HarperCollins and Netflix have announced a publishing program for Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, Greta Gerwig‘s upcoming film version of C.S. Lewis‘s prequel to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (LWW from now on). It will include a graphic novelization of the story, by cartoonist Ben Hatke (Zita the Spacegirl), which will be released before the movie, on January 12, 2027.
For those unfamiliar with The Magician’s Nephew (1955), it is the sixth book in The Chronicles of Narnia, and chronologically the first, telling the story of how a young Professor Digory Kirke came into possession of the wardrobe that eventually transports LWW‘s protagonists into Narnia.
It is unclear if Hatke’s take is based on the book or film, which relocates the setting from 1900 to the 1950s (presumably to set up a film of LWW set in the present day), although the comic’s version of Digory, and his friend Polly, appear to be modeled on the movie’s young leads David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell.
This will mark the third time The Chronicles of Narnia have been adapted into a graphic novel, following Robin Lawrie‘s 1995 version of LWW, and his 1999 adaptation of The Magician’s Nephew itself, both of which are now out-of-print. Joey Chou has also created board books of both novels, the latter of which was released in September, and a picture book of The Magician’s Nephew, by Thai My Phuong, was also published earlier this year.
Hatke’s The Magician’s Nephew will retail at 288 pages, in hardcover, for $24.99 when it arrives in the new year. The movie, featuring Daniel Craig as Digory’s uncle Andrew, Emma Mackey as the future White Witch Jadis, and Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan, will follow in regular theaters and IMAX on February 12, 2027. For more of what HarperCollins has planned, including new editions of the novel with tie-in cover art, and a behind-the-scenes release, browse the official website.
