It turns out that 21-year-old Louis Partridge will not be galloping through Netflix’s magical world of lions, witches, and surprisingly roomy closets. That’s right, the “Enola Holmes” heartthrob was rumored—and I mean rumored in the way that your Aunt Carol is rumored to have won the lottery—to be taking on the role of Digory Kirke in a new adaptation of The Chronicles of Narnia. But alas, much like your New Year’s resolution to “finally get in shape,” it was all a mirage.
Let’s break this down: Partridge was supposedly cast as Digory, the future professor who dabbles in opening magic wardrobes and maybe doesn’t know how to handle a lawnmower (just a guess). However, the universe has pulled the rug—or rather, the Turkish delight—out from under fans’ feet. The original report of his casting? Poof, vanished like it was in a disappearing act performed by a rookie magician. To make matters even more official, Partridge’s IMDb page gave a quick wave and also deleted any trace of Narnia. It’s like the whole thing never happened, except for the tiny detail that everyone on the internet was talking about it.
The esteemed folks at Deadline were the ones to break the news (because of course, who else could fuel our hopes and dreams?), slipping in Louis’ name while talking about his Apple TV+ series Disclaimer—which, fun fact, now feels like Netflix’s official position on this whole debacle. A rep from Netflix hurried over to Teen Vogue like a well-dressed lawyer at a PR trial and was like, “Yeah, about that… nah, it’s not true.” And just like that, Narnia’s next potential heartthrob was sent back to the fictional character waiting room.
Let’s not forget, Netflix has been talking about making The Chronicles of Narnia since 2018. Yes, that’s six long years of wondering when we’d finally get to see talking beavers rendered in HD glory. In a thrilling plot twist in 2023, the beloved indie darling Greta Gerwig, director of Barbie and Lady Bird, was handed the reins to this colossal project. And if you thought fighting an evil witch was scary, Greta’s already confessed she’s “terrified” of adapting the books. But don’t worry, Greta, if anyone can make Narnia both a whimsical adventure and a deep meditation on adolescence, it’s you.
So, for now, fans must wait for more updates, while Louis Partridge heads off to do non-Narnian things, and Greta Gerwig wonders how to make a lion talk without it looking weird.
