preferred leading lady with the available character suited to her age.
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If it’s not the White Witch, whose name is Jadis, Ronan’s character options in Narnia are scarce. She could play the Pevensie children’s mother, voice one of the animal characters, or perhaps portray one of the Narnian nymphs who exist in the background of the story, mainly serving as genre trappings. All of these are minor roles that would potentially be a waste of Ronan’s talents. When the standard is for Ronan’s character to be at the forefront of Gerwig’s story, it would come across as disappointing if she were only minimally involved with the action.
The White Witch Isn’t Saoirse Ronan’s Typical Character, But She Would Still Be Excellent
No One Should Underestimate Ronan’s Ability To Play Various Characters In Any Gerwig Movie
The reason Ronan is not people’s go-to choice for the White Witch is evident, as it is not a character archetype they would associate with her. Especially in Gerwig’s movies, people are accustomed to Ronan playing the young, romantic, and flawed heroine at the center of a coming-of-age narrative. However, when Ronan is a talented and accoladed actress, people shouldn’t sell her short when it comes to playing entirely new characters. Notably, Saoirse Ronan was a frontrunner to play Yelena Belova, a far grittier and more action-oriented role than her usual fare, before her Little Women co-star Florence Pugh was cast.
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Additionally, further analysis of Ronan’s career and how the White Witch has been portrayed in the past does reveal some resonances with the character. Ronan plays the title character in Mary Queen of Scots, capturing a regality as well as some emotional nuances of fear, kindness, and grounded bravery. Jadis should be a domineering figure, but developing her character to help audiences understand her desire for power could be even more compelling; it is also something Ronan’s performance could help achieve. Furthermore, the performance given by Ronan’s would-be predecessor actually seems like something she could pull off.
Swinton’s Jadis is often stoic, even calm, in her manipulation, speech, and physical fighting.
The White Witch was beautifully portrayed by Tilda Swinton in one of the best fantasy movie villain performances of all time. Swinton’s Jadis is often stoic, even calm, in her manipulation, speech, and physical fighting. When she lashes out, it comes across as a thought-out part of her plan, happening when she needs to scare someone. If she actually does lose control, her anger is still as sharp and directed as a knife. This Jadis doesn’t demonstrate too many unfamiliar characteristics for Ronan — she could actually be a very reserved but still terrifying figure, suited to Ronan’s sometimes mysterious demeanor.
Saoirse Ronan & Another Major Actress Could Someday Become Greta Gerwig’s Narnian Witch Duo
Saoirse Ronan & Margot Robbie Are The Quintessential Leads Of Greta Gerwig’s Filmography
Additionally, Ronan being cast as a Narnia witch now or later could lead to an epic collaboration down the line, depending on how the Narnia reboot plays out. Gerwig is currently on board for two Narnia movies, but it remains unknown whether she is considering adapting future installments after this. If she sticks with the series long enough, she will make it to the story of the Lady of the Green Kirtle, the main villain of The Silver Chair who is often associated with the White Witch. This scenario would allow Gerwig to cast both Ronan and Margot Robbie as famous Narnia villainesses.
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If Ronan is the face of Gerwig’s historic career, Robbie is the face of her bold new filmmaking, ever since the somewhat experimental project of Barbie. Robbie is the more obvious choice to play the White Witch, but having both of them on board — with Robbie playing the Green Lady and Ronan the White Witch or vice versa — would make it truly feel like a Greta Gerwig project. Ronan and Robbie have also not starred alongside each other since Mary Queen of Scots (in which Robbie plays Queen Elizabeth I). Them being the new Narnian witch duo would be amazing on many levels.
Saoirse Ronan Will Probably End Up Playing This Narnia Character (& It Will Be A Missed Opportunity)
Ronan’s Recent Work Will Probably Direct Her Towards Playing A “Real World” Character In Narnia
However, the character Ronan will probably end up playing is Mrs. Pevensie, given the obvious character associations, and it will be a shame that the producers, Netflix, or Gerwig were not willing to take a chance on her. Netflix is probably hoping that Gerwig will draw in her usual roster of A-listers to increase the movie’s marketability and will be looking to cast significant people in every role, even the smaller ones. Some will argue that with Ronan’s talent, she will shine and add something to the movie with even the briefest scenes.
However, The Chronicles of Narnia might miss out on being an even more layered movie by keeping Saoirse Ronan away from the fantasy, where she could add depth to the magical story with an intriguing performance.
Ronan has also been getting a lot of attention for her lead role in the recent release of Blitz, playing a character with several coincidental similarities to Mrs. Pevensie. Blitz‘s Rita is also a mother separated from her child when he is sent away from London during World War II; the movie admittedly does demonstrate Ronan’s potential to make Mrs. Pevensie a more impactful character. However, The Chronicles of Narnia might miss out on being an even more layered movie by keeping Saoirse Ronan away from the fantasy, where she could add depth to the magical story with an intriguing performance.
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Chronicles of Narnia is a fantasy franchise based on the seven-book series written by C.S. Lewis between 1950 and 1956. The series is set in the magical world of Narnia, where children from our world are transported to fulfill prophecies, battle evil forces, and restore peace under the guidance of Aslan, a mystical lion. The franchise has seen multiple adaptations, including a BBC television series in the late 1980s, three major Hollywood films between 2005 and 2010, and an upcoming reboot by Netflix, which has generated significant anticipation. The franchise is beloved for its rich allegorical storytelling, blending Christian themes with epic fantasy elements.
- Created by
-
C.S. Lewis
- Character(s)
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Aslan
, Lucy Pevensie
, Peter Pevensie
, Edmund Pevensie
, Susan Pevensie
, Prince Caspian
, The White Witch
, Reepicheep
, Eustace Scrubb
, Mr. Tumnus
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