6 Upcoming Netflix Movies That Should Get Full Theatrical Releases Like Narnia

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Netflix is entering a new era. For years, the company has argued that releasing movies exclusively in theaters is becoming outdated, and that it wouldn’t follow that model. However, their attempt to buy Warner Bros. (before Paramount ultimately took control) revealed that Netflix actually wants to have a larger presence in traditional movie theaters.

Netflix is shifting its strategy for Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew. Originally planned for a limited two-week showing in IMAX theaters in November 2026, the film will now have a full theatrical release worldwide for 49 days beginning February 12, 2027. It will then become available on Netflix starting April 2, 2027.

It’s still too early to know the full impact, but this news could significantly change how Netflix releases movies. Previously, a limited theatrical release was the most a film could hope for, but that’s no longer the case. Now that Netflix is considering wider releases for Greta Gerwig’s films and Narnia, other directors and franchises will likely demand the same opportunity. With this new approach, it will be difficult for Netflix to refuse those requests.

The success of Netflix’s upcoming movie Narnia will likely influence whether the company decides to release more films in theaters. If Netflix decides it wants to release a few movies a year exclusively in cinemas, it has plenty of potential titles already in development that would likely do well.

The Adventures Of Cliff Booth

Although Narnia is the first Netflix film planned for a broad release in cinemas, its postponement until 2027 creates a possibility that another Netflix movie will reach theaters first. Narnia was intended to be Netflix’s major winter film and a way to bring popular content to the big screen, but with its release delayed, The Adventures of Cliff Booth now has a chance to be the first.

Brad Pitt will reprise his role in a follow-up to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, directed by David Fincher and based on a screenplay by Quentin Tarantino. Although Tarantino initially shelved the project, Netflix has now acquired the rights. The film is expected to be released later this year, with plans for a brief theatrical run to qualify it for Academy Awards consideration before becoming available on Netflix.

As a movie fan, I think Netflix is making a smart move if they start showing some of their films in theaters more often, and The Adventures of Cliff Booth would be a perfect choice. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood did really well – almost $400 million worldwide! And even though a sequel probably won’t have Leo, Brad Pitt proved with F1 that he can still draw huge crowds – that movie made over $600 million globally. He’s a box office draw, plain and simple.

Netflix should release The Adventures of Cliff Booth widely in November. The company hasn’t announced any release dates, which suggests they might be considering—and have been for some time—a full theatrical release in cinemas.

Gears Of War

Hollywood is seeing a surge in video game adaptations, and Netflix is joining the trend. One upcoming project is a live-action movie based on the popular game Gears of War. Netflix has been working on this sci-fi shooter adaptation since 2022, with Jon Spaihts, known for his work on Dune, writing the screenplay and David Leitch, who directed Deadpool 2, at the helm.

While the film hasn’t gained much traction recently, a theatrical release would be a smart strategy for Netflix if it starts to build momentum. Gears of War is a hugely popular video game franchise – earning over a billion dollars – and a live-action movie would likely appeal to its large adult fanbase, potentially making it a hit in theaters.

There’s no need to keep Gears of War limited to TV. Releasing it as a movie first would be a smarter move, letting Netflix benefit from the current popularity of video game adaptations on the big screen.

BioShock

Netflix shouldn’t limit itself to just Gears of War when thinking about video games that could become successful movies. In 2022, they announced plans to adapt BioShock into a live-action film, with Francis Lawrence (known for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire) directing and Michael Green (Logan) writing the first draft of the script, later revised by Justin Rhodes (Terminator: Dark Fate).

Releasing BioShock in cinemas would give Netflix a boost from moviegoers eager to see it on the big screen, potentially leading to strong ticket sales. With the BioShock video game series having sold over 43 million copies, there’s clearly a large existing fanbase that would likely be interested in the film.

Now that Francis Lawrence is expected to start working on the BioShock movie after he finishes The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (which comes out November 20th), Netflix doesn’t have to make any decisions quickly. However, if they move forward with it, a BioShock film would be a great addition to their planned movie releases in 2027 or 2028.

Denzel Washington’s Hannibal

Netflix needs to make quick decisions about how to release Denzel Washington’s new war movie. The film will tell the story of Hannibal, the famous Carthaginian general and warrior. Washington is teaming up with director Antoine Fuqua (known for The Equalizer) and writer John Logan (Gladiator), and production is set to start this summer.

Originally, this project was planned to debut on streaming, but Netflix should reconsider and aim for a theatrical release. It has the potential to be a huge box office hit, similar to Gladiator. The first Gladiator film earned $466 million in 2000, and the recent sequel brought in $462 million. Big-scale historical movies can be incredibly successful – even Apple’s Napoleon, starring Joaquin Phoenix, grossed $224 million.

Instead of a small theatrical release just to qualify for the Oscars, Netflix might do better to give the new Hannibal movie a wider release in theaters.

Gundam

Netflix is making a live-action movie based on the popular Japanese sci-fi series Gundam. Filming started in April 2026, and the movie will star Sydney Sweeney and Noah Centineo. It’s currently planned for release in 2027 and may even be shown in theaters.

Sydney Sweeney is now a major draw in Hollywood, thanks to the success of films like Anyone But You and The Housemaid. While Gundam presents a different kind of project, Netflix should still try to leverage her popularity to make it a worldwide box office success.

This franchise is very popular and likely to be a huge hit, particularly with international audiences in cinemas. Netflix would be missing out on significant profits if they didn’t release it in theaters.

KPop Demon Hunters 2

I’m still reeling from how huge KPop Demon Hunters became – it’s officially the most-watched movie ever on Netflix! Everyone’s talking about it. And guess what? They’re already planning a sequel, aiming for a 2029 release! The big question is whether we’ll be able to see it in theaters or if it’ll stay exclusive to Netflix. Honestly, given how many of us are desperate to see it, I wouldn’t be shocked if Netflix decides to keep it as a streaming exclusive just to break even more records.

A theatrical release for the sequel shouldn’t be ruled out. Although the first KPop Demon Hunters movie might not have been a global hit in theaters, the franchise is now much more well-known, making a sequel a more promising box office prospect. The original film’s success with a limited release suggests there’s a real desire for people to enjoy this movie together in cinemas.

It’s uncertain if KPop Demon Hunters 2 will be as big of a hit for Netflix as Frozen II was (that film earned $1.4 billion!). However, even if the movie made half that amount in cinemas, it would still be a huge win for Netflix. Releasing it in theaters wouldn’t likely hurt its numbers when it starts streaming, either.

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2026-05-04 18:44