Fans angry Meryl Streep might play male lion Aslan

Reports indicate that acclaimed actress Meryl Streep might portray Aslan in Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of “The Chronicles of Narnia.” This potential casting comes under the direction of Greta Gerwig, who is set to write and direct the project following Netflix’s 2018 acquisition of rights to C.S. Lewis’s seven-book series.

The streaming giant plans to begin with “The Magician’s Nephew,” the first installment in the series. In Lewis’s works, Aslan appears as a male lion who protects Narnia and guides children through their adventures, symbolizing Jesus Christ in Christian allegory. Deadline’s confirmation of Streep’s consideration for the role has sparked intense online debate. Critics took to social media expressing their disapproval, with many emphasizing Aslan’s masculine identity and religious significance.

“They’re destroying Narnia on purpose,” one social media user declared. “Aslan is a representation of Christ — he’s male. Hollywood truly despises Christians,” another commented on X. “No. Aslan is what the character is,” stated another user. “Gender swapping makes the character a different character. Stop demeaning women by treating them as men.” Others criticized what they viewed as predictable Hollywood behavior, with one person noting, “Hollywood’s insistence on endless narrative/cultural subversion is simple yet baffling self-destruction.”

Some drew parallels to Disney’s recent “Snow White” disappointment, suggesting similar audience rejection. “Snow White wasn’t a big enough loss. The entertainment industry wants to lose bigger by offending the only people who might have been really excited about this production,” one reaction read. Ben Shapiro, The Daily Wire’s Editor Emeritus, succinctly expressed his opposition with “Noooooooooope.”

Additional casting discussions include Charli XCX as the White Witch and Daniel Craig in an unspecified role, with production expected to commence later this year.

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