Why is Netflix & IMAX’s Narnia deal facing backlash? Reported feud explained
Greta Gerwig’s The Chronicles of Narnia’s first film, set to arrive on Netflix on December 2026, will first have its theatrical release on Thanksgiving 2026. Netflix has therefore struck a deal with IMAX, which ensures that the film will have a two-week-long exclusive release window on the big screens.
Now new reports from major media houses suggest that the US theatre chains and studios are unhappy with the deal between Gerwig, Netflix, and IMAX.
The backlash that Netflix and IMAX are facing is because of the aforementioned exclusivity deal which was done before consulting other studios, notably Disney and Lionsgate. Since Netflix is a major competitor for other theatrical releases and studios, the deal has faced major backlash recently.
Understanding Netflix & IMAX’s Narnia deal, and why it is facing backlash
According to a report by PUCK (February 24, 2025), Netflix has struck a deal to show Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia film on more than 1,000 IMAX screens for an exclusive two-week run starting on the 2026 Thanksgiving weekend.
After that, Netflix will wait two more weeks, before releasing the film on the streaming website on Christmas Day.
Gerwig reportedly desired a theatrical distribution for the movie because she wanted people to see her depiction of Narnia on large screens.
This release does not imply a change in the streamer's long-standing policy against putting movies on big screens. Narnia is just an exception.
Other impending releases from Marvel and Lionsgate which share the same release window as Gerwig's Narnia will not have as many screens as expected now that IMAX has given them to the streaming service. Since Netflix is a rival to major theaters and studios, many are not pleased with this exclusivity deal.
Allegedly, big studios are not thrilled with IMAX because they have been releasing films in theatres for years, while Netflix only does so infrequently, and yet the streamer was given preference during the commercially significant release window.
IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond has however stated that he has a "nuclear option" to ensure the smooth release of Gerwig's 2026 offering on IMAX and make theatres cooperate.
Gelfond has also made it clear that this deal with a streamer for a hybrid release does not imply that there will be more such deals anytime soon. However, if this turns out to be a success, similar deals can be made.
About that, he said in IMAX's recent earnings meeting:
"I’ve talked to Netflix about this, and I think in general they are as excited as we are to do it. But we are not in a rush to do another one tomorrow… It’s a fairly complex deal to have met all the various constituencies... I think, if it works, it will be tempting for the talent, for IMAX, and certainly for Netflix."
What is Greta Gerwig’s The Chronicles of Narnia all about?
With the magical aspects that the Narnia franchise has to offer viewers, it has been a favorite — whether it is C.S. Lewis' novels or the fantasy film series.
Greta Gerwig's adaptation, however, will follow a distinct style and will be a "combination of different traditions" to make it one of a kind. Although Gerwig has not disclosed anything about the narrative of her first of two films, she told Time in the Women of the Year interview:
"It’s connected to the folklore and fairy stories of England, but it’s a combination of different traditions. As a child, you accept the whole thing — that you’re in this land of Narnia... It doesn’t even occur to you that it’s not schematic. I’m interested in embracing the paradox of the worlds that Lewis created, because that’s what’s so compelling about them.”
Gerwig has also confirmed that she has already completed the draft of her first movie, plans to do one more, and intends to complete the series in two significant releases.
The Chronicles of Narnia will debut on Netflix on Christmas 2026.
