The demand for one of Greta Gerwig's most famous collaborators to appear in her iteration of The Chronicles of Narnia It's understandable, but the debate over who this actress should play can be overly complicated. Following its great success Barbiethe Oscar-nominated director has signed on to write and direct the first two Netflix films Chronicles of Narnia restart. Much speculation has been devoted to how Gerwig will put her own spin on Narnia, including which of her previous collaborators might star in the first film, which Jason Isaacs has teased could be The wizard's nephew.
Timothée Chalamet is apparently the perfect Mr. Tumnus; Harder to spot is four-time Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan, the star of Gerwig's film Bird Lady and Little Women. Ronan is too old to play Susan Pevensie, although she would have been perfect for this Narnia heroine as a teenager. However, when several of Saoirse Ronan's best films are directed by Gerwig, or demonstrate a kind of period fantasy, the fact that she is in Narnia still seems like a given. However, the character Ronan should play in one or more Narnia Movies can be much simpler than fans imagine.
Saoirse Ronan should play the white witch in the new Narnia films
The White Witch Represents the Most Exciting Casting Possibilities for Gerwig's Narnia Films
When Narnia is so focused on child heroes that significant adult characters are very few. The adult and human character that hovers over Narnia in the cultural zeitgeist is the White Witch, the main villain of both The wizard's nephew and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Although it has been debated who should be cast as the White Witch in Gerwig's film, NarniaRonan has largely been left out of fan casts. However, it could be as simple as matching Gerwig's favorite protagonist with the available age-appropriate character.
If not the White Witch, whose name is Jadis, Ronan's character options in Narnia are scarce. She could play the mother of the Pevensie children, voice one of the animal characters, or perhaps portray one of the Narnian nymphs that exist in the background of the story, serving mostly as gender trappings. These are all minor roles that would potentially be a waste of Ronan's talents. When the default is for Ronan's character to be at the forefront of Gerwig's story, it would be disappointing if she was even minimally involved with the action.
The White Witch isn't your typical Saoirse Ronan character, but she would still be excellent
No one should underestimate Ronan's ability to play multiple characters in any Gerwig film
The reason why Ronan isn't people's preferred choice for the White Witch is evident, as it's not a character archetype they would associate with her. Especially in Gerwig's films, people are used to Ronan playing the young, romantic, flawed heroine at the center of a coming-of-age narrative. However, when Ronan is a talented and acclaimed actress, people shouldn't sell her short when it comes to playing entirely new characters. Notably, Saoirse Ronan pioneered the role of Yelena Belova, a much grittier and action-oriented role than her usual role before her Little Women co-star Florence Pugh was cast.
Additionally, a deeper look into Ronan's career and how the White Witch has been portrayed in the past reveals some resonances with the character. Ronan plays the title character in Mary Queen of Scotscapturing a regality as well as some emotional nuances of fear, kindness and grounded bravery. Jadis is supposed to be a domineering figure, but developing her character to help the audience understand her desire for power could be even more compelling; it's also something Ronan's performance could help achieve. Plus, the performance given by Ronan's supposed predecessor actually seems like something she could pull off.
Swinton's Jadis is often stoic, even calm, in her manipulation, speech, and physical fighting.
The White Witch was beautifully played by Tilda Swinton in one of the best fantasy film villain performances of all time. Swinton's Jadis is often stoic, even calm, in her manipulation, speech, and physical fighting. When she attacks, it seems like a well-thought-out part of her plan, happening when she needs to scare someone. If she truly loses control, her anger will still be as sharp and directed as a knife. That Jadis does not demonstrate many characteristics unknown to Ronan - she could actually be a very reserved but still frightening figure, suited to Ronan's sometimes mysterious demeanor.
Saoirse Ronan and Another Top Actress Could Someday Become Greta Gerwig's Narnian Witch Duo
Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie are the quintessential protagonists of Greta Gerwig's filmography
Additionally, Ronan being cast as a Narnia witch now or later could lead to an epic collaboration in the future, depending on how the Narnia the reset ends. Gerwig is currently on board for two Narnia films, but it remains to be seen whether she is considering adapting future episodes after this. If she stays in the series long enough, she'll get to the story of the Green Kirtle Lady, the main villain of The silver chair which is often associated with the White Witch. This scenario would allow Gerwig to cast Ronan and Margot Robbie as famous Narnia villains.
If Ronan is the face of Gerwig's storied career, Robbie is the face of her bold new cinema, from the somewhat experimental project of Barbie. Robbie is the most obvious choice to play the White Witch, but having them both on board - with Robbie playing the Green Lady and Ronan the White Witch or vice versa - would make this really feel like a Greta Gerwig project. Ronan and Robbie also haven't starred alongside each other since Mary Queen of Scots (in which Robbie plays Queen Elizabeth I). Them being Narnia's new witch duo would be amazing on so many levels.
Saoirse Ronan will probably end up playing this Narnia character (and it will be a missed opportunity)
Ronan’s recent work will likely direct her to play a “real world” character in Narnia
However, the character Ronan will probably end up playing is Mrs. Pevensie, given the obvious character associations, and it will be a shame that the producers, Netflix or Gerwig, weren't willing to take a chance with her. Netflix is likely hoping that Gerwig will bring together her usual roster of celebrities to boost the film's marketability and will look to cast important people in all roles, even minor ones. Some will argue that with Ronan's talent, she will shine and add something to the film, even in the briefest scenes.
However, The Chronicles of Narnia could fail to be an even more complex film by keeping Saoirse Ronan away from fantasy, where she could add depth to the magical story with an intriguing performance.
Ronan has also received a lot of attention for his starring role in the recent release of Blitzplaying a character with several coincidental similarities to Mrs. Pevensie. BlitzRita is also a mother separated from her son when he is sent away from London during the Second World War; the film demonstrates Ronan's potential to make Mrs. Pevensie a more impactful character. However, The Chronicles of Narnia It could be an even more complex film by keeping Saoirse Ronan away from the fantasy, where she could add depth to the magical story with an intriguing performance.