For 2026, Netflix is doubling down on original storytelling and comedies

Rather than chasing sequels and reboots, Netflix is betting its 2026 movie strategy connected a monolithic concern successful archetypal storytelling and a renewed absorption connected the theatrical comedy.

The streaming giant’s request for archetypal contented is 1 of the main reasons Netflix fought fiercely to get Warner Bros. But adjacent aft losing the bid to Paramount earlier this month, the precedence remains.

“We’re zigging wherever bequest studios are zagging,” Dan Lin, Netflix’s movie chairman, said Wednesday astatine Netflix’s slate lawsuit successful Hollywood.

Last year, 18 of the apical 20 theatrical films were based connected already established intelligence property, similar with sequels and remakes. The lone 2 archetypal ideas to interruption done were Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” and Zach Cregger’s “Weapons.” Both of these films were received good by audiences and earned aureate statues astatine this year’s Oscars.

Lin said that astatine Netflix, 2025’s slate was the “exact opposite,” wherever fractional of the films it released past twelvemonth were based connected archetypal storytelling.

“We person a precise steadfast contented budget. So if there’s a large movie retired there, we’ll spell retired and either physique it oregon get it,” Lin said.

Bela Bajaria, the company’s main contented officer, said the institution isn’t excessively acrophobic with the theatrical constituent that different studios tin connection erstwhile hunting for these archetypal stories, arsenic Netflix is simply a streaming-first company.

“We’ve ever had competition. This isn’t truly immoderate different,” said Bajaria. “It’s to recognize what the contention is, not caput successful the soil astatine all. [We have] to recognize what the marketplace is and proceed to look ahead.”

It’s not conscionable archetypal ideas that Netflix is scouting; the streamer’s besides looking to capable gaps successful genres. In caller years, comedies person fallen retired of favour with large studios — leaving country for streamers similar Netflix to expand. This year, Netflix is looking to interruption done with upcoming drama productions similar Kevin Hart’s bachelor party-driven “72 Hours,” John Cena and Eric André’s buddy drama “Little Brother” and Eva Longoria’s “Fifth Wheel,” which Lin describes arsenic “our mentation of ‘Bridesmaids.’”

“We’re taking the chance, and we’re making the movies,” Lin said. “It’s what we’re delivering, I hope, [it’s] what audiences privation and what they’re craving. There are a batch of genres that you conscionable can’t find successful theaters anymore. So, we’re making those kinds of movies.”

In summation to emphasizing comedies, there’s a batch of accidental to make young big films, Lin said. Netflix has upcoming titles specified arsenic “Voicemails for Isabelle,” starring Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson, and “Roommates,” with Sadie Sandler, to gully successful younger movie watchers.

One genre successful which Netflix doesn’t spot overmuch occurrence is unrecorded philharmonic adaptations, truthful it’s “not an country that I’m leaning into,” Lin said. He archetypal joined the institution successful 2024 and has since green-lighted 88 films.

Netflix subscribers ticker astir 7 movies a month, according to the streamer’s data. So, with the propulsion for archetypal stories, the streamer is hoping to conscionable its consumers’ demands.

The existent strategy is to merchandise up to 4 “event films” a year. For 2026, Netflix is looking astatine Greta Gerwig’s “Narnia” adaptation and David Fincher’s follow-up to “Once Upon a Time ... successful Hollywood” arsenic its large hitters.

“It’s each precise nether wraps close now, but it’s thing that I’m conscionable truthful thrilled astir due to the fact that it was the publication of my childhood. It was the publication bid that I loved, and I lived through, and I spent truthful overmuch clip imagining myself wrong of Narnia,” Gerwig said successful a video connection during the Netflix event. “It’s been a joyousness and an grant to beryllium the idiosyncratic who gets to ideate this universe.”

Gerwig’s “Narnia” is acceptable to deed Imax this Thanksgiving and commencement streaming connected Netflix travel Christmas.