Netflix is officially bringing Barbie director Greta Gerwig back to theaters with a release date change that will see her Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew movie getting a wide theatrical release in early 2027.
The streaming giant announced the move today, confirming that the critically acclaimed director will get the theatrical release fans have hoped to see. The trade-off is that, instead of launching with a limited release this Thanksgiving and an at-home launch for Christmas as previously planned, Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew will now premiere with IMAX sneak previews February 10, 2027, with a global wide release following February 12. It will then finally come to Netflix subscribers starting April 2.
“Working with Netflix to bring this film to life has been extraordinary and IMAX continues to be an incredible partner,” Gerwig said in a statement. “I cannot wait for people to see the film in theaters on February 12 and on Netflix on April 2.”
Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew is an adaptation of C. S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew and will tell an origin story from the world of Narnia. It stars David McKenna and Beatrice Campbell, and the rest of its cast includes Emma Mackey, Carey Mulligan, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Daniel Craig, Meryl Streep, and more.
Netflix has typically avoided theatrical releases for its films in the past aside from awards-qualifying runs, but has shown a tendency to be more flexible recently. The Knives Out follow-up Wake Up Dead Man got a limited release when it premiered late last year, and music mega-hit KPop Demon Hunters also found its way to cinemas in August. Although the new Narnia movie moving to a more traditional theatrical release may excite film fans, it’s unclear how often Netflix will be willing to give other projects the same treatment.
“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,” Gerwig added. “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. Because of C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, I believed in magic and hidden worlds and adventure. I believed that anywhere could be enchanted and that anyone could be swept up into an epic. That wonder and awe was available to everyone, even ordinary people like me… It transformed me.”
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos said “there’s no change in the strategy” when speaking about the company’s view on theatrical distribution of their on-platform titles at a recent earnings conference. “Our strategy is to give our members exclusive first-run movies on Netflix,” he added at the time.
For more on Netflix while we wait for a first look at a new Narnia, you can read about the alleged bidding war going on for the rights to a new Battlefield movie. You can also catch up on the full Narnia timeline here.
Photo by Aldara Zarraoa/Getty Images.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
