You're standing in front of your TV, scrolling through a streaming service, and you suddenly realize you haven't seen a talking lion in way too long. It happens to the best of us. But then you hit a wall: wait, how many narnia films are there exactly?
The answer is actually kind of a mess.
If you ask the average person, they'll tell you there are three. They’re thinking of the big-budget, sparkly Hollywood movies from the 2000s. But if you’re a die-hard C.S. Lewis fan, or maybe just someone who grew up with British television, that number starts climbing fast. Honestly, depending on how you define a "film," you could be looking at anywhere from three to over a dozen separate productions.
The Big Three: The Walden Media Era
Let's start with the ones everyone knows. Between 2005 and 2010, we got the "main" trilogy produced by Walden Media. These are the blockbuster versions with the incredible CGI Aslan (voiced by Liam Neeson, because who else could it be?) and those sweeping New Zealand landscapes that made everyone think Narnia was just Middle-earth with more snow.
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005): This was the monster hit. It grossed over $745 million worldwide. Disney was behind it, and for a minute, it felt like Narnia was going to be the next Harry Potter.
- Prince Caspian (2008): Things got a bit darker here. Ben Barnes joined the cast, the Pevensie kids looked like they’d aged a decade in one Earth year, and the tone shifted toward gritty war. It was still a Disney co-production, but it didn't quite hit the same heights at the box office.
- The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (2010): This is where it gets weird. Disney actually dropped out of the franchise before this one. Fox 2000 stepped in, the budget got trimmed, and they focused on the high-seas adventure.
That was it for that run. People waited for The Silver Chair for years. Joe Johnston (the guy who directed Captain America: The First Avenger) was even attached to direct it at one point. But the project eventually died in development hell. Basically, the rights expired, the momentum stalled, and the wardrobe door slammed shut.
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The "Secret" Movies Most People Forget
If you stop at three, you're missing out on some seriously nostalgic (and occasionally creepy) history. Long before CGI was a thing, filmmakers were trying to capture Narnia with practical effects and—I’m not kidding—people in giant fursuits.
The BBC Series (1988–1990)
Technically, these were aired as television serials, but they’re often packaged as "feature-length" films on DVD and streaming. For many Gen X-ers and Millennials, this is the definitive Narnia. They covered four books: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Prince Caspian, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, and The Silver Chair.
The effects? Sorta rough by today's standards. Aslan was basically a giant puppet operated by several people. But the acting was top-tier, and they stuck incredibly close to the books. If you count these as films, the number jumps up significantly.
The 1979 Animated Special
Believe it or not, there's a full-length animated version of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. It was a British-American co-production and actually won an Emmy. It’s got a very specific, 70s-style aesthetic—think The Last Unicorn or the Rankin/Bass Hobbit movie. It’s worth a watch if only to see the White Witch looking like a character out of a psychedelic fever dream.
The 1967 Black and White Serial
We’re deep-diving now. In 1967, ABC (a British network) produced a ten-episode serial of the first book. Most of the footage is actually lost now, which is a tragedy for film nerds. It was low-budget, shot in black and white, and very much a product of its time.
So, What Is the Official Count?
If we're talking about how many narnia films are there in terms of major theatrical releases, the answer is three.
But if you want to be "that person" at trivia night, you can argue for more.
- The 3 Walden Media movies.
- The 1 animated movie (1979).
- The 4 BBC "features" (often edited into movies).
That brings the "watchable" total to eight.
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What Really Happened With the Fourth Movie?
There's a lot of misinformation about why we never got a fourth Walden movie. It wasn't just that Dawn Treader made less money—though that didn't help. The real issue was a massive rights dispute between the C.S. Lewis Estate and the production companies.
For a while, they were actually planning to skip The Silver Chair and go straight to The Magician's Nephew as a prequel/reboot. They thought a fresh start might save the franchise. But while they were arguing over scripts and budgets, the clock ran out. By the time they reached an agreement, the "kids" from the original movies were in their late 20s.
The Future: Greta Gerwig and Netflix (2026)
Here is the big news that changes the answer to "how many narnia films are there."
In 2018, Netflix bought the rights to the entire Narnia catalog. This was a huge deal because it’s the first time one company has owned the rights to all seven books at once.
Now, jump to 2026. We are officially in the "Gerwig Era." Greta Gerwig—yes, the director of Barbie and Little Women—is currently at the helm. According to the latest reports, she’s directing at least two Narnia films for Netflix. The first one is scheduled to hit theaters (and IMAX!) in November 2026, followed by a Netflix release in December.
The casting rumors have been wild. We’re hearing names like Daniel Craig and Carey Mulligan. There’s even a persistent rumor that Meryl Streep might be involved, possibly as a voice for Aslan or the White Witch.
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Actionable Next Steps for Narnia Fans
If you're looking to revisit the world of Narnia before the new Netflix era kicks off, here is how you should handle your marathon:
- Watch the 2005 Disney version first. It holds up remarkably well, especially the costume design and the score by Harry Gregson-Williams.
- Track down the BBC version of The Silver Chair. Since Hollywood never made this one, the 1990 version is your only way to see Puddleglum (the best character in the series, don't @ me) on screen.
- Read the books in publication order. Seriously. Don't start with The Magician's Nephew. Start with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. The "prequel first" trend is a trap.
- Keep an eye on Netflix for late 2026. The Gerwig films are expected to be a total "reimagining," meaning they aren't sequels to the old movies. They are starting from scratch.
Narnia has always been a bit fragmented on screen. Different studios, different directors, and vastly different budgets have left us with a patchwork of adaptations. But whether you count three movies or eight, the magic of the wardrobe is still there.