Thousands of fans of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia are calling on Netflix to replace director Greta Gerwig, arguing that her upcoming adaptation strays too far from the books’ Christian themes and original vision.

A grassroots petition launched last month has collected more than 3,000 signatures from fans concerned about changes to The Magician’s Nephew, the first story in the Narnia series in chronological order.

At the center of the backlash is the casting of Meryl Streep as the voice of Aslan, the powerful lion widely understood to represent Jesus Christ in Lewis’ fictional world.

But critics say their concerns extend beyond the casting decision.

Chaz Migliacci, who launched the petition and moderates a Facebook group with more than 81,000 Narnia fans, told The Christian Post that Gerwig’s changes threaten the deeper meaning of Lewis’ work.

One major concern is the decision to move the story’s setting from Victorian-era England to the 1950s.

Migliacci argues that the change “goes a long way toward unraveling the Narnia universe, and it undermines a lot of the personal theology and experiences that C.S. Lewis put into his books.”

He also believes the film’s character designs conflict with Lewis’ Christian worldview.

For Migliacci and other supporters of the petition, the issue is about more than creative differences. They believe Netflix must preserve the spiritual foundation that has made the books meaningful to generations of readers.

And they are prepared to boycott the film.

“We are not going to go to theaters to see it. We are not going to stream it on Netflix. We will not be viewing this movie at all, because we feel as if it’s a disrespect to Lewis,” Migliacci said.

The backlash comes despite a statement from Netflix earlier this month expressing support for Gerwig’s vision on behalf of the families of Lewis’ stepsons, David and Douglas Gresham.

That statement followed claims by Movieguide founder Ted Baehr that some family members were unhappy with the adaptation’s direction.

Migliacci remains skeptical, saying fans want “an independent theological defense of the text, not corporate public relations.”

Reaction to the trailer has been divided.

Babylon Bee CEO Seth Dillon questioned whether the filmmakers had considered Lewis’ intentions.

“Did anyone stop to ask, at any point, ‘What would C.S. Lewis think of what we’re doing with the world he created?’” Dillon wrote on X.

Pastor Jonathan Hansen was even more critical, accusing the filmmakers of undermining one of Christianity’s most recognizable fictional representations of Christ.

Others were more enthusiastic. New York Times columnist David French simply wrote, “Wow. This looks great.”

Gerwig, who directed Barbie, has said she read all seven Narnia books while preparing for the project. The debate raises a larger question about adapting Christian literature for modern audiences: How much creative freedom should filmmakers have when the original story’s faith-based message is central to its identity?

Netflix’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is scheduled to open in theaters on February 12, 2027, before arriving on the streaming platform on April 2.

For now, the petition shows that some longtime Narnia fans are unwilling to embrace a new version of Lewis’ world if they believe its Christian foundation has been compromised.