It’s still about two years away, but Netflix‘s theatrical plans for Greta Gerwig‘s “The Chronicles Of Narnia” adaptation are coming into focus. And THR reports that the planned rollout will be gargantuan: a Thanksgiving 2026 release date, 2,000 theaters globally, a whole month in theaters before the film hits the streamer, with preliminary talks for IMAX screenings too. After the massive success of “Barbie,” is anyone surprised by this?
Hardly, but there remains several snags in Netflix’s theatrical goals for Gerwig’s movie, the biggest being its IMAX window. Is the streamer’s month window for “Narnia” in theaters long enough to satisfy theaters with IMAX screens? Other studios reportedly aren’t happy that theaters with IMAX capability would cater to such a short theater run, especially during the holiday season. “Barbie” may have brought pink-clad fans to IMAX screens in droves, but it was a Warner Bros. movie and in theaters for months after its July 21, 2023 release. Add in that film’s friendly competition with Christopher Nolan‘s “Oppenheimer” last summer, and it was easy money for IMAX screens. “Narnia” decidedly isn’t the same scenario.
Still, it’s Greta Gerwig, and she’s one of Hollywood’s brightest directors right now. Puck reports Gerwig reportedly pleaded her case to IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond, but neither side has reached terms yet. If Netflix’s release window were larger (a size that’s already shrunk since the pandemic), IMAX wouldn’t be as resistant. And if Netflix had a better reputation with other studios (nobody likes that the streamer doesn’t release its viewership and box office numbers), this situation wouldn’t be at an impasse.
Co-CEO Ted Sarandos has long refused to follow traditional theatrical releases for Netflix films, with Martin Scorsese‘s “The Irishman” from 2019 being the rare exception. But even that window wasn’t very large, so it’s likely Netflix won’t budge for Gerwig’s latest either. And Netflix doesn’t care if studios and theater chains balk at their limited rollouts; they have two theaters of their own in the two biggest movie markets in the US: The Egyptian in LA and The Paris in NYC. In other words, why should they follow what other studios consider “the rules”?
Gelfond wasn’t forthcoming about the “Narnia” release during an earnings call on Wednesday. “In fact, as you know, directors, film studios are all leaning into the Imax experience,” said the CEO. “We are always innovating and looking for new approaches to eventizing content.” So will IMAX’s latest innovation be a partnership with Netflix? That remains to be seen. Perhaps it’s an inevitable one, since Gerwig’s “Barbie” grossed $1.44 billion, was a global phenomenon and raised her stature in the industry considerably. But many in the industry still consider Netflix a bad influence, and IMAX pairing with them could be interpreted as the ultimate deal with the devil. There’s still plenty of time to reach terms, but expect Netflix, Gerwig, and IMAX to be at a standstill over this for a while.
IMAX or not, Gerwig’s “The Chronicles Of Narnia” hits theaters on Thanksgiving 2026.
