Gerwig Secures Stairway to Heaven for Narnia Trailer

Greta Gerwig secured permission from Led Zeppelin members Jimmy Page and Robert Plant to use “Stairway to Heaven” in the trailer for her upcoming film, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, after discussing the story’s themes with them, she said. The song, released in 1971, plays in the trailer, which debuted October 13. Gerwig described it as an epic about good and evil and a spiritual journey, saying she believed those ideas connected with the film. She said Page and Plant saw the heart and story of the project before agreeing to the use. The account of the musicians’ reasoning comes primarily from Gerwig. Page separately said he was thrilled that Gerwig chose the song for the trailer. The details of their decision have not been explained directly by Plant or Page in the reported remarks. The licensing approval is notable because the song has rarely been cleared for film and television. The available accounts describe earlier refusals, including a request from director Cameron Crowe for his 2000 film Almost Famous. Crowe later recalled that Page and Plant declined “Stairway to Heaven” but offered the instrumental “Bron-Yr-Aur” for the film instead.