Greta Gerwig's highly anticipated adaptation of C.S. Lewis's "The Magician's Nephew" for Netflix has received an updated release schedule, now set to premiere on February 12. This delay comes with a significant and "truly magical" update: Netflix is breaking from tradition by giving the film a proper theatrical window, starting on the big screen and in IMAX before its eventual streaming release on the platform. This marks a departure from original plans that aimed for a Thanksgiving theatrical debut and a Christmas streaming release.

The film will first be available in theaters and IMAX on February 12, with special sneak previews exclusively in IMAX beginning February 10. Following its big-screen run, "The Magician's Nephew" will arrive on Netflix for streaming on April 2. Greta Gerwig, who serves as both writer and director, expressed her gratitude to Netflix and IMAX for making her vision for Narnia a reality. In a statement, she said, "Working with Netflix to bring this film to life has been extraordinary, and IMAX continues to be an incredible partner. I cannot wait for people to see the film in theaters on February 12 and on Netflix on April 2.”

Though it is the sixth book in Lewis's legendary series, "The Magician's Nephew" is chronologically the first chapter in the Narnia story, detailing the creation of the magical realm and establishing its connection to our own world. Under Gerwig's direction, the adaptation will introduce bold changes to the setting, shifting the time period to around the end of World War II in London, promising a unique spin on the classic tale. This production will be the fourth time Narnia has been adapted for the big screen, following the 2000s trilogy, and is set to feature a spectacularly starry cast.

The ensemble cast includes "Sex Education" star Emma Mackey reuniting with Netflix and Gerwig to portray the White Witch. David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell are expected to embody the young Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer. Further bolstering the cast are Carey Mulligan (Mabel Kirke), Ciarán Hinds, Daniel Craig, Meryl Streep (voice of Aslan), Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough, and Susan Wokoma. This talented group aims to revitalize a franchise that has collectively sold 120 million copies across 70 different countries.

Netflix's decision to provide a wide theatrical release underscores the streamer's high regard for its new Narnia saga. This strategy aligns with Netflix's increasing dabbling in theatrical runs for significant projects, including its "Knives Out" sequels, various awards contenders, and special series events like the "Stranger Things" Season 5 finale. For Greta Gerwig, this journey is deeply personal, as she fell in love with the original story as a child. She shared how formative "The Magician's Nephew" was for her, opening up a sense of adventure that has influenced her filmmaking career. Gerwig fondly recalled, "I was a child when I first read The Magician’s Nephew, and I fell in love with the gorgeously improbable but completely brilliant concept of a cosmic lion singing the world of Narnia to life... It is the honor of a lifetime to be asked to imagine it into being. Because of C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, I believed in magic and hidden worlds and adventure... It transformed me."

Narnia: The Magician's Nephew will premiere in theaters and on IMAX on February 12, before its arrival on Netflix on April 2.