After years of anticipation and brainstorming, Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein is almost here. This upcoming film, featuring Oscar Isaac, Mia Goth, and Jacob Elordi, will premiere in select theaters on October 17th to qualify for Academy Awards consideration. Following this, it will be available for streaming globally on Netflix starting November 7th. This release date strategically falls within the last weeks of Halloween season, while its streaming debut will initiate a wave of new Netflix titles slated for November and December.
It’s just as obvious that Netflix’s main issue continues to be a challenge, and it seems they might need to consider expanding their theatrical releases significantly, rather than relying on their limited presence in movie theaters currently.
Netflix’s Current Theatrical Approach Is Insultingly Small
Netflix initially set foot in original film production with “Beasts of No Nation,” and since then, they’ve maintained a steady strategy when it comes to theatrical releases. While movie theaters play a role for the company in meeting the criteria for Academy Awards consideration, Netflix films typically spend just two to three weeks on the big screen before transitioning to their primary digital platform – the Netflix streaming service. This preference for keeping movies exclusive to their online platform is one reason many of Netflix’s productions do not receive physical media releases.
In more simplified language: Over the past few years, Netflix has remained firm in its approach to releasing movies, despite services like Apple TV+ and Amazon Studios adopting theater releases. Movies such as “F1: The Movie” and “Challengers” wouldn’t have made as big an impact on popular culture if they had been released directly on streaming platforms. Contrarily, Cindy Holland, who oversees Paramount’s streaming operations like Paramount+, has stated that focusing on movies exclusive to streaming is not a top priority for them. While the movie industry seems to be moving away from streaming-exclusive film releases, Netflix continues to stand by this trend.
Forgettable Netflix comedies such as “The Out-Laws” and “Happy Gilmore 2” aren’t significantly impacted if they don’t get a big screen experience, but it’s a different story for movies like “Emilia Perez.” A theatrical release might not improve its quality. On the other hand, Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” with its visually stunning elements, truly deserves a wide theatrical run. Restricting this film to just a few Oscar-qualifying cities means denying many viewers the opportunity to experience a cinematic genius in an undistracted setting on the big screen.
Netflix Needs to Make Exceptions to Its Movie Release Strategy
In November 2022, Netflix came close to its usual strategy by releasing “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” in 698 theaters for a week around Thanksgiving. However, it appears that smaller theater chains were not given the opportunity to screen this film. Though it was profitable in a short time on the big screen, “Glass Onion” is an exception as Netflix typically keeps films exclusive for 14-21 days in theaters. This means that the sequel to “Glass Onion”, titled “Wake Up Dead Man”, is unlikely to receive a broad theatrical release at this time.
Greta Gerwig’s “The Magician’s Nephew” is set for an expanded IMAX-only release in November 2026, a unique exception. On the other hand, Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” won’t enjoy this treatment, which underscores the need for Netflix to address its indifference towards traditional cinemas. In contrast to being lost among numerous streaming options, theatrical releases offer a more effective way of grabbing audience attention. Furthermore, in a cinema where phones are silenced and distractions from the outside world are minimized, movies truly resonate. This is precisely the kind of environment where del Toro’s previous works like “Pan’s Labyrinth” and “The Shape of Water” thrived.
Releasing a movie like “Frankenstein” broadly at first could make it more noticeable for viewers, avoiding its initial placement under titles such as “Love is Blind” and “Is It Cake?” This issue has persisted on Netflix for quite some time, and unfortunately, it seems to be affecting “Frankenstein” now, even a production by del Toro. If a movie like “I, Frankenstein” could receive a proper wide theatrical release, then Netflix’s new “Frankenstein” movie, along with other significant new movies from the platform, should also receive that same consideration.
Frankenstein hits select theaters on October 17th and Netflix on November 7th.
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2025-08-20 18:44