Gerwig lands 'Stairway to Heaven' for first Narnia trailer

Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" is heard on screen for the first time in the first trailer for Greta Gerwig's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew. Netflix debuted the trailer this week, according to Deadline. The trailer carries the full 1971 recording. Its appearance is the first on-screen use of the song, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Gerwig explained how the deal happened during a Q&A with Stephen Colbert. She said she showed her cut to Robert Plant and Jimmy Page. She then spoke to both musicians in person to ask for permission. No intermediaries. Just the director and the songwriters in the room.

Plant and Page said yes. Gerwig said they recognised the heart of the story in her film. She said both men love C.S. Lewis and revere his work. That shared affection tipped the decision.

Gerwig said the song fits the film's shape. She described "Stairway to Heaven" as exactly the story of the movie. In her account, it is a narrative spiritual journey about enlightenment against false idols and wrong roads. The lyric about paths taken and prices paid runs close to the choices her young characters face.

The agreement ends a long refusal. Led Zeppelin had denied every previous request to place "Stairway to Heaven" on screen. Gerwig's film is therefore the exception. One trailer carries one song with a 55-year history of saying no.

The film itself is a feature adaptation of Lewis's prequel book, the origin story for the world of Narnia. David McKenna plays Digory and Beatrice Campbell plays Polly, the two children pulled into adventure. Daniel Craig plays Digory's Uncle Andrew, and Emma Mackey plays the queen who wiped out the population of her own city. The trailer also gives a brief tease of Aslan, according to Deadline.

Netflix has set two dates. Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is scheduled to premiere on 12 February 2027 in Imax, the large-format cinema system with towering screens and powerful sound, and then debut on Netflix on 2 April, according to Deadline. That gap between cinemas and streaming is known as the theatrical window. Netflix has posted background on the production and the trailer itself on Tudum, its editorial site for viewers.

What makes this stand out is the rarity. Bands clear famous songs for trailers every week. This one had never cleared. For fans, this means the first listen tells two stories at once, a familiar recording in an unfamiliar place.