For many Christian families, the Chronicles of Narnia are more than bedtime stories. C.S. Lewis’s books have helped generations of children picture courage, temptation, forgiveness and a great golden Lion named Aslan. So when a new Narnia movie gets news, parents pay attention.
This week brought an important update. Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, the new film written and directed by Greta Gerwig for Netflix, has officially been rated PG.
The Official Rating
According to NarniaWeb, the rating appeared this week in the weekly bulletin of the Classification and Rating Administration, the division of the Motion Picture Association that rates American films. The full descriptor reads:
“Rated PG for thematic elements, fantasy action, some language, brief violence and smoking.”
NarniaWeb notes that this keeps the new movie in line with the earlier Walden Media Narnia films, which were each rated PG. Producer Mark Gordon had predicted a PG rating back in the spring.
When Can Families See It?
Here is the current schedule, reported by ABC News and NarniaWeb:
- February 10, 2027: sneak previews on IMAX screens
- February 12, 2027: wide theatrical release
- April 2, 2027: streaming on Netflix
Please keep in mind that release dates can change. In fact, this one already has. The film was once planned for an IMAX run over Thanksgiving 2026, followed by Netflix on Christmas Day, before moving to its new February date.
What Is the Story?
The Magician’s Nephew was published in 1955. It was the sixth Narnia book Lewis wrote, but it tells the very beginning of the story, so many newer editions place it first.
The film follows two young friends, Digory Kirke (David McKenna) and Polly Plummer (Beatrice Campbell). According to ABC News, the first trailer shows them wondering whether Digory’s Uncle Andrew is “really mad” or a magician before they slip through a portal into another world. The cast also includes Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Daniel Craig, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith and Meryl Streep.
ComingSoon.net describes the plot this way: Digory and Polly set out on a mission to save a life, meet an evil sorceress who tries to enslave them, and witness Aslan’s song shape a brand-new land that becomes Narnia. Netflix’s synopsis says the film “invites dreamers of all ages to experience the creation of Narnia.”
Content Notes for Parents
Based on the rating descriptor and the book the film adapts, here is what families may want to think about:
- Thematic elements: In Lewis’s book, Digory’s mother is very sick, and his longing to save her is at the heart of the story. Children who have faced illness or loss in the family may need a gentle conversation.
- Fantasy action and brief violence: The book’s villain, the witch-queen Jadis, later becomes the White Witch of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Expect some scary or intense moments for very young viewers.
- Some language and smoking: The rating mentions both. Details have not been released, so parents may want to check full reviews closer to release.
As always, you know your children best. A PG rating means some material may not be suitable for younger kids, and parents are encouraged to decide what fits their family.
Why This Story Matters for Christian Families
Lewis was a Christian writer, and The Magician’s Nephew is full of themes that echo the Bible. A world is sung into being by a good and loving Creator. A child faces a powerful temptation involving an apple from a garden. Evil enters a brand-new, beautiful world. And a boy learns that obedience and trust matter more than getting what he wants in the moment.
The image of creation set to music brings to mind God’s words to Job:
“When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?”
Job 38:7 (KJV)
Families can use the months before release as a gift. Read the book aloud together. Talk about Digory’s choice in the garden and compare it with Adam and Eve in Genesis. Ask your kids what Aslan’s song tells us about the One who made our world.
Gerwig said in a May 2026 statement that “it is the honor of a lifetime to be asked to imagine it into being.” We will see in February how well the film captures Lewis’s wonder. Until then, the book is waiting on the shelf. Through every storm, we rise together.
Will your family read The Magician’s Nephew together before the movie comes out?
Sources: NarniaWeb, “Netflix’s ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ Officially Rated PG” (Oct 27, 2026); ComingSoon.net, “Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Movie Rating Is Totally Different From Most Marvel Superhero Movies” (Oct 29, 2026); ABC News, “Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew’ film adaptation gets trailer” (Oct 13, 2026); Wikipedia, “Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew”; Wikipedia, “The Magician’s Nephew”; KJV Job 38:7
Leave a Reply