Meryl Streep's Casting as Aslan Sparks Christian Backlash and Accusations of 'Woke' Gender Swap

Meryl Streep's forthcoming role as Aslan in Netflix's adaptation of C.S. Lewis's "The Magician's Nephew" has ignited a significant backlash from Christian communities and social media users. Critics are decrying the casting as a 'woke gender swap' and a departure from the character's intended representation.

Greta Gerwig, known for her work on "Barbie" and "Little Women," is writing and directing the new Narnia film. Streep, 77, is set to voice Aslan, a central figure in the Narnia chronicles who is widely interpreted as a Christ-like character. This marks a departure from the 2005-2010 film trilogy, where the role of Aslan was voiced by Liam Neeson.

Online commentary reflects a strong negative reaction. Many express concern that casting a female actor to voice a character paralleling Jesus Christ is a deliberate misrepresentation and disrespect to the source material's Christian undertones. "Aslan is based on the story of Jesus. Jesus is male, and Aslan is obviously a male lion. What's this about?" one user questioned on X, formerly Twitter.

Other comments voiced accusations of Hollywood promoting a "woke agenda" at the expense of artistic integrity and potential financial success. "Another woke nonsense I will ignore. Hollywood hates money. Going woke, going broke. And extremely stupid," one post read. Another user stated, "It's rather sad what Greta is doing to CS Lewis classic. It has a Christian undertone and for some reason it's not acceptable. The bigotry in Hollywood is disappointing & creepy."

Political commentator Isabel Brown also weighed in on social media, asserting that C.S. Lewis intended Aslan to be the "incarnation of Christ inside the world of Narnia." Brown argued that casting Streep is "a slap in the face to the genius of Lewis, but also a deliberate mockery of Christianity that is 100% intentional."

Some critics have pointed to author Louis Markos's discussion in "A To Z With C.S. Lewis," where he differentiates between Aslan as an allegory for Christ and Aslan as "the Christ of Narnia." Markos posits that Lewis conceived Aslan as what the Son of God might have been like if incarnated in a magical world. The film is slated for a February 12, 2027, theatrical release, followed by a Netflix debut on April 2, 2027.

Despite the backlash, some users expressed curiosity about the casting choice. One comment suggested, "Meryl streep voicing aslan with a david bowie inspired design? that is such a wild combination, but i'm very c[u]rious to see how greta gerwig pulls it together." Gerwig, in an interview with Empire, explained her casting choice, stating she sought an actor with "gravitas but not morose self-seriousness" and a "wisdom of experience" combined with "fresh wonder." She also mentioned David Bowie as an inspiration for her vision of Aslan and the film.

"The Magician's Nephew" is described as an origin story for Narnia and is the first screen adaptation of Lewis's sixth book in the series, though it is the first chronologically. Gerwig expressed her childhood adoration for the book, calling it an "honor of a lifetime" to bring the story to the screen.