Netflix today signed a deal with Entertainment One (eOne) to develop films and series of C.S Lewis’ fantasy epic Chronicles of Narnia, the streaming service announced on its official website. Under the terms of a multi-year deal between Netflix and The C.S. Lewis Company, the former will develop classic stories from across the Narnia universe into series and films for its members worldwide.
All series and films produced through the deal will be Netflix productions, with Mark Gordon of Entertainment One alongside Douglas Gresham and Vincent Sieber serving as executive producers for series and as producers for features. The deal also marks the first time that rights to the entire seven books of the Narnia universe have been held by the same company.
“C.S. Lewis’ beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world,” said Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. “Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we’re thrilled to be their home for years to come.”
“It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world,” said Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis. “Netflix seems to be the very best medium with which to achieve this aim, and I am looking forward to working with them towards this goal.”
eOne’s president and chief content officer of film and television Mark Gordon commented “Narnia is one of those rare properties that spans multiple generations and geographies. eOne and I are excited to be collaborating with The C.S. Lewis Company and Netflix who have the capacity to translate the Narnia universe into both feature-length and episodic programming. We cannot wait to get started on the multiple productions we hope to undertake.”
Previous films based on the fantasy novels include The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), Prince Caspian (2008) and The Voyage of the Downtreader (2010).