Liam Neeson Had No Idea Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia' Existed: “Meryl Is Playing Jesus Christ?”

Liam Neeson, apparently, does not read the trades, nor does he seem to be online much.

The man who voiced Aslan in all three of the 2005–2010 ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ movies sat down with ScreenRant this week and was caught completely off guard when asked about Greta Gerwig's "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew." Not just the casting. The entire movie.

Here's the exchange:

SR: Now that Narnia is back in the news cycle, have you had a chance to check out the trailer? What does it feel like to now have people revisiting that franchise on the big screen?
Neeson: I'm sorry, this is news to me.
SR: The new Narnia?
Neeson: Yeah.
SR: Well, I'm grateful to be the one to break it to you. Meryl Streep is taking on Aslan this time around.
Neeson: Meryl is playing Jesus Christ?
SR: She is.
Neeson: Well, if you're going to make Christ a lady, nobody better than Meryl. Who's directing it?
SR: Greta Gerwig.
Neeson: Okay. Wow.

I mean... Gerwig's ‘Narnia’ has been public knowledge for more than three years. The Streep casting set off a full-blown culture war online. There's a trailer. And Neeson — bless his heart — had no clue. Clearly not a man who spends his evenings scrolling X. Good for him, honestly.

"Meryl is playing Jesus Christ?" gave me a chuckle. It's the most Liam Neeson response imaginable.

Say what you will about the forgettable B-movie thrillers he's made over the last 15 years, the guy is a legend. And it seems he lives in his own world, blissfully so, might I add. Still, you'd think somebody — an agent, a publicist, a former Narnia castmate — would have given him a heads-up.

'Narnia' is aiming for a PG rating and stars young performers David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell, while Streep, Daniel Craig, Emma Mackey, Ciarán Hinds and Carey Mulligan round out the ensemble. Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt composed the score.

The film is scheduled for a wide theatrical rollout, with a 49-day exclusive window in theaters, on February 12, 2027.

Liam Neeson Had No Idea Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia' Existed: “Meryl Is Playing Jesus Christ?”

Despite starring in three ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ movies, Liam Neeson, apparently, does not read the trades, nor does he seem to be online much, which might explain why he’s unaware of Greta Gerwig’s version.

Maya Hawke to Star in Matt Johnson's ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Movie

Matt Johnson, the guy behind the excellent "BlackBerry" and "Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie," is directing Legendary's adaptation of Hasbro's "Magic: The Gathering."

Ari Aster's ‘Scapegoat' Has Started Shooting in New York City

Darius Khondji is back behind the camera as DP. That's a pairing that should give this thing Aster’s usual very specific, unnerving texture. Bobby Krlic is back to compose his fourth straight Aster movie.

Adam Rehmeier's Next Film Is ‘Seeker,’ a Ride-Share Mystery-Thriller With ‘Obsession’ Star Cooper Tomlinson

Rehmeier has spent over 10 years making unclassifiable little American movies that consistently fly under the radar, including "Dinner in America,” "Snack Shack" and “Caroline Carolina.”

Surprise! ‘Wildwood' Hits #1 at the Box Office on Tuesday

"Wildwood" was the top film on Tuesday, pulling in $2M and edging past everything else in theaters. It's also a slight bump from last Tuesday's number, which almost rarely happens for a film in its second week.

August 19, 2019

3-Hour ‘Midsommar' Director's Cut Screened in NYC

This year’s 12th edition of the Scary Movies festival at Film at Lincoln Center premiered Ari Aster’s extended version of “Midsommar” this past Saturday.

CONFIRMED: Sadie Soverall Exits Brady Corbet's ‘The Origin of the World' Mid-Shoot, Lily McInerny Steps In Lead Role

Sadie Soverall was just let go after briefly filming on Corbet's new film — no official reason given. She had the lead role. Corbet has replaced her, last minute, with Lily McInerny.

Ron Howard’s ‘Alone at Dawn’ Starring Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway Sets Christmas 2027 Release

This is the adaptation of the nonfiction book by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz. It wrapped production in February and has been in post-production ever since. The film test-screened a few months ago.

Jeremy Saulnier’s Next Film Retitled to ‘Slayground,’ Current Runtime is 2.5 Hours, Plot Details

Jeremy Saulnier’s mysterious A24 project, formerly “October,” still has no release date. You’d think, given that it has been in post-production for almost a year now.

Jemima Kirke and Alexi Wasser to Star in Woody Allen's Next Film

A few months ago, Deadline reported that Woody Allen's next film, set in Madrid and carrying a $14M budget, will be "largely English-language" and feature a "high-profile cast."

Fritz Lang’s ‘M’ Tops the Best Films of the 1930s, According to 100+ Critics

We’ve gone through the decades. The ‘40s ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘2000s, and ‘2010s. — all revisited, argued over. Now, here are the results for the best films of the 1930s.

Critics Poll: ‘Citizen Kane' Named Best Film of the 1940s

The results are in, and according to critics, this decade filled with cinematic riches did not have a better film than Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane.” Nobody should be surprised by this result. “Citizen Kane” changed cinema forever.

Critics Poll: ‘Vertigo’ Named Best Film of the 1950s, Over 120 Participants

It was a closer race than anticipated, but Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” has topped our best of the ’50s poll, besting Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s “Singin’ in the Rain” by just two votes.

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