Universal’s Biggest Movies Are Heading to Netflix: When ‘The Odyssey’, ‘Focker-In-Law’ and ‘Minions & Monsters’ Could Stream

Streaming windows rarely make headlines, but the pipeline that moves Universal movies from theaters to your living room has become one of the most important in Hollywood. Netflix now sits at the center of it, and the studio’s blockbusters, animated hits and Focus Features awards players are lining up to arrive in the US on a steady schedule.

The arrangement has a surprising backstory. Netflix and Universal Filmed Entertainment Group announced in October 2024 that they were renewing their animation licensing deal for Illumination and DreamWorks titles, and adding US rights to live-action films from Universal Pictures and Focus Features beginning with the 2027 slate. Prime Video had held the first-window rights for Universal’s live-action movies since 2022, and Netflix was originally set to take over in 2027.

Netflix ended up starting a year early, with the first Universal live-action movie arriving in January 2026. Under the setup, a film plays in theaters for up to 120 days, then streams on Peacock for 4 months. Netflix then gets 10 months of exclusive access before the film returns to Peacock for a final 4 months.

The deal covers Universal Pictures, Focus Features, DreamWorks Animation and Illumination releases. It also mirrors a similar pay-1 agreement Netflix holds with Sony Pictures, which Media Play News reported is worth $7 billion globally.

With the new year approaching, What’s on Netflix has published a full preview of when Universal movies are expected to join and leave the service in the US. Its dates are estimates based on the standard windows rather than confirmed announcements, and the list applies only to the US.

The biggest names land at different points in the year. ‘Minions & Monsters’, the Illumination film that opened in theaters on July 1, 2026, is expected to reach Netflix on February 28. Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’, which arrived in theaters on July 17, 2026, is projected for roughly June or July, while the Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro comedy ‘Focker-in-Law’, which opens on November 25, 2026, is expected around July.

Plenty of other titles are slotted in. ‘Disclosure Day’ is projected for February 9, followed by ‘Hot Spot’ on February 16, ‘Finding Emily’ on February 23 and ‘The Uprising’ on March 6. DreamWorks’ ‘Forgotten Island’ and the live-action ‘Other Mommy’ are both estimated for around May.

Later in the year, ‘Violent Night 2’ and ‘Werwulf’ are both projected for around August. Titles with 2027 theatrical release dates, including ‘River’, ‘The Comeback King’, ‘CoComelon: The Movie’ and ‘The Exorcist: Martyrs’, are expected to follow toward the end of the year.

The same windows that bring new movies also push others out the door. According to the estimates, ‘Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale’ leaves on January 7, ‘Nobody 2’ on January 14, ‘The Bad Guys 2’ on January 21 and ‘Anemone’ on January 28.

‘Him’ is expected to leave on February 19 and ‘Bugonia’ on February 26, followed by ‘The Black Phone 2’ and ‘Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie’ in March. ‘Hamnet’ and ‘Wicked: For Good’ are projected to leave in May, and ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s 2’ in June.

Several films will arrive before the calendar flips. ‘Reminders of Him’ is set for November 10, ‘Obsession’ for November 17, and ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ and ‘Pressure’ for November 30.

That means the estimated 2027 departures include some titles that have not even reached the service yet. Universal has also said its slate will play in theaters for at least 5 weekends in 2026 and 7 weekends in 2027.

For Netflix subscribers in the US, the practical takeaway is that a steady stream of recent theatrical hits will keep arriving, and that the library will keep rotating. The 10-month exclusive window means each title has a limited stay before it moves back to Peacock.

Viewers in other countries should not assume the same timing, since What’s on Netflix notes that Universal has different arrangements with Netflix in different regions. Some territories get movies sooner, while others wait years.

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