Netflix’s Narnia’s Revealing Codename
Door Jam: September 2, 2025
The Door Jam is a place to squeeze in articles about C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien, their work, adaptations of their fantasy worlds, news from other franchises, and interesting articles. Unless otherwise stated, I’m not endorsing (or criticizing) any of these but merely sharing them with you.
A small bit of casting news for Netflix and Greta Gerwig’s Narnia adaptation gave us a small but interesting piece of information that could offer a big signal about the movie, all while filming continues on location.
What’s On Netflix continues to have photos from the set, as well as casting and production news. They recently uncovered character-actor Tom Bonington has joined the cast as “Mr. Potts,” a seemingly minor role not mentioned in the book.
Perhaps more interestingly, on his Spotlight profile, a U.K.-based platform used by casting agencies, Bonington lists the movie under its working title, “Ordinary Time.” The same title is also used on lanyards used by the film crew, including Gerwig, seen in set photos in the paid subscriber section below. (Those photos also show her with a very intriguing charm or pin.)
For starters, Netflix is still reluctant to publicly use “The Magician’s Nephew” name or even “Narnia.” Maybe they are waiting for a big reveal of the title with a trailer or some other announcement, possibly of the main cast.1
Secondly, and maybe more importantly, the specific title has immense significance within The Magician’s Nephew story and beyond.
When Aslan sends Digory to retrieve an apple from the garden. When he arrives, Jadis has already eaten an apple, and she tempts him to do the same. She tells him the fruit will grant him immortality:
“No thanks,” said Digory, “I don’t know that I care much about living on and on after everyone I know is dead. I’d rather live an ordinary time and die and go to Heaven.” [Emphasis mine]
The fact that Lewis uses the phrase “ordinary time” is itself interesting. It seems that it would be more common to say “ordinary life” or maybe even an “ordinary amount of time.”
For C.S. Lewis, as an Anglican and someone familiar with the church liturgical calendar, the phrase “ordinary time” would have a specific connotation. During the church year, ordinary time is the time of year between Lent (Easter) and Advent (Christmas).
At NarniaWeb, Icarus notes The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is specifically related to both Easter, the death and resurrection of Aslan, and Christmas, the arrival of Father Christmas. The Magician’s Nephew, however, is related to creation and doesn’t have those same liturgical connections. As such, it is set during ordinary time.
In The Screwtape Letters, Lewis writes about the benefits of the church calendar. Screwtape tells Wormwood that humans have both a love of permanence and a love of change. To satisfy both of those longings, God uses rhythm, including within the church.
He gives them the seasons, each season different yet every year the same, so that spring is always felt as a novelty yet always as the recurrence of an immemorial theme. He gives them in His Church a spiritual year; they change from fast to a feast, but it is the same feast as before.
Film working titles don’t always carry much significance, but this could signal an important concept for Gerwig’s approach to the movie. For her first film, Lady Bird, she used the working title “Mothers and Daughters,” which is the central relationship and focus of the movie.
Perhaps “ordinary time” is a key to Gerwig’s thematic understanding of Lewis and this story. In an interview with TIME, she said she always looks for the “North Star” of a story.
I think I always try to keep a North Star. My North Star is what do I deeply love, what do I really care about? What’s the story underneath the story?
The interviewer asked Gerwig if she would share it, but Gerwig demurred:
No, no. That’s just for me, right? That’s just mine. But I do—I have—I have it. But it’s—um—well, you’ll see!
Do you think the idea of “ordinary time,” specifically in contrast to extended life or a life consumed by specialness, could be Gerwig’s north star?
Not Safe But Good
C.S. Lewis quote of the week
It is not your business to succeed (no one can ever be sure of that) but to do right: when you have done so, the rest lies with God—and will!
December 29, 1935, letter to Arthur Greeves, The Collected Letters of C.S. Lewis, Volume 2: Books, Broadcasts, and the War, 1931-1949
Tumnus’ bookshelf
Books by or about Lewis or Tolkien
Many readers of Lewis stay in the safer waters of his more popular works. There is, of course, nothing wrong with that. But I do think readers are missing out by not engaging his more academic works, especially An Experiment on Criticism. Reading it made me a better reader (and viewer), as I understood more how Lewis examined and analyzed works.
An Experiment in Criticism ebook ($1.99, -83%), paperback ($15.62, -22%)
Other books on sale
Letters to an American Lady ebook ($1.99, -79%)
A Year with Aslan: Daily Reflections from The Chronicles of Narnia ebook ($9.99, -47%), hardcover ($13.95, -48%)
Behind the Wardrobe
Sneak peek at the bonus articles
Below, paid subscribers will find more photos and videos from the Narnia set, a digitally remastered home release for previous Narnia adaptations, ranking the Narnia books, a Narnia-inspired walk, Lewis as a fan of Tolkien, Saruman actor Christopher Lee on meeting Tolkien, Tolkien and his home area connections, updates on the latest Star Wars and X-Men movies, Harry Potter casting news, and more.
