Netflix has announced that it will be bringing C.S. Lewis' classic Chronicles of Narnia books to life on its online streaming service, having closed a multi-year deal with The C.S. Lewis Company to develop new series and film projects.
According to Deadline, the agreement marks the very first time that the rights to all seven books in the Narnia series have been held by the same company.
"It is wonderful to know that folks from all over are looking forward to seeing more of Narnia, and that the advances in production and distribution technology have made it possible for us to make Narnian adventures come to life all over the world," Douglas Gresham, stepson of C.S. Lewis, said in a statement released by Netflix.
"Netflix seems to be the very best medium with which to achieve this aim, and I am looking forward to working with them towards this goal."
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Netflix will be developing stories from across the series, turning them into both films and 'episodic' TV programmes.
Mark Gordon of Entertainment One, Douglas Gresham and Vincent Sieber will serve as executive producers for the series and producers for the feature films.
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"Narnia is one of those rare properties that spans multiple generations and geographies," said Mark Gordon, eOne's President and Chief Content Officer, Film & Television.
"eOne and I are excited to be collaborating with The C.S. Lewis Company and Netflix who have the capacity to translate the Narnia universe into both stellar feature-length and episodic programming. We cannot wait to get started on the multiple productions we hope to undertake."
Netflix is apparently looking to build a Narnia cinematic universe - much like Star Trek and Marvel - where franchises cross over both film and TV.
"C.S. Lewis' beloved Chronicles of Narnia stories have resonated with generations of readers around the world," said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer at Netflix.
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"Families have fallen in love with characters like Aslan and the entire world of Narnia, and we're thrilled to be their home for years to come."
In the original popular book series, novels include The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950), Prince Caspian (1951), The Voyage of the Dawn Treader (1952), The Silver Chair (1953), The Horse and His Boy (1954), The Magician's Nephew (1955) and The Last Battle (1956).
The first three have already been adapted into movies, while the fourth - The Silver Chair - is currently being made, with Joe Johnston at the helm to direct.
Featured Image Credit: Buena Vista PicturesTopics: TV and Film, US Entertainment, Netflix