Netflix is slowing down its original movie releases, with fewer movies than ever set to debut in 2026's first quarter. Netflix may be known best for its expansive streaming library and hit original series like Stranger Things, Wednesday, Squid Game, and Bridgerton, but it is also home to an ever-growing selection of original movies. These are developed either in-house or licensed for distribution from other studios, and have produced hit originals such as KPop Demon Hunters, Red Notice, Carry-On, The Adam Project, and Bird Box over the years.
According to data gathered by Netflix & Chiffres, the streamer only released 23 original movies in the first quarter of 2026. That figure marks the lowest number of movies released by Netflix in the first quarter of a year since 2018, thus following through on the streamer's plan to reduce its movie output.
Bloomberg reported in October 2024 that Netflix's Chairman of Film, Dan Lin, was aiming to improve quality by "[making] fewer movies and [prioritizing] certain genres." That plan was said to include 25 to 30 movies annually from Lin's domestic team, with the slate buffed up by others around the world.
Fans have been seeing a great decline in Netflix original movies in recent years, dropping year-on-year from a peak of 50 new flicks in Q1 2022. Out of the 23 to be released in 2026's first chapter, only four were from the U.S. and Canada, with the majority of new releases coming from Asian territories.
Still, the biggest new original movies on Netflix in Q1 2026 were English-language blockbusters: Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man, War Machine, and The Rip.
Of course, the goal behind Netflix's reduction in output is to increase its quality and consistency, as most streaming original movies have often been panned. Only time will tell whether an enhanced focus translates to improved reactions, but that will largely be up to viewer-by-viewer personal opinion regardless.
Netflix's 10 Biggest Movies Releasing In 2026 & Beyond
Next up for Netflix on Friday, April 24, is Apex, a survival action thriller starring Charlize Theron as a rock climber, evading a hunter, played by Taron Egerton. Just one week later, on May 1, that will be followed by Swapped, an animated comedy featuring Michael B. Jordan and Juno Temple as a mammal and a majestic bird, sworn woodland enemies who find themselves magically switching bodies.
Coming off the divisive final season of Stranger Things, Milly Bobby Brown will next be seen in Enola Holmes 3 later this year, continuing the adventures of Sherlock Holmes' younger sister, played in the Netflix world by Henry Cavill.
The crown jewel in Netflix's upcoming slate is Narnia: The Magician's Nephew, directed by Barbie filmmaker Greta Gerwig. The fantasy reboot based on C.S. Lewis' novels stars Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan, and Emma Mackey, and will also be getting an IMAX release when it lands on November 26.
While Quentin Tarantino's 10th and final movie remains elusive, the Oscar winner has penned a Brad Pitt-led sequel to 2019's Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, The Adventures of Cliff Booth, to be directed by Fight Club helmer David Fincher. Fans are expecting to see the long-awaited sequel sometime this summer.
Across the rest of the year, Netflix subscribers can look forward to the Kevin Hart-led bachelor party comedy 72 Hours, Robert De Niro's serial killer crime thriller The Whisper Man, and the animated neo-noir sci-fi crime tale Ray Gunn, directed by The Incredibles' Brad Bird and starring Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell.
Netflix is also reteaming with BBC Films for yet another sequel to a British hit TV show after Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man. Thor star Idris Elba will return as the disgraced former cop John Luther in a sequel to Luther: The Fallen Son, with production already underway ahead of an anticipated 2027 premiere.
Speaking of Thor stars, Chris Hemsworth is gearing up to start filming the third installment of his action thriller Extraction franchise, which will start filming over the summer. Meanwhile, Netflix is cooking up an Extraction TV spin-off series, Mercenary, shifting the focus to new stars Boyd Holbrook and Omar Sy.
