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Netflix Movies in Theaters: From Glass Onion to a Wide Release for Narnia

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For most of its life as a studio, Netflix put movies in theaters only briefly, to qualify for awards or to build buzz, before they went to subscribers. That is changing: Netflix movies in theaters went from a one-week run for Glass Onion in 2022 to a box office No. 1 for the KPop Demon Hunters sing-along, and now to Greta Gerwig’s Narnia, which is set for a wide release with a full theatrical window in February 2027.

The short version: Netflix’s stated policy has always been that subscribers come first, and co-CEO Ted Sarandos called the traditional theatrical model “an outdated concept” as recently as April 2025. But during its failed bid for Warner Bros. he pledged a 45-day window for Warner’s films, and Narnia is now booked as a conventional wide release, with streaming seven weeks later by our count.

Netflix movies in theaters: the timeline

When Netflix film or statement Theatrical run
November 2022 Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery One week, about 600 theaters, then Netflix a month later
January 2025 Sarandos on Narnia: “no change at all” Planned two-week IMAX run
April 2025 Sarandos at the Time100 summit Calls the theater model outdated
August 2025 KPop Demon Hunters sing-along One weekend, 1,700 theaters, No. 1
Late 2025 Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Two weeks, select US cinemas
During the Warner Bros. bid Sarandos pledges 45 days for Warner films Under oath at a Senate hearing
May 2026 Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew moved Wide release February 12, 2027; Netflix April 2, 2027

Before Glass Onion, most Netflix theatrical releases existed to qualify for awards, and Variety noted in 2022 that they usually reached the service “in the days after debuting in cinemas.” The largest chains would not play them. According to Variety, AMC and Regal had refused “because the streamer would not agree to the standard theatrical window.”

Glass Onion: the one-week test

Netflix paid more than $450 million for two sequels to Knives Out, Variety reported, and the original, released by Lionsgate, had earned $165 million in North America and $311 million around the world. For the first sequel, Glass Onion, Netflix booked about 600 North American theaters for one week starting Nov. 23, then held the film back from the service until Dec. 23. It was the first Netflix movie to play AMC, Regal and Cinemark, the three biggest US chains.

Netflix does not report box office, so the numbers come from industry estimates. Screen Daily, citing reports, put Glass Onion at an estimated $13m in its first five days, by far the streamer’s best theatrical result; the paper noted that Red Notice, Netflix’s most-watched film, had taken around $1.5m over a three-day weekend. The Numbers now tracks Glass Onion’s domestic total at $17,037,032. Screen also reported that Netflix offered exhibitors unusual terms, taking between 35% and 40% of opening-weekend ticket sales against an industry norm of 50%. Screen argued that by pulling the film after a week, Netflix was giving up significant box office. Our guide to where to watch Glass Onion now picks up from there, and the first film’s numbers are in our Knives Out box office breakdown.

What Ted Sarandos has said on record

Sarandos has been consistent about the priority, if not always the tactics. Discussing the Narnia IMAX plan on Netflix’s fourth-quarter earnings call, reported by Deadline on January 21, 2025, he said there was “no change at all to our theatrical strategy” and explained: “Our core strategy is to give our members exclusive first round movies on Netflix. The Narnia Imax release is a release tactic.”

Three months later, at the Time100 summit, he went further. The A.V. Club, relaying Variety’s report, quoted him describing the dream of a film that plays “in the theater for two months” as “an outdated concept,” and dismissing the industry’s fight over windows: “The studios and the theaters are duking it out over trying to preserve this 45-day window that is completely out of step with the consumer experience of just loving a movie.” Asked whether making films for theaters was an outmoded idea, he answered: “I think it is—for most people, not for everybody.”

The turn came with the Warner Bros. contest. TheWrap reports that in a December conference call Sarandos still called long windows “not consumer friendly,” but a month later, as scrutiny of the bid grew, he pledged a 45-day theatrical window followed by a PVOD window for all Warner films and committed to it under oath at a Senate committee hearing. Netflix later dropped out of the bidding, but TheWrap says Sarandos has hinted that his changed stance could still open doors for Netflix in theaters.

KPop Demon Hunters: the surprise No. 1

The clearest proof of demand came from a film that was already streaming. KPop Demon Hunters, produced by Sony Pictures Animation, arrived on Netflix on June 20. Netflix then put a sing-along version in 1,700 theaters for one weekend. According to CNN, citing Box Office Mojo, it grossed an estimated $18 million and took the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office, ahead of Warner Bros.’ Weapons at $15.6 million per Comscore, which made it Netflix’s first box office No. 1. The Numbers, which dates the sing-along’s domestic release to August 23, 2025, now tracks its domestic total at $24,300,000. Shawn Robbins of Box Office Theory told CNN that Netflix “does not often open theatrically” and called the result “good for everybody.” Parents planning a trip can check our note on the KPop Demon Hunters age rating.

Wake Up Dead Man and the short run

The third Knives Out film shows that the short-run habit has not disappeared. Screen Daily reported in early September that Wake Up Dead Man would get a two-week US run in select cinemas from November 26, with Netflix streaming from December 12. By our count that is a little over two weeks from first screening to streaming, against a month for Glass Onion, although Wake Up Dead Man stayed in cinemas twice as long.

Narnia: a full theatrical window

Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew was originally planned, per Deadline, for a two-week global IMAX run starting on Thanksgiving Day 2026 and a Netflix debut on Christmas Day 2026. On May 2, 2026 Variety reported the new plan: IMAX sneak previews from February 10, 2027, a wide global release on February 12, 2027 and Netflix on April 2, 2027. IMAX said in a statement that the delay created the chance for “an expanded, wide release with a full theatrical window.” By our count, that leaves seven weeks between the wide opening and streaming, in line with the 45-day minimum theater owners have been asking for. For a primer on the books, see our beginner’s guide to Netflix’s Narnia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Netflix release movies in theaters?

Sometimes, and more often than before. Most Netflix films still go straight to the service or play briefly for awards, but Glass Onion ran for one week in about 600 theaters, the KPop Demon Hunters sing-along played 1,700 theaters for a weekend, and Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is set for a wide release on February 12, 2027.

Was KPop Demon Hunters number one at the box office?

Yes. Its sing-along version grossed an estimated $18 million in one weekend in 1,700 theaters, according to CNN citing Box Office Mojo, making it Netflix’s first No. 1. Netflix does not report its own box office figures.

When does the Narnia movie come out in theaters?

IMAX sneak previews begin February 10, 2027, the wide release is February 12, 2027, and the film streams on Netflix from April 2, 2027, Variety reported on May 2, 2026.

How much did Glass Onion make in theaters?

Netflix never released figures. Screen Daily, citing reports, estimated $13m in the first five days of its one-week run in roughly 600 theaters, and The Numbers now tracks a domestic total of $17,037,032.

What has Ted Sarandos said about movie theaters?

In January 2025 he said Narnia’s IMAX run meant no change to Netflix’s theatrical strategy, and in April 2025 he called the traditional theatrical model an outdated concept. During Netflix’s bid for Warner Bros. he pledged, under oath, a 45-day window for Warner films.

Sources

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