Six upcoming theatrical releases get Netflix backing in break from tradition
Breaking from tradition, Netflix will report box-office grosses for a slate of upcoming movies—but the real news is which titles made the list.
The first test comes with La Bola Negra: a full 47-day theatrical run starting October 16, followed by a Netflix debut on December 2. The Cannes-lauded drama — whose directing duo Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo won Best Director — will be the streamer’s longest big-screen rollout yet, and one of the first where Netflix will publicly put the box-office receipts on the record.
The big-screen slate
Netflix plans to report grosses for six upcoming films, with several getting longer, wider releases than the company has tried before — including premium formats in some cases. Here’s what’s on deck:
- La Bola Negra — In theaters Oct. 16 for 47 days; streams on Netflix Dec. 2. Cannes Best Director winners Ambrossi and Calvo at the helm.
- Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew (directed by Greta Gerwig) — Expected wide theatrical play, including IMAX, for nearly 50 days in 2027 .
- Charlie vs The Chocolate Factory (animated) — Wide release for 47 days over Christmas.
- The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth (from David Fincher) — Box-office grosses to be reported; release details to come.
- The Mosquito Bowl — Grosses to be reported; release details to come.
- Ink — Grosses to be reported; release details to come.
Insiders told Variety the company isn’t suddenly turning into a traditional theatrical distributor and will keep making release decisions film by film. Still, putting ticket sales in public view marks a notable break from Netflix’s long-held, streaming- first playbook.
Harbour and Brown, together again
Separately, David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown are reuniting at Netflix for a new series that pairs him as an FBI agent with his estranged daughter — a setup that nods to their father-daughter bond on Stranger Things without revisiting Hawkins.
We wanted to use the “building blocks” of that dynamic to create something “really unique and original.” I’m “really, really excited.”
Harbour shared the update with E! News at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 6, adding that two scripts are already finished.