Fantastical Truth

Fantastical Truth


257. By Aslan’s Mane, is Netflix Really Casting a Lady as the Lion?

April 08, 2025

Breaking news. A new casting or creative announcement has got fans in an uproar. Alack, it must be a new day ending with the suffix -day. But in this case, the reliably rumored cast announcement is so strange, and so ghastly, and so out-and-out weird beyond the worlds, that it warrants us bumping our planned episode and focusing a whole other episode on this most bizarre and terrible news instead. We’re talking about the notion that a female actor (no shade on her) is rumored to be the new voice of Aslan.

Mission update Episode sponsors Enclave Publishing: Illuminary by Chawna Schroeder Realm Makers Expo 2025 Johanna Frank, author of Here Lyeth Inheritance by J. A. Webb Quotes and notes 1. ‘Who is Aslan? Do you know him?’
  • Aslan is the King of Beasts, the great untamed Lion, creator of Narnia.
  • He’s supernatural and the Son of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea.
  • Some call him an “allegory” for Jesus. That’s not quite what he is.
  • Lewis called him a “supposal” for Christ. Think of this as an alter-ego.
  • So although slandering Aslan isn’t slandering Jesus, it’s pretty close.
  • Very basic to this understanding is that Aslan is a male Lion. He’s a He.
  • He’s the King (not queen) of Beasts. He has a mane. He roars and rules.
  • It matters, for various theological and natural reasons, that God is a He.

Aslan (left) gives a certain Netflix staff member a not-tame talking-to. (File photo, colorized)

2. ‘Aslan a man?’ What the recent rumor said

“I always try to be open-minded especially at an early stage in the process. But sitting here right now, I feel very deflated. The imagery is Aslan’s mane is so important. And the idea of a lion being the king of beasts. And this dropping so close to April 1 is unbearable.”

X post from GlumPuddle

  • Fans are in grief, meltdown, but mostly uproar. Frankly, we’re sick of it.
  • Stunt casting will accomplish nothing, irrespective of the actor’s talent.
  • “Well, could a female voice a male?” No. This isn’t the Peter Pan play.
  • Nor is this a 1990s anime, like Mayumi Tanaka voicing Monkey D. Luffy.
  • Aslan is not a man. But he is a male Lion. He needs a deep lion-ish voice.
  • That is how Lewis described him. Repeatedly. In all seven of the books.
  • There is no cause to consider any woman at any stage for any reason.
  • Alas, legacy media lines like this one are already corrupting discourse:

In the novels, Aslan is a talking lion who serves as Narnia’s guardian and a guide for the human children. Generally portrayed as a male, Aslan was created as an allegory for Jesus by author C.S. Lewis.

  • “Generally portrayed as a male”? What is this new verbal devilry?
  • Aslan is male. He is a he. He has a deep voice. He shakes His mane.
  • Let’s be gentle with a writer who may not know better about the basics.
  • But also learn from it—these writers know very little about their subjects.
  • So when they write on topics you don’t know about, apply discernment!
3. Rest ‘between the paws of the true Aslan’
  • No foolish or wicked adaptation can ever steal away the true Narnia
  • We think you really can raise a loud hue and cry over this one.
  • Contact anybody you can: Netflix, social media, stand on the rooftops.
  • Have fun. Swashbuckle. Respect people and even movie companies.
  • But let them know, clearly and firmly, that we’ll take no part in this.
  • Open discussion
Com station Top question for listeners
  • What’s your reaction to this Narnia casting rumor?
Next on Fantastical Truth

Take two: “Fallen, fallen is Disney the great! The Mouse has become a dwelling place for cringe, a haunt for every unclean secularist agenda, a haunt for every flopbuster franchise, a haunt for every unclean and detestable remake.” Yes, we know the line. But after facing fairy-stale adaptations, flippant super-capers, and the adrift vessels of “Stalled” Wars, how could we restore Disney?