Netflix delays Narnia film for wider theatrical release

Netflix is delaying the release of the film The Magician’s Nephew, pushing the launch back from its original Thanksgiving target. The film is now scheduled for a wide global theatrical release on February 12, 2027. Following this theatrical run, the movie will begin streaming on April 2. Netflix has described the upcoming launch as a “global eventized release.”

The theatrical rollout will begin with exclusive previews on February 10, 2027, hosted by Imax, a large-format cinema provider. This plan represents an expansion of Netflix’s theatrical strategy. Previously, the company said The Magician’s Nephew would play exclusively on Imax screens for at least two weeks before a streaming release for Christmas. While that initial plan was considered ambitious by Netflix’s standards, it was relatively limited compared to other Hollywood blockbusters. According to Imax, the delay will allow the film to have a full theatrical window—the period of time a film is shown exclusively in theaters before streaming. Because of this change, major theater chains are unlikely to complain about the delay. In fact, AMC Theatres recently highlighted the success of its Stranger Things finale screenings and said it has plans for more collaborations with Netflix.

However, the company’s historical resistance to exclusive theatrical windows has caused friction. Netflix’s limited support for theatrical releases was reportedly a dealbreaker in negotiations with the creators of Stranger Things, who ultimately signed an exclusive deal with Paramount.

The film, which adapts the C. S. Lewis classic fantasy series, is written and directed by Greta Gerwig. The project serves as a prequel that lays out the origins of Narnia. The cast includes Daniel Craig and Meryl Streep. Gerwig, the writer-director of the film, noted that she “fell in love with the gorgeously improbable but completely brilliant concept of a cosmic lion singing the world of Narnia to life.”

Why it matters

The delay of The Magician’s Nephew marks a significant shift in Netflix’s theatrical strategy, allowing for a full theatrical window before the film hits the streaming platform.