Liam Neeson has offered a surprised response to Meryl Streep taking over the voice of Aslan in Greta Gerwig's upcoming film, Narnia: The Magician's Nephew.
The actor, who voiced the great lion in three previous Chronicles of Narnia movies, learned about the casting during an interview with ScreenRant. His immediate reaction pointed to the character's Christian significance.
"Meryl is playing Jesus Christ?" Neeson asked.
"Well, if you're going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl."
Neeson voiced Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), Prince Caspian (2008), and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010). His performance became a familiar part of the franchise for audiences introduced to C. S. Lewis's fantasy world through those films.
Streep's casting has prompted objections from some Christian viewers concerned about a woman voicing Lewis's Christ figure. ChurchLeaders reported criticism describing the decision as disrespectful to the books' Christian meaning. Neeson's brief response expressed confidence in Streep's ability without offering a detailed assessment of Gerwig's adaptation.
The role is Aslan, the lion at the heart of Lewis's imagined world. Neeson's reference to Jesus reflects that character's theological significance rather than a casting announcement for a biblical portrayal of Christ.
Gerwig's film takes audiences back to Narnia's beginnings. Based on Lewis's 1955 novel, The Magician's Nephew explores the creation of the world that readers later encounter through the wardrobe. Its central image of Aslan singing Narnia into existence helped inspire Gerwig's approach to the project.
The ensemble includes David McKenna, Beatrice Campbell, Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Daniel Craig, and Streep. Gerwig wrote the screenplay and directs the adaptation, with an original score by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt.
Narnia: The Magician's Nephew opens in theatres on February 12, 2027, following IMAX previews beginning February 10. The film arrives on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
