Netflix is making itself clear: It's a streaming-first business.
Yet, the company is set to have 30 theatrical releases in 2027, on par with what it brought to cinemas in 2026. And while not all of these features are expected to have wide releases or long runs in theaters, Netflix is testing the waters with projects like Greta Gerwig's "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew," which will have a wide release and a 49-day exclusive theatrical window when it hits cinemas in February.
The company seems poised to carve a new path forward as it grapples with viewership stagnation and a stock slump of roughly 30% since January.
How its theatrical ambitions fit into a streaming-first strategy remains a question mark.
"Theatrical releases are a net positive for reach and streaming demand," Alicia Reese, analyst at Wedbush, wrote in a note Wednesday. "Netflix's more amenable attitude toward exclusive theatrical windows will not only facilitate better relationships with talent, but also add a new revenue stream and build interest in its streaming service. This follows the pattern we have seen with the major studios' streaming platforms over the past several years: theatrical releases don't cannibalize the streaming window, as Netflix fears."