Netflix has spent years treating theaters as a supporting player in its streaming-first strategy. Now, the streamer appears ready to give the big screen a much bigger role, with six upcoming movies set to receive theatrical runs and, for the first time, publicly reported box office grosses.

The move marks a notable shift for a company that has long resisted the traditional theatrical model. With longer windows planned for several major releases, Netflix may finally be testing how far its movie business can stretch beyond the streaming platform.

The change begins with La Bola Negra, which will receive Netflix's longest theatrical rollout yet. The movie will hit theaters on October 16 for a 47-day run before arriving on Netflix on December 2. The film has already generated major awards-season buzz after winning the Best Director prize for Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo at Cannes.

But La Bola Negra is only the beginning. Greta Gerwig's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew is expected to receive a wide theatrical release, including IMAX screens, for almost 50 days in 2027. Netflix's animated Charlie vs The Chocolate Factory will similarly play wide for 47 days over Christmas. The streamer will also report grosses for David Fincher's The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, The Mosquito Bowl and Ink.

Netflix insiders exclusively told Variety are downplaying the idea that the company is suddenly becoming a traditional theatrical distributor, stressing that release strategies remain film-by-film decisions. Still, publicly reporting box office numbers represents a significant break from the company's long-standing approach.

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And while Netflix is expanding its relationship with movie theaters, one of its most recognizable actor pairings is also returning, only this time, far away from Hawkins.

David Harbour and Millie Bobby Brown are set to reunite for a new Netflix series in which they will play an FBI agent and his estranged daughter. Although the setup echoes the father-daughter bond that made their Stranger Things characters Hopper and Eleven so beloved, Harbour insists the new project will chart its own path.

Speaking exclusively to E! News at the 2026 Creative Arts Emmy Awards on September 6, Harbour said they wanted to use the “building blocks” of their dynamic to create something “really unique and original.” With two scripts already completed, he also revealed that he is “really, really excited” about what they have made.

David Harbour's comments underline the larger strategy behind the reunion: capitalize on a proven chemistry without simply recreating a previous hit. For Netflix, that same philosophy appears to be playing out on the theatrical side taking familiar filmmaking talent, major projects and longer cinema runs and seeing what happens when audiences get the chance to experience them beyond the couch.

Whether this becomes a genuine theatrical transformation or simply another experiment remains to be seen. But with six films finally putting their grosses on the record, Netflix is giving Hollywood something it has rarely had from the streamer: numbers to watch.

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Which of Netflix's upcoming theatrical releases are you most excited to see on the big screen? Let us know in the comments!