Hollywood’s theatrical rulebook is officially being rewritten. In one of the most fascinating distribution shake-ups of the decade, Netflix is leaning heavily into traditional cinema spaces for its crown jewel fantasy tentpole.
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) will officially handle the international theatrical release of Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated fantasy epic, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew.
While Netflix will manage the wide domestic rollout across North America, the partnership with Sony ensures the film receives a full-scale, aggressive global push. The film is officially set to hit IMAX and theaters worldwide on February 12, 2027, before making its streaming debut on Netflix on April 2, 2027.
The 49-Day Window: A Massive Shift for Netflix
Historically, Netflix has treated theatrical releases as brief, three-week qualifying runs primarily meant to satisfy awards eligibility, rarely reporting box office numbers. Narnia completely shatters that status quo.
By locking in a February 12 theatrical launch and an April 2 streaming date, the film will enjoy a massive 49-day exclusive theatrical window. This eventized approach gives Gerwig’s vision plenty of breathing room in premium large formats (PLF). To sweeten the deal for theater purists, Sony will actively report the film’s international box office grosses, while exclusive IMAX sneak previews are slated to begin early on February 10, 2027.
The strategy marks an expansion of the existing corporate relationship between the two studios, who already share a lucrative Pay-1 streaming licensing agreement.
Exploring the Genesis of Narnia
While previous cinematic iterations of C.S. Lewis’s beloved series jumped straight into the snow-covered woods of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Gerwig is choosing to build the universe from its absolute foundations.
The Magician’s Nephew—originally published in 1955—acts as a crucial prequel to the entire franchise. The narrative explores the literal creation of the magical realm by the cosmic lion Aslan and outlines exactly how the comings and goings between our world and Narnia first began.
Gerwig, hot off the historic multi-billion-dollar success of Barbie, is writing and directing the feature. She is bringing along her elite Barbie musical collaborators, Oscar winners Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, to compose the film’s original score.
