What did Ben Barnes, Prince Caspian, say about the new ‘Chronicles of Narnia’?

Now that Netflix’s version of “The Chronicles of Narnia” is starting to get updates, some actors from the trilogy released by Walden Media and Disney between 2005 and 2010 have started to be approached by the media to reveal their opinions on the new adaptation of the titles that emerged in the 1950s as a literary franchise created by CS Lewis.

One of these names is Ben Barnesactor whose first major role in cinema was Prince Caspian, from the film of the same name released in 2008, in which the character receives help from the brothers Lúcia, Edmundo, Susana and Pedro Pevensie to regain his position on the throne of Narnia, which was usurped by her corrupt uncle, the evil King Miraz.

In an interview with Collider, Barnes was asked what advice he would give to the new cast. To answer the question, the actor brought old memories, citing his own experience with the saga when revealing that he has known the story since he was eight years old, and passing on advice he himself received: embarking on the story valuing the creative process and taking advantage of what the experience has to offer.

“[Eu daria o] advice I received at the time, which was to just enjoy the adventure. I don’t expect a cast that’s coming into this now to be kids who necessarily grew up with the Narnia books. They may have. But for me, it was very special for that reason. I was stepping into something that I had known since I was eight, and I really valued and appreciated. One of my skills, as an actor, I think, is to really enjoy the experience of doing it, of being in New Zealand or Prague and being on these incredible sets and being around incredible people. I made my best friend in the world in that film,” he recalled.

Finally, he reinforced the importance of valuing the stages involved in creating the film and striving to deliver the best possible result with the skills they have in order not to be frustrated by other people’s expectations.

They should just enjoy the experience of actually doing it. The rest will be what it is. It will fit, or not. It will capture people’s hearts and imaginations, or it won’t. As long as you’re present in the moment and giving it your all, then that’s all you can really offer anyway. So I wouldn’t deign to offer any advice on how to portray the characters or anything like that.

It is worth remembering that, in the films, Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, Anna Popplewell and William Moseley were responsible for giving life to Lúcia, Edmundo, Susana and Pedro Pevensie, respectively. In the new film, there is still no revelation of which actors will play the quartet on screen.

Still, there is already a confirmed name in the cast: Louis Partridgeactor who gave life to the character Lord Tewksbury in the “Enola Holmes” franchise, whose role was not revealed. There is also no information about which of the seven books in the franchise will be adapted.

Netflix’s “The Chronicles of Narnia” will be directed by Greta Gerwig and should be released first in theaters, on Thanksgiving Day 2026 (which will be celebrated on November 26th), and then on streaming, with availability scheduled for December 25th in the platform’s catalog.