The Big Picture

• The Chronicles of Narnia is a classic coming-of-age story that has sold over 100 million copies and continues to be a staple in children’s literature.
• Narnia and The Lord of the Rings both made the fantasy genre what it is today, with Disney’s live-action adaptations bringing in a new generation of fans.
• The Narnia movie trilogy includes The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, each continuing the story and introducing new characters and themes.

The Chronicles of Narnia is a series of books by legendary author C.S. Lewis. We follow a group of children as they traverse the mystical world of Narnia, a place that exists outside of our reality. Along the way, they must fight to save Narnia while also making self-discoveries, allowing them to grow and mature throughout the franchise. The Narnia series is a classic coming-of-age story and one that has been a pop culture staple since the original release of the first book, The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, dating back to the year 1950. Since its initial release,The Chronicles of Narnia has sold more than 100 million copies and continues to be a staple in children’s literature. The seven Narnia books helped lay the groundwork for other young adult epics such as the Harry Potter franchise.

The cultural impact of The Chronicles of Narnia can’t be overstated. Narnia and The Lord of the Rings — coincidently created by Lewis’ close friend, J.R.R. Tolkien—both made the fantasy genre what it is today. What started as a child’s fantasy series grew to become a franchise that has been adapted for radio, television, and most notably, the cinema. Disney’s live-action The Chronicles of Narnia is the most popular of the adaptations and brought in an entirely new generation of fans. The reimagining brought the vast scope and visuals needed to enhance such an amazing story. While Disney didn’t adapt all seven of the Narnia books, they introduced the series to a new audience, creating renewed interest in the franchise as a whole. With the news of Greta Gerwin helming a new Narnia TV series at Netflix, here’s a guide to the live-action Chronicles of Narnia movies if you want to revisit the origina series.

The Chronicles of Narnia Movies in Order of Release Date

Here are The Chronicles of Narnia movies in order of how the films were released in theaters.

‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ Movies in Chronological Order

‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe’

The first film in the Narnia series follows the story of the first book (chronologically). Here, siblings, Lucy (Georgie Henley), Edmond (Skandar Keynes), Susan (Anna Popplewell), and Peter Pevensie (William Moseley), travel to Narnia by way of a magical wardrobe. Once there, they are introduced to all of the incredible things Narnia has to offer, but not everything is as it seems. The children must learn to work together and fight to free Narnia from the power of the White Witch (Tilda Swinton), the evil ruler of this mystical land.

Along the way, they meet Mr. Tumnus (James McAvoy), Mr. Beaver (Ray Winstone), Mrs. Beaver (Elizabeth Hawthorne), and the all-power lion, Aslan (Liam Neeson). All characters who will help guide them on their journey. This film introduces the audience to the many themes that will continue to appear in the Narnia franchise. Redemption, forgiveness, and honor are all central ideals you see in the series, and The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe lean heavily into those themes. Aslan and the White Witch embody good and evil, making things very easy for all audiences to follow along.

‘The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian’

The second film in the trilogy is The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. The Pevensie children return to Narnia after a year away only to find that 1,300 years have passed since their adventure during The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe and when they ruled Narnia as kings and queens. Once again, war has ravaged Narnia, and the kids have to form an alliance with Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes) in an attempt to liberate the land from the villainous King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto).

This film takes place one year after the original film in the human world, but time in Narnia is vastly different than our own. Things are bleak, and the children have to realize that the fight won’t be the same as last time. The sequel is a bit more mature in tone, and a lot of the focus shifts to the mysterious yet noble Prince Caspian. The majority of the supporting cast has been swamped out in favor of new characters. A logical step considering the significant time jump in Narnia. Alongside the Pevensie’s and Prince Caspian is a new supporting cast of characters such as Trumpkin (Peter Dinklage), Nikabrik (Warwick Davis), Doctor Cornelius (Vincent Grass), and General Glozelle (Pierfrancesco Favino).

‘The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader’

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is the third and final film in the Narnia trilogy. Three years have passed since the events of Prince Caspian. Both Susan and Peter are in America, while Edmond and Lucy stay with their annoying cousin, Eustace Scrubb (Will Poulter). With the kids trying to adjust to their new living situation, the three discover a magical painting that transports them to Narnia. Much to Eustance’s surprise, Narnia is real, and the three reunite with their old friend, Caspian. This time, Caspian is on a quest to find the seven lost Lords of Telmar. With their swords, they’d be able to stop this mysterious green mist that is enslaving the minds and bodies of men.

This film is the first not to feature Peter and Susan, and that was enough to change the character dynamic, but with the introduction of Eustace, things feel even more off. Dawn Treader is the weakest film in the trilogy, and unfortunately, ends the franchise on a sour note without the possibility of adapting more of Lewis’ novels. The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is also the only film in the series not produced by the Walt Disney Company and was instead produced by 20th Century FOX. This is what led to the change in tone as the film features a new director, composer, and cinematographer from the previous two movies. After the Disney/FOX merger, the film rights to the movie are now owned by Disney, allowing it to join the other two films on Disney+.

Stream the entire The Chronicles of Narnia series on Disney+ in the U.S.

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