C.S. Lewis’ beloved children’s fantasy series The Chronicles of Narnia has never received a movie adaptation that’s done the story justice, but Greta Gerwig might be able to change this. The Barbie and Little Women filmmaker is taking on the challenge of reintroducing audiences to the world of Narnia, and as a fan of the series and Gerwig’s work, I have high hopes for the project. There are many directions that Gerwig could take the narrative and adhere to the novels, but there’s also an aspect unique to the films that should be revisited.

The Pevensie children introduce the audience to Narnia and play a vital role throughout the first book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. However, Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia movies can fix many Pevensie problems, as the series’ central characters are sometimes underdeveloped by Lewis. While Lewis’s character arcs for most of the Pevensies are compelling, the novels overlook certain elements of the story. A large part of this is the fact that after the Pevensies return to England from Narnia at the end of the first novel, they’re unfazed by their age differences in the book.

I Hope Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Remake Explores The Pevensies Becoming Kids Again

Their transition from adulthood back to childhood is important to the narrative

Every Chronicles of Narnia book tells a unique story, but the first installment, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, focuses more on the Pevensies than any other. Though it isn’t the first book chronologically, it’s the most memorable, and the twist ending shocked me the first time I read the book. After defeating the White Witch, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy take their places as the kings and queens of Narnia and rule over the kingdom for decades, well into their adulthood. This is when they accidentally stumble upon the lamppost that brought them to Narnia.

Then, the Pevensies cross back over to the real world at the exact moment they left, making them children once again. This is a critical scene that I hope Gerwig touches upon in her adaptation. Both the movie and book conclude after this, and though Prince Caspian picks up with the Pevensies in England only a year later on Earth, it’s over one thousand years later in Narnia. Not only did the Pevensies have to readjust to being children in their normal lives, but when they finally returned to Narnia, they weren’t the capable leaders and warriors they once were.

The Chronicles Of Narnia Books Barely Address The Pevensies’ Age Changes

C.S. Lewis doesn’t unpack how their age fluctuations affect them

In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian, the Pevensies take their various ages in their stride. The works barely comment on this magical element of the story. Though the Narnia novels are intriguing because of the intricate worldbuilding, I was interested in the thoughts and feelings of the characters upon all else. Considering the fact that Peter and Susan become too old to return to Narnia at the end of Prince Caspian, I was shocked that their experience as adults in Narnia was never touched upon again in the later works.

A harsh reality that The Chronicles of Narnia movies will face is that the later books that don’t feature the Pevensies as prominently weren’t as well-received. Some argue that Gerwig should begin with The Magician’s Nephew to help the viewer get accustomed to the world of Narnia, but I think that Gerwig can make The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe work. She can prove the necessity of starting with the first book by focusing on the Pevensies. In addition, Gerwig should use the age changes as a pivotal point in their character development, influencing how the audience views Narnia.

The Narnia Movies Were Right To Tackle This Subject (& Greta Gerwig’s Remake Can Go Deeper)

It’s an interesting facet of the series that Gerwig can explore more fully

Going from adulthood and the experience of being the kings and queens of Narnia to stepping back into the present as children again was a jarring change for the Pevensies. At the end of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, they have almost forgotten their old lives and have matured a great deal. The difference in the timelines in Narnia and the real world was always something that interested me about the Narnia books, and Gerwig could dive into this lore. Additionally, she has the opportunity to expand on the impact of this change on the Pevensies.

While there aren’t many strengths of the original movies, The Chronicles of Narnia films benefited from discussing how the abrupt transition from adulthood to adolescence was frustrating for the Pevenises. The difficulty in balancing who they are in Narnia versus who they are on Earth is a reliable aspect of their characters, especially if Gerwig tackles the coming-of-age themes in the narrative in addition to the fantasy elements. If her past work is an indication, I know that Gerwig will do the Pevensies justice.