Greta Gerwig’s Next Movie Is More Exciting Than Barbie 2

Greta Gerwig was the perfect filmmaker to bring Barbie to life, but her next project, The Chronicles of Narnia, is a better move for her than Barbie 2 right now. The Chronicles of Narnia book series by C.L. Lewis contains seven novels, three of which have already been adapted for the big screen: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Netflix is giving the series a new adaptation, and Gerwig will be directing the first two Chronicles of Narnia films According to Head of Netflix Film Scott Stuber, production on the Chronicles of Narnia reboot is expected to begin in 2024.

The news of Gerwig’s next project may come as a disappointment to Barbie fans. That was the film of the summer this year, and there’s no denying its unprecedented success at the box office, as Barbie became the highest-grossing female-directed film of all time. Barbie also launched Gerwig, who’d previously only written and directed indie films, into the mainstream as a filmmaker capable of producing a blockbuster hit. Given the success and mass appeal of Barbie, some might have expected her to go to work on a sequel right away.

Greta Gerwig Making Chronicles Of Narnia Is Better Than Barbie 2 (Right Now)

Greta Gerwig is shifting gears to the fantasy world of Narnia, and that’s a good thing. While a Barbie sequel wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, right now it’s too soon. Summer 2023 was oversaturated with Barbie, from promotional material to merchandising to advertising and more. The world needs time to decompress from the Barbie frenzy, and so does Gerwig.

The pressure to produce an original and compelling Barbie sequel that could recapture everything that made the first film special would be so enormous, that it would be impossible to live up to the expectations. A Barbie sequel should only happen if Gerwig and co-writer Noah Baumbach come up with a truly brilliant idea for it. Otherwise, Gerwig’s focus should be on The Chronicles of Narnia.

Gerwig may be an unexpected choice to take on the Chronicles of Narnia adaptation reboot, given her lack of experience with fantasy films and her only recent foray into mainstream blockbusters. Gerwig has even admitted she’s “properly scared” to take on a beloved franchise like The Chronicles of Narnia.

Still, there are plenty of reasons why Gerwig is a great choice for the Chronicles of Narnia reboot. For one, she has experience with film adaptations of books. She made the 2019 version of Little Women from the 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott, which had already been adapted for the screen several times by the time Gerwig got to it. With Little Women, Gerwig demonstrated that she can bring a refreshing and original perspective to an adaptation while honoring the source material.

Gerwig’s success with Barbie also proves that she’s up for the Chronicles of Narnia challenge. Not only did she take on such a massive brand name with so much rich history behind it, but she managed to turn it into a blockbuster phenomenon.

Another reason Gerwig could be a great fit for the Chronicles of Narnia reboot is her dedication to exploring feminist themes and offering feminist perspectives in her work. All three of Gerwig’s past solo directorial works, Lady Bird, Little Women, and Barbie, centered on female characters and their stories. Gerwig’s tendency to lean toward female-centric narratives could mean great things for the untapped potential of female characters like Lucy and the White Witch from The Chronicles of Narnia.

Will Barbie 2 Actually Happen?

While Barbie 2 may not be the right move for Greta Gerwig at the moment, that doesn’t mean it should never happen. The question is: will it ever happen? Right after Barbie‘s release, Gerwig was not interested in a Barbie sequel. “At this moment, it’s all I’ve got,“ Gerwig confessed back in July 2023. “I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I’ll never have another idea, and everything I’ve ever wanted to do, I did. I wouldn’t want to squash anybody else’s dream but for me, at this moment, I’m at totally zero.“

However, Gerwig also told People that she “want[s] to go back to Barbie Land,” just not necessarily in her own films. Rather, Gerwig hopes her Barbie film “is the launch of a world and a bunch of different Barbie movies.” Most recently, Gerwig spoke to Vanity Fair about her “future film ideas,” which she describes as “little blobs.” Gerwig stated that, at the moment, she’s focusing on these “little blobs” while she tries not to “internalize the pressure to live up to something.“