Following the massive success of 2023’s Barbie, fans are eagerly anticipating Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia, supported by Netflix. According to Puck News, the film will debut on 1,000 IMAX screens worldwide over 90 countries on Thanksgiving Day 2026.
After the initial two-week run, Netflix will retain a four-week theatrical window before the film becomes available on its platform, marking a hybrid theatrical-streaming release model. Netflix has also committed to marketing the IMAX release as a major cinematic event as Gerwig plans to employ a mix of IMAX and standard cameras for the production. This collaboration between Netflix and IMAX represents a significant step for the streaming giant, aiming to secure a strong presence in theaters.

Gerwig, known for Lady Bird and Little Women, has described her Narnia vision in TIME Magazine as blending folklore and fairy tales. Her full comments are as follows: “C.S. Lewis’s Narnia books are something that I’ve loved since I was a child. I would say the two big books of my childhood were Little Women and the Narnia books. So I had that instant excitement, but instant terror that comes from trying to tackle something that has shaped me. I want to make it feel like magic.”
“There’s a euphorically dreamlike quality to Lewis’s writing. 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, there’s fauns, and then Father Christmas shows up. 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.”

Netflix acquired the rights to the Narnia series in 2018, and Gerwig’s involvement was confirmed shortly before the release of Barbie. Her partnership with IMAX places her alongside directors like James Cameron and Christopher Nolan, who have leveraged the format for large-scale projects.
The Narnia franchise holds significant potential for Netflix and IMAX. The seven books have sold over 115 million copies and been translated into 57 languages, indicating a built-in global audience. By partnering with Gerwig, Netflix aims to transform The Chronicles of Narnia into a cinematic franchise. With its Thanksgiving 2026 release in theaters and Christmas debut on Netflix, this adaptation is poised to deliver a magical experience for both longstanding fans and new audiences alike.