BBC’s Forgotten Narnia Adaptation is a Must-Watch Before Netflix’s Reboot

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In 2023, Netflix revealed that Greta Gerwig, the director of the hit movie Barbie, will be making a new film based on C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia books. The first movie will be The Magician’s Nephew, which was originally the sixth book published but tells the story of how Narnia began. The announcement immediately reminded fans of the Narnia movies released in the mid-2000s, but those weren’t the only live-action adaptations of Lewis’ famous series.

Back in 1988, the BBC created a six-episode miniseries adapting C.S. Lewis’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It was well-received when it first aired, even winning a BAFTA award and leading to two more series covering the subsequent Chronicles of Narnia books. However, it’s largely been forgotten by many fans. With a new adaptation coming soon, it’s a good time to rediscover the BBC version and consider what lessons Greta Gerwig might take from it.

The BBC’s The Chronicles of Narnia Remained True to the Novels

The BBC’s adaptation of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe stands out from the 2005 movie primarily because of how closely it follows the original book. The film, while mostly true to the story, made some significant changes. It added and expanded action sequences, likely to resemble The Lord of the Rings films, made the Pevensie children older, and heightened the tension between them. It also left out details like the Pevensies growing up in Narnia before returning to their childhoods.

The miniseries closely followed the novel. While not a perfect match – for instance, Santa’s sleigh was pulled by horses instead of reindeer – the changes were small and uncommon. Much of the dialogue came straight from the book, and the author’s descriptive writing was cleverly included as if it were a book written by the gentle faun, Mr. Tumnus.

The series felt more relaxed and deliberate than the movies. This was partly because it was much longer – six episodes totaling three hours – and it didn’t rely as heavily on action. For example, the final fight in the series lasted only about two minutes, while the movie’s climactic battle stretched on for twenty minutes.

The show stayed faithful to the book by focusing on what happened after key events. This slower pace won’t suit all viewers, but it allowed the story to unfold naturally. By taking its time, the miniseries created a more immersive experience, letting audiences truly connect with the world of Narnia and its unusual creatures, which ultimately deepened their engagement with the story.

The Chronicles of Narnia Relies on Its Wondrous World

When it came to creating the creatures of Narnia, the BBC series didn’t have the benefit of modern computer-generated imagery (CGI) like later movies did. They used more traditional techniques, such as costumes, puppets, and even hand-drawn animation. While some of these effects now look dated—like the Beaver’s stiff costumes or the noticeable green screen when Lucy and Susan rode Aslan—others still look surprisingly good.

Although the puppet of Aslan didn’t have a wide range of expressions, it still managed to convey his powerful and regal nature, just as described in the book. While some of the special effects in the miniseries look silly by today’s standards, that actually contributes to its endearing, old-fashioned appeal. Much like the story, it evokes a sense of simpler times.

While the new Netflix series aims to adapt The Magician’s Nephew, early signs suggest it won’t prioritize historical accuracy as much as the BBC adaptation did. The show’s design indicates a 1950s setting for The Magician’s Nephew, instead of the original 1900s. Because this story is the first in The Chronicles of Narnia series, this change will shift the timeline for all the books. Specifically, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe will now be set in the 1990s, meaning the Pevensie children won’t have experienced the World War II air raids as part of their history.

Fans were understandably concerned when news of the changes broke, and their worries were valid. However, departing from the original story isn’t necessarily a bad thing – it all comes down to how well it’s done. Netflix’s version of The Chronicles of Narnia could still capture the heart of Lewis’s books, even with significant plot and setting alterations. While the new film won’t be as strictly faithful to the source material as the BBC miniseries, it can still learn from what made that adaptation so popular.

The 1988 television version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe beautifully captured the magical and sincere feeling of the original book. It created a truly enchanting world, like something straight out of a child’s dream. Watching this older version will help fans better understand and evaluate the new movie by providing a point of comparison with previous adaptations.

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2026-02-26 00:09