Summary
Netflix’sChronicles of Narniareboot is sure to be a huge hit among fantasy lovers, but a prequel toThe Magicianscould rival it in terms of popularity.The Magiciansis heavily inspired by C.S. Lewis' world, but Lev Grossman’s books — and SyFy’s TV adaptation — put a darker spin on the concept of Narnia. Given thatThe Magiciansfollows young adults, it has a much different feel thanThe Chronicles of Narnia. Its backstory, however, is much more similar, as it involves young siblings discovering the doorway to another world and consistently using it.
The Chatwins' backstory makesThe Magiciansripe for a prequel, but nothing has been greenlit. GivenThe Magicians’cancelation, it’s unclear if we’ll ever see spinoffs of the hit SyFy series.The Magicians'91%Rotten Tomatoesscore makes a case for expanding its world, though, anda prequel centered on the Chatwins could easily rivalGreta Gerwig’sNarniareboot. It would even have one advantage over it, allowing NBCUniversal to compete with the upcoming films.
This 2024 Fantasy Book Sounds Like The Magicians Replacement I’ve Been Waiting For
Lev Grossman’s The Magicians gave readers a spin on a classic fantasy series, and now, this new dark fantasy novel is doing the same thing.
It’s Disappointing A Magicians Prequel About The Chatwins & Fillory Hasn’t Happened Yet
It’s Easily The Best Direction For A Magicians Spinoff
A prequel series covering the Chatwins' discovery of Fillory would beThe Magicians’best possible spinoff, and it’s disappointing it hasn’t happened yet. Jane Chatwin is a fascinating character in the original series, and it’d be exciting to dive deeper into her backstory. Likewise, Martin Chatwin makes an intriguing and tragic villain inThe Magicians.A prequel show could set up his descent into villainy and explore the trauma he faces at the hands ofFillory and Furtherauthor Christopher Plover.
This would make aMagiciansprequel darker than the original series, but that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing. After all, the bleak and realistic themes ofThe Magiciansare what made the series so popular in the first place. And a spinoff centered on the Chatwins would also be able to dig further into Fillory’s history.This would make it feel similar toThe Chronicles of Narniain some ways, perhaps even allowing it to become the Netflix reboot’s biggest competition.
Why A Fillory Prequel Series Could Be Netflix’s Biggest Narnia Competition
A Spinoff About Fillory Would Appeal To A Similar Audience
While Netflix’sChronicles of Narniareboot will have no shortage of fantasy shows and movies to compete with,The Magicians’similarities to Lewis' books make it a bigger competitor. The audienceThe Chronicles of Narniaappeals to is likely to overlap with that ofThe Magicians.In fact, sinceThe Magiciansis aimed at a more mature audience, those who grew upreading theNarniabooksmight even check out the SyFy show as they age into adult fantasy.
The Magiciansbeing over makes it unlikely to have an impact on Netflix’s upcomingNarniareboot, but a spinoff could be a different story.
Of course,The Magiciansbeing over makes it unlikely to have an impact on Netflix’s upcomingNarniareboot, but a spinoff could be a different story. IfThe Magicianswere to get a prequel series about the Chatwins, those looking for movies and shows likeThe Chronicles of Narniamight be inclined to pick it up. Knowing how long Netflix takes with its new releases, they could turn to aMagiciansprequel betweenNarniamovies. If the spinoff could turn seasons around faster than Netflix,viewers might even find themselves more endeared toThe Magiciansfranchise.
A Magicians Spinoff Would Have 1 Huge Advantage Over Netflix’s Narnia Reboot
It’s Darker & Aimed At A More Mature Audience
A Fillory-centered spinoff ofThe Magicianswould appeal to fans ofThe Chronicles of Narnia,butit would also have one significant advantage over the Netflix reboot. Thanks toshows likeGame of Thrones,darker fantasy stories are becoming more and more popular. People want mature and realistic takes on fantasy narratives, andThe Magiciansmeets that demand. A prequel would follow suit, while Netflix’sNarniamovies seem less likely to go that route. Lewis' books take on a more hopeful and uplifting tone, and while that’s far from a negative thing, it might not fit into today’s fantasy landscape.
AMagiciansprequel would deliver a similar concept in a darker package, making it more in line with modern fantasy trends. TheNarniabooks are classics, so this may not do much damage when it comes to diehard fantasy fans. However,The Magiciansprequel would likely appeal to more mainstream viewers, especially if they’re unfamiliar with either book series. By contrast, theNarniamovies could get written off as more childish by such audiences. Fortunately for Netflix, it doesn’t look like itsNarniareboot’s biggest potential competition will ever come to fruition.
The Magicians
Cast
The Magicians follows a group of young adults who enroll at Brakebills University, a secretive institution devoted to teaching magic. As they engage in an unconventional education in spellcasting, they realize that a childhood fantasy world is indeed real and presents a significant threat to humanity.
