Netflix Eyes First-Ever Wide Theatrical Release for Upcoming Movie

Netflix is doing something it has never done before, and it is doing it with one of the most anticipated films of the next few years.

Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew will hit theaters worldwide on February 12, 2027, giving it a full theatrical run of over 45 days before it lands on Netflix on April 2. That kind of commitment to cinemas is completely new territory for the streamer, and it is a pretty big deal for anyone who has been watching how Netflix handles its movies.

Sneak previews will kick things off even earlier, with exclusive IMAX screenings beginning on February 10, two days before the wide global release. According to Netflix’s official Tudum announcement, the plan is to treat this as a genuine cinematic event on the scale that the Narnia books actually deserve.

Gerwig herself wrote the screenplay and is directing, and she has been open about how personal this project is to her.

In a statement shared by Netflix, she said, “I was a child when I first read The Magician’s Nephew, and I fell in love with the gorgeously improbable but completely brilliant concept of a cosmic lion singing the world of Narnia to life. I didn’t know that I would grow up to make films, but a universe built out of music is an idea that always lived in my heart. It is the honor of a lifetime to be asked to imagine it into being.”

The film is based on C.S. Lewis’s 1955 novel of the same name, which tells the origin story of Narnia itself. It is the first time this particular book has ever been adapted for the screen. Two newcomers, David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell, lead the cast as the young protagonists, and they are joined by a genuinely impressive group of actors including Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Ciarán Hinds, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Denise Gough, Susan Wokoma, Daniel Craig, and Meryl Streep. The music is being handled by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, the same duo who worked on the Barbie soundtrack with Gerwig.

The C.S. Lewis Company also responded to the news, saying in a statement, “It’s incredibly moving to see how deeply Greta Gerwig has embraced C. S. Lewis’s world, and infused Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew with joy, heart, and genuine love for the story. We’re so excited for audiences everywhere to experience her vision and to share the magic of Narnia with a whole new generation.”

For context, the Chronicles of Narnia books have sold more than 120 million copies across 70 countries and have been translated into over 60 languages. The source material has a massive global fanbase, which probably explains why Netflix is willing to step so far outside its usual playbook for this one.

The film is produced by Mark Gordon, Amy Pascal, Vincent Sieber-Smith, and Gerwig, with the C.S. Lewis Estate also involved through its executive producers. It is in theaters February 12, 2027, and on Netflix April 2, 2027.

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