Greta Gerwig admits she is "properly scared" to direct Narnia

Greta Gerwig has addressed her plans to write and direct multiple films based on The Chronicles of Narnia books from author C.S. Lewis.

For the first time since the announcement was made in early July, the Barbie director spoke about the prospect of adapting the beloved children's story, admitting it feels "daunting". 

“I haven’t even really started wrapping my arms around it, but I’m properly scared of it, which feels like a good place to start,” Gerwig said during an appearance on the Total Film podcast. “I think when I’m scared, it’s always a good sign. Maybe when I stop being scared, it’ll be like, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t do that one.’

“But yeah, no. I’m terrified of it,” she continued. “It’s extraordinary and it’s exciting.”

Gerwig added that she hopes to make “all different kinds of movies” over the course of her career — “big things and small things and everywhere in between” — even if “having another big canvas” with Narnia is as “daunting” as it is exciting.

Elsewhere, Gerwig has broken the domestic box office record for a female director with Barbie having made $155m on the opening weekend in North America.

The film surpassed the $103.3m domestic opening of Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman and the $153m weekend opening of 2019’s Captain Marvel, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Internationally, Barbie's global debuts of $337m.