Netflix is set to begin legitimate theatrical releases, starting with the upcoming "Narnia" movie.

      Netflix has never quite embraced the multiplex. Throughout much of its time as a film studio, the streaming platform has viewed theaters as a necessary stop—an unwilling detour before its content ultimately reaches its intended destination: your home. However, this approach is beginning to shift, and the company is making this transition in a highly publicized manner.

      On Friday, the service announced that Greta Gerwig’s *Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew* will receive a significant theatrical release on February 12, 2026, followed by a 45-day exclusive run in theaters before streaming on April 2. For a company that has typically seen theatrical releases as a means for awards consideration rather than a distribution strategy, this marks a significant advancement.

      Gerwig’s *Narnia* is the ideal film for this new approach.

      Netflix selected this film for a reason. *The Magician’s Nephew*—the origin story of the Narnia franchise, based on C.S. Lewis’ 1955 novel—has the kind of wide-ranging appeal that truly deserves a cinematic experience. Gerwig, having just achieved massive success with *Barbie*, is arguably one of the most reliable directors today, and the Narnia brand has years of loyal readership. If Netflix were to trust a film to lead a full theatrical run based solely on its own merit rather than for awards purposes, this would be the one.

      Theater owners are excited—and rightly so.

      The exhibition industry has spent years watching streaming services gradually diminish their bargaining power, so this enthusiasm is understandable. Cinema United president Michael O’Leary called it “welcome news,” while AMC’s Adam Aron expressed the chain’s full support. This isn’t just public relations—these businesses desperately need a streaming leader to view them as viable distribution partners rather than mere options on a checklist.

      Netflix’s perspective has been evolving. The company released a theatrical sing-along version of *K-pop Demon Hunters* last year, and CEO Ted Sarandos made a public commitment to respect the traditional theatrical window for Warner Bros. Discovery titles during negotiations with the studio. The announcement regarding *Narnia* signals a company that is beginning to acknowledge that some films are simply too significant to debut on a 55-inch screen.

      Shimul is a contributor at Digital Trends, with more than five years of experience in the tech industry.

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      These three Prime Video originals may not have gained traction, but that's exactly why they're worth watching. Each of these shows is extraordinary, unjustly overlooked, and failed to attract the audience they warranted. One features a broken spy who copes with trauma through folk music, another tells the story of a woman who survives a car accident and grapples with whether she has a gift or is losing her mind, and the last centers on a small Ohio town situated atop a mysterious machine that alters everything around it. Prime Video has quietly crafted something remarkable with all three shows, and although they’ve seemingly gone unnoticed, they are still deserving of your time.

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