Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia is set for an exclusive two-week global run on Imax screens before its streaming on Netflix on Christmas Day. Scheduled for Thanksgiving Day 2026, this event will roll out across 1,000 Imax auditoriums in 90 countries, giving fans an early cinematic glimpse.
The timing pits Narnia against some heavyweight releases, with Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and an untitled Warner Bros event dropping on 20 November, 2026, followed by a Disney animated feature on 25 November. The upcoming holiday season is shaping up to be another high-stakes battle for Imax and premium large-format screens, reminiscent of the recent face-off between Moana 2 and Wicked.
Speculation is rife about whether Narnia will expand beyond the Imax release, and whether Netflix will publicize the box office numbers as enthusiastically as it does its viewership stats. This wouldn’t be Netflix’s first big-screen venture over Thanksgiving; in 2022, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery saw a limited, yet lucrative, theatrical run before streaming. Despite earning $15 million from fewer than 900 theaters in its debut week, it was largely a strategy to boost its streaming launch a month later.
Gerwig, coming off the monumental success of Barbie, which raked in $1.44 billion and an Oscar for Best Original Song, has reportedly been pushing for a theatrical release for Narnia. The big question is whether Netflix will cave to industry pressure and give the film a broader theatrical rollout. With Imax screens becoming essential for blockbuster success, the streaming giant’s move into this territory has raised eyebrows among traditional studios.
Netflix has dabbled in Imax releases before, teaming up for projects like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny and a limited run of Paul Thomas Anderson’s Anima. Imax also played a role in Apple’s theatrical campaigns for Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon.
A statement from Imax highlights the significance of this partnership, said, “The partnership underscores the value of Imax as a global event platform and reinforces its relationships with the world’s greatest filmmakers. It also demonstrates Imax’s commitment to bringing unique events and experiences to its fans and exhibition partners around the world.”
Netflix first announced its plans to develop Narnia series and films back in 2018, with Gerwig joining the project in 2020.
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