After a new update, Greta Gerwig’s The Chronicles of Narnia movie receiving a theatrical release is an even bigger deal. After the mᴀssive success of Barbie, fans wondered what Gerwig would do next, and Netflix was quick to sign a deal for her to direct two mᴀssive fantasy films. The upcoming Chronicles of Narnia movie and its sequel will both adapt novels in C.S. Lewis’ iconic series.

The first of these movies, which is currently filming, will adapt The Magician’s Nephew. Despite being the sixth book released in the series, The Magician’s Nephew is chronologically the first, so Gerwig’s decision to tackle this novel makes sense. It also perfectly sets up her second Narnia movie to be The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe, which is the series’ most popular book.

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was previously adapted for Disney’s 2005 film, but this won’t take any excitement away from Gerwig’s version. After all, her two films are some of the most exciting upcoming fantasy movies. It will be great to watch these on the big screen, so it’s a huge relief that Netflix is giving Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia movie a theatrical release.

Netflix Releasing Greta Gerwig’s Narnia Movie In Theaters Is A Bigger Exception Now

The Chronicles of Narnia is currently slated to be released in theaters on November 26, 2026. The movie will have a month-long theatrical run and play on around 1,000 IMAX screens before it releases on Netflix on Christmas Day. This strategy seems wise, especially since Gerwig’s last movie, Barbie, made $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office in 2023 (via Box Office Mojo).

Furthermore, epic fantasy movies like The Chronicles of Narnia are meant for the big screen. There’s a strong chance that this film wouldn’t be as effective if it was watched on a much smaller screen at home. It’s a relief that Gerwig was able to include this theatrical release in her deal with Netflix.

It should really be considered a miracle that The Chronicles of Narnia will play on IMAX screens since Netflix is still very against theatrical releases. Over the years, the streaming service has released some of its bigger movies in theaters temporarily. A notable example of this is 2022’s Glᴀss Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which played in theaters for one week before releasing on Netflix on Christmas Day.

Guillermo del Toro’s upcoming movie Frankenstein will see a limited theatrical release starting on October 17 before the film hits the streaming service on November 7. This is being done to increase its chances of being nominated for Oscars at the 2026 Academy Awards. Additionally, the Netflix hit KPop Demon Hunters will play in theaters for one weekend so that fans can sing along to the movie’s songs together.

However, aside from these and some other exceptions, Netflix very rarely chooses to release movies in theaters. Most тιтles are only ever released on the streaming platform itself, and it doesn’t seem like this will change anytime soon. In fact, according to entertainment journalist and industry insider Matthew Belloni, Netflix’s approach to theatrical releases is why the Duffer brothers are jumping ship to Paramount.

The Duffer brothers will be leaving Netflix in 2026 following the release of the final season of Stranger Things, which is the streaming service’s most popular show of all time. Because of its success, one would think that Netflix executives would want to continue collaborating with the Duffer brothers. However, they are apparently unwilling to budge on this matter.

Why Netflix Is Okay With Gerwig’s Narnia Movie Releasing In Theaters

Netflix not budging for the Duffers makes Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia deal seem even more rare. By letting the Stranger Things creators go, Netflix has proven that they are not at all committed to releasing movies in theaters. However, to land a deal with Gerwig, the studio compromised in a way they so often don’t.

If this wasn’t part of the deal, then Gerwig wouldn’t have chosen to work with Netflix, so the streaming service basically had no choice in the matter. Obviously, Netflix’s executives believed that collaborating with a popular filmmaker like Gerwig would generate a lot of money in the long run.

Not only is Gerwig very popular, but Narnia is also a well-known intellectual property, so there’s a strong chance that it will be a mᴀssive hit at the box office before it lands on Netflix. Gerwig’s two movies will also be the start of a new franchise, which means that Netflix can continue to develop projects set in the fantastical world for many years to come.

To start out this new franchise, there was basically no safer bet for Netflix than Gerwig. Her previous movies have all been box office successes, and have also been recognized during awards season. Building off that, The Chronicles of Narnia could end up being one of the most critically and commercially successful Netflix movies ever.

Even though Gerwig’s Chronicles of Narnia deal is somewhat unusual for Netflix, it’s a no-brainer since she is such a popular filmmaker. Without a doubt, Netflix’s executives would agree to the exact same kind of deal if any other big filmmaker, such as Christopher Nolan, wanted to team up with them.

Whether this eventually marks a turning point for Netflix when it comes to theatrical releases remains to be seen, but it’s an encouraging sign. The Chronicles of Narnia is primed for big screen spectacle, and Barbie showed what Gerwig can do with a vibrant, fantastical world on a large canvas. Hopefully, this will be just the beginning for where this franchise can go.