Meryl Streep's casting as Aslan in Narnia film draws criticism from Christian conservatives

The casting of Meryl Streep as Aslan, the lion figure at the heart of C.S. Lewis's Narnia stories, has drawn criticism from some conservative Christian commentators following the confirmation of the role in Greta Gerwig's upcoming adaptation of The Magician's Nephew.

News that the Oscar-winning actress might voice Narnia's messiah-like character first surfaced in April of the previous year, prompting complaints at the time from some conservative Christian voices over the choice of a female actor for a character long associated with Christ-like symbolism in Lewis's work.

The controversy resurfaced this week after the entertainment outlet Empire published a first look at the film along with an interview in which Gerwig confirmed Streep's casting and explained the reasoning behind it.

According to Gerwig, Streep was chosen not to provoke controversy but because the role required an actor over 70 years old capable of conveying both wisdom and childlike wonder, qualities the director felt were essential to the character.

The film is part of a broader wave of high-profile literary adaptations from Hollywood, several of which have drawn attention in recent years for reinterpreting classic characters, though the specific reaction to Streep's casting reflects the particular religious symbolism long attached to Aslan within Lewis's original Narnia books.