You remember the feeling. That first time Lucy Pevensie pushed past the mothballed fur coats and felt the crunch of snow under her thin shoes. It wasn't just a movie; it was a total vibe shift. We all wanted a wardrobe that led somewhere better than a messy bedroom.
But finding movies similar to Chronicles of Narnia is actually harder than it looks. Most people just point you toward any old fantasy flick with a dragon. That's a mistake. Narnia isn't just about magic; it's about "portal fantasy"—that specific trope where regular kids from our world stumble into a place that has its own rules, its own wars, and its own Savior figures.
If you're chasing that high, you have to look for the right ingredients: the wartime grit, the sibling dynamics, and that lingering sense of "mythic weight."
Why The Magic Faraway Tree Is Your New Obsession
Honestly, if you haven't heard of Enid Blyton’s The Magic Faraway Tree, you’re about to. There is a massive adaptation hitting theaters in March 2027 (with some early previews popping up in late 2026), and it’s basically Narnia’s eccentric cousin.
It stars Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy. Yeah, they aren't playing around with the cast.
The story follows three kids who move to the countryside and find a tree that houses different magical lands at its top. One day it’s the Land of Birthdays; the next, it’s the Land of Topsy-Turvy. It captures that "discovery" phase of Narnia perfectly. You know, that breathless moment where the world suddenly gets five sizes bigger.
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The Netflix Narnia Reboot (2026)
We have to talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the Lion.
Greta Gerwig—yes, the Barbie director—is currently at the helm of a massive $200 million Narnia reboot for Netflix. Word on the street is they’re starting with The Magician’s Nephew. It’s a bold move because most people expect The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe again. But starting with the prequel means we get to see the literal creation of Narnia.
It’s scheduled for late 2026.
Expect it to feel more "prestige" than the 2005 Walden Media version. Gerwig has a knack for making old stories feel lived-in and deeply personal. If you want movies similar to Chronicles of Narnia, the closest thing is quite literally the new Narnia.
The "Secret World" Contenders
Sometimes you don't need a wardrobe. Sometimes a book or a map does the trick.
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- The NeverEnding Story (1984): This is the blueprint. Bastian isn't just reading a book; he’s being pulled into Fantasia. It’s got the talking animals and the "chosen one" burden that Peter Pevensie felt. Warning: the Swamp of Sadness still hurts just as much in 2026 as it did forty years ago.
- The Spiderwick Chronicles: Whether you watch the 2008 movie or the more recent TV series, this is the best pick for fans who liked the "kids against the world" aspect of Narnia. It’s set in our world, but the faerie realm is layered right on top of it.
- Bridge to Terabithia (2007): This one is a bit of a "trick" recommendation. It’s about imagination rather than a literal portal, but the emotional payoff is identical. It deals with childhood grief in a way that C.S. Lewis would have actually respected.
Beyond the Wardrobe: The Heavy Hitters
If you want something with more "epic" scale, you probably already know The Lord of the Rings. But did you know J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were actually best friends? They were part of a writing group called the Inklings.
While Tolkien’s world is more "high fantasy" (meaning it’s a totally separate world with no connection to Earth), the spirit of the quest is the same.
However, if you want something that feels like Narnia but for a slightly older audience, look at Stardust (2007). It’s based on a Neil Gaiman novel. It has a wall that separates a boring English village from a magical kingdom. It’s funny, it’s British, and it has a sense of whimsy that doesn't feel manufactured.
The Dark Side of Portals: Pan’s Labyrinth
I have to mention Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth.
It is essentially "Narnia for Grown-ups."
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Set during the Spanish Civil War, a young girl discovers a labyrinth and a faun who claims she is a lost princess. It mirrors the Pevensies' escape from WWII London. But be careful—this isn't a "family movie night" pick. It’s brutal. It shows the darker side of why children need to escape into fantasy in the first place.
Why We Keep Looking for Narnia
People keep searching for these movies because Narnia represents a specific type of hope. It’s the idea that your "ordinary" life—the school runs, the chores, the wartime rations—is just a shell. Underneath it, you might be a King or a Queen.
Most modern fantasy tries to be "gritty" or "subversive."
Narnia was sincere.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Watchlist
If you've already exhausted the Disney and Fox trilogies, here is exactly how to spend your next few weekends to recapture that magic:
- Watch "The Secret of Moonacre" (2008): It’s a hidden gem that most people missed. It has that Victorian-era-meets-fairytale aesthetic that fits perfectly with Lewis’s writing.
- Track down "The 10th Kingdom": It’s a miniseries rather than a movie, but it’s the ultimate portal fantasy. New Yorkers get sucked into a world where the original Grimm fairytales actually happened.
- Keep an eye on Disney’s "Hexed" (2026): It’s an upcoming animated feature about a teenager who discovers they have magical powers and gets transported to another realm. It’s being directed by the team behind Moana 2, so the visuals will be top-tier.
- Read (or Re-read) "The Magician's Nephew": Since the Gerwig movie is coming, you’ll want the context of the "Wood Between the Worlds"—the ultimate hub for all portal fantasies.
The genre is having a massive resurgence right now. Between the big-budget Netflix deals and the indie "cottage-core" fantasy movement, we’re seeing a shift away from dark, cynical stories back toward the "sense of wonder" that defined the 1950s books. You don't need a magic ring to find it; you just need to know which door to open first.