Universal Pictures’ Live-Action First-Window Deal With Netflix Begins a Year Early

Beginning in 2027, Netflix US was set to become the new home for Universal live-action movies, taking over from Prime Video as the holder of what’s often referred to as the Pay-1B window. Over the past week or so, we’ve learned that new Universal movies are arriving much sooner than expected, with theatrical releases from the distributor dating back to last Summer beginning to land on Netflix US this month. The rollout begins with Megan 2.0, with more movies confirmed for February and beyond.

Prime Video in the US has been the pay-one window holder for Universal theatrical live-action movies, whether it’s from the main studio or its Focus Features label, since 2022, with the deal first announced in mid-2021. That was on a five-year deal, and in October 2024, Netflix confirmed that it would be the home of new Universal live-action movies beginning in 2027. Netflix has had a similar deal with the distributor for animated movies for several years now. 

The new pact begins with Megan 2.0 arriving on Netflix on January 26th, as we’ve already reported. Honey Don’t, which we can confirm will arrive on February 3rd, 2026, follows shortly after. As we’ve also just covered, the live-action How to Train Your Dragon movie arrives on February 10th. Netflix will also continue licensing older movies from the Universal library. 

Likewise, Netflix still continues to carry Universal animation movies from both DreamWorks and Illumination under a deal that’s been in operation for many years now, with The Bad Guys 2 and Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie coming up next. 

How does this first window deal work? Unlike with Sony Pictures, where Netflix has the entire 18-month window, Universal’s first window is parceled into three subsections. Following its theatrical window, which can be up to 120 days, movies will premiere on Peacock for 4 months, then head to Netflix for 10 months before returning to Peacock for another 4 months. 

Release Schedule For Illumination Dreamworks Movies Netflix

Why Prime Video has given up on, or had its first-window deal with Universal Pictures, end prematurely is unclear. 

Forward-looking, here are a few Netflix release dates we can gather based on their Peacock arrivals, and we’ll come back with a big preview of all the Universal movies you can expect to watch on Netflix US throughout 2026 in due course. 

• Jurassic World: Rebirth starring Scarlett Johansson – February 28th, 2026
• Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale – March 7th, 2026
• Nobody 2 starring Bob Odenkirk – March 14th, 2026
• Anemone starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Sean Bean – March 28th, 2026
• Him starring Marlon Wayans and is produced by Jordan Peele – April 19th, 2026
• Bugonia starring Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons – April 26th, 2026
• Black Phone 2 starring Ethan Hawke – May 16th, 2026
• Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie – May 23rd, 2026

Over the Summer, we’ll see Wicked: For Good and Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 join the Netflix roster, and looking ahead to the 2026 slate of movies that Universal has coming up, we’ve got Minions 3, Finding Emily, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, The Odyssey, Focker-in-Law, and Violent Night 2. We’ll have a full post detailing upcoming dates soon.

Which of the Universal movies are you looking forward to heading to Netflix in the near future? Let us know in the comments.