There’s Only One Character Daniel Craig Can Play In Netflix’s Narnia Movie

Netflix is betting big on its new fantasy franchise, an eight-movie, big-budget adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ Chronicles of Narnia books. So far, the streamer has secured Greta Gerwig to write and direct at least the first two movies, negotiated an exclusive IMAX theatrical release window, and is reportedly considering 365 party girl Charli XCX to play Jadis the White Witch, a role previously played by Tilda Swinton in three previous Disney adaptations.

Now another castmember is being eyed for the first movie, and the obvious choice for his role confirms that Netflix is trying something brand new with this project.

Deadline reports that Daniel Craig is being considered for a role in Netflix’s first Narnia movie. The actor is no stranger to Netflix — he’s the face of Rian Johnson’s Knives Out series, after all — but he would still be a big get considering the only other player currently circling a role doesn’t have many acting credits to her name. Craig’s potential role wasn’t announced, but a look at the circumstances narrows it down to one obvious answer.

Unlike when Disney adapted the franchise, Netflix’s first Narnia movie apparently won’t be The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the first Narnia book C.S. Lewis wrote. Instead, the streamer will start with The Magician’s Nephew, the prequel book Lewis wrote second-to-last. This is unconfirmed, but the evidence is piling up: actor Jason Isaacs apparently spilled the beans in an interview, a casting call was looking for two children instead of the four Wardrobe would require, and the casting of Charli XCX implies a younger version of Jadis befitting a prequel.

If we narrow down the roles to those within The Magician’s Nephew, then the clear choice for Craig is Uncle Andrew Ketterley, the magician who creates magic rings that transport their wearers to and from Narnia. What’s On Netflix also claims to have heard from sources that Craig is being considered for Uncle Andrew, so again, the evidence is stacking up.

It’s not the most heroic role, but Craig is still well-suited to it. Uncle Andrew is a bit unhinged, and he has a major narcissistic streak that he learns to tone down. Craig’s leading role in the Knives Out movies has proved he can get goofy when required, and while it’s been quite some time since his Road to Perdition days, that movie proved he can play a sniveling wimp just as well as a mighty hero.

If this is Craig’s role, it will be the first time Uncle Andrew has been seen on the big screen. He only appears in The Magician’s Nephew, which is set decades before the rest of the series. So while you can’t look forward to seeing Craig appear across Netflix’s entire fantasy franchise, this is yet more evidence that the streamer is taking an exciting new approach to a beloved series, and casting big names to do it.