In keeping with what will be their largest theatrical release in history, Netflix debuted the first trailer for Greta Gerwig‘s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew in the IMAX theater atop the AMC Lincoln Square on New York’s Upper West Side.

The preview begins with David McKenna’s Digorey Kirke wondering about his “mad” uncle Andrew, played by Daniel Craig, whom his mother says is a “magician.”

Soon, Digorey and the other children learn from Andrew that magic is real and, with the help of a magical ring, they are transported to the surreal, magical land of Narnia, complete with talking animals and a flying horse, which the children ride in a scene that Gerwig said was her favorite to film.

The trailer is soundtracked to Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway to Heaven,” an impressive sync considering that the band has historically been reluctant to license their music for movies and TV shows.

Gerwig explained that she showed the film to singer Robert Plant and guitarist Jimmy Page and they were so moved that they allowed her to use their iconic song.

“They saw the heart of the film,” Gerwig shared, adding that the musicians understood her love for C.S. Lewis.

Seeing the trailer with an audience, all wearing light-up rings that synced up with big moments in the preview, was an emotional experience for Gerwig, who said she was “tearing up” after the trailer debuted, as she put her hand over her mouth.

The event featured tables with water bottles, popcorn (in Narnia-branded cartons) and movie candy as well as coffee (befitting the early morning timing) and passed mini pancakes. It was attended by select members of the press and influencers, who watched as Gerwig spoke with moderator Stephen Colbert about making the movie, a process that involved a lot of faith and began with a focus on the big screen.

Gerwig said she only knows how to make movies for theaters, explaining how she begins by imagining watching the film in the theater, recalling how she told Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos that that was part of her process.

“Make the movie for the biggest screen you can imagine,” Gerwig said Sarandos told her.

An earlier conversation between Gerwig and Sarandos was key to her landing the gig writing and directing the film.

Gerwig recalled how she was introduced to Netflix when now-husband Noah Baumbach made Marriage Story for the streamer. After learned that Netflix had acquired the rights to the Narnia books — some of her favorites from childhood and which shaped who she became — she “made a beeline” for Sarandos at a cocktail party.

She shared her excitement about Netflix making movies based on the Narnia books and began talking about her vision for the project, that The Magician’s Nephew should be the first film. Roughly 20 minutes later, Gerwig recalled, Sarandos asked if she wanted to write the film.

Gerwig landed the gig before she’d made her box-office smash Barbie, so she praised the streamer for taking a chance on her after she’d only made Lady Bird and Little Women.

Beyond imagining the theatrical experience, Gerwig talked about the challenges of telling an intimate story involving, as Colbert put it, “lonely children.”

“If it’s in the heart, it can be huge and small and both can be true,” she said.

More to come.

Reese Witherspoon and Paris-based content group Mediawan have partnered to acquire Hello Sunshine from Candle Media.

It’s the last high-profile acquisition for the burgeoning Mediawan group after Chernin Entertainment, Brad PItt’s Plan B, Chernin Entertainment and See-Saw Films.

The transaction unites Hello Sunshine with Mediawan and its network of creative companies. The partnership will also enable Hello Sunshine to explore a broader range of storytelling formats and distribution models, connecting in new ways with audiences around the world.

“Mediawan has built a global, independent studio by putting creators first. That has always been my vision for Hello Sunshine,” said Hello Sunshine founder Reese Witherspoon.

“I’m investing alongside Mediawan and joining Pierre-Antoine Capton and his teams because this is the perfect home for this new media landscape. It’s also a homecoming. Peter Chernin and Jesse Jacobs believed in Hello Sunshine from day one. I’m deeply proud of what our incredible team has built, and grateful to Blackstone and Candle Media for their partnership and unwavering support. The best is still ahead.”

Hello Sunshine co-founder Seth Rodsky will join the Board of the company alongside Witherspoon and representatives from Mediawan.

Mediawan said the the acquisition continued its broader strategy to create a powerful platform of creative talent by bringing together the best independent production companies in the industry under one roof while preserving the creative independence and distinct identities that made them successful.

Hello Sunshine joins Mediawan’s ecosystem of more than 100 production labels which also include Kinetic Content, Wiedemann & Berg, Palomar, Our Films, Drama Republic, Chapter2, Chi-Fou-Mi, alongside Chernin Entertainment, Plan B Entertainment, See-Saw Films.

The group’s shows and films include Adolescence, Backrooms, F1, Slow Horses, Call My Agent!, Apex, Miraculous, Love Is Blind, New Girl, The Greatest Showman, and the Planet of the Apes franchise.

“Mediawan has thrived by bringing together the best creative companies and giving them the resources, scale, and independence to tell great stories,” said Capton, co-founder and CEO of Mediawan Group.

“Led by a generational talent in Reese, Hello Sunshine has an extraordinary track record of telling premium stories through film and TV and forming strong connections with audiences through Reese’s Book Club. Bringing these creative brands together, giving producers access to a broader pool of talent, IP and resources, while preserving their independence is what differentiates Mediawan. It strengthens what we can offer both talent and buyers, and Hello Sunshine brings a distinctive creative identity and a direct audience relationship that makes the whole group stronger.”