How Netflix’s Warner Bros. Deal Will Affect 2026’s Major Releases

The news that Netflix has offered the winning bid to acquire Warner Bros. Pictures, which would give it access to its long, rich catalog of cinema, has become a significant talking point. While all the details have yet to be worked out, we do know that Netflix is slated to acquire Warner Bros.’ film & television studios, streaming business (HBO Max), and associated content libraries, while its Global Networks (CNN, Discovery+, etc.) will spin off into a separate publicly traded company, to be called Discovery Global.

As of 2025, Warner Bros. has been in the business of making movies for over 100 years, opening its doors in 1923, with its first commercial success coming in 1927’s The Jazz Singer, one of the first ‘talkies’. The production company would go on to acquire various other entities, including DC Studios/DC Films, HBO/HBO Max, and New Line Cinema, expanding its influence in the entertainment space. With Warner Bros. behind thousands of movies, even a portion of their catalog being folded into Netflix is undoubtedly going to change the face of streaming.

The Netflix Deal With Warner Bros. Is Most Notable In These Upcoming Releases

Arguably, the biggest film, even though we are more than a year away (set for December 18, 2026), is Dune Part Three. At the box office, Dune has consistently performed as a franchise, with the first film grossing $411 million globally, followed by its sequel, which grossed $631 million. From everything we know about the upcoming Dune: Part Three, the third entry looks to be even bigger, with its continued dominance at the box office almost guaranteed. Depending on the deal, Netflix may already have a theatrical hit on its hands, unlike anything it has seen previously.

The off-and-on release date that followed Mortal Kombat II, earning early praise as one of the “Best Fight Movies of the Year,” also looks to be part of Netflix’s handling of distribution. Notably, the streaming platform is no stranger to bringing action films to a broader audience and giving them life on its platform. The feature was initially set for an October 24, 2025, theatrical release, but was bumped back to May 15, 2026.

Perhaps the film with the most apt timing for the Netflix bid for Warner Bros. is their upcoming movie, The Bride!, which was previously touted as a potential contender to Frankenstein on Netflix. Now, The Bride! could very well serve as a companion piece to Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. As the film is set for an early 2026 release (March 6th), it will be fascinating to see how Netflix handles promotion and distribution alongside one of their biggest hits of 2025. Of course, these films are just a smaller sampling of the many productions that may be affected by Netflix’s deal with Warner Bros. if it goes through.

A Complete List of Every Upcoming Warner Bros. Movie That Falls Under the Netflix Deal

In addition to some of the most anticipated upcoming films of 2026, Warner Bros. is also acting as distributor or producer on several other projects. This includes titles that are anticipated but don’t quite have the hype until fans can see more stills/videos, as well as lesser-discussed titles. More understated releases include the upcoming adaptation of Wuthering Heights starring Margot Robbie and the newest entry in the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Burn. At the same time, projects like Supergirl and Clayface also fall under the potential new ownership, which may become clearer in future marketing as fans anxiously await more news of those films.

Here is a complete list of all the movies that may be affected by the Netflix deal, including their release date and Warner Bros. involvement:

Will Netflix’s Ownership of Warner Bros. Titles Affect Future Theatrical Releases?

Netflix

As per the Netflix announcement to its investors, the streaming giant “Netflix expects to maintain Warner Bros.’ current operations and build on its strengths, including theatrical releases for films.” This implies that every film set for a theatrical release will still come out. Yet, there is some nuance to be had here, with Netflix having its own approach, highlighted by the abysmal release of Guillermo del Toro’s Frankensteinin in theaters; short-lived and undercapitalized, with its focus on its streaming platform. How Netflix decides to distribute the upcoming Warner Bros. releases is likely where fans will notice changes, if any are to be made.