According to the "Narnia" books, Professor Kirke (played by Jim Broadbent) is the elderly Digory Kirke. As a boy, Digory Kirke was the hero of 'The Magician's Nephew', the Narnia book that takes place chronologically before the events in 'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.' (This explains the Professor's willingness to believe that the Pevensie children have ventured to a magic land.) 'The Magician's Nephew' tells the story of the creation of Narnia, the coming of Jadis, the White Witch, the creation of the lamp post, and the creation of the wardrobe itself. Each design carved into the wardrobe signifies an important event that occurs in 'The Magician's Nephew.'