Netflix is preparing to report official box office figures for several of its upcoming theatrical movies, ending a long-standing practice of keeping ticket-sales data private. The move signals a significant change in how the streaming company approaches cinemas and could help strengthen its relationship with theater owners.
According to TheWrap, Netflix will begin publishing box office grosses this fall for a limited number of films receiving prominent theatrical releases. The company has traditionally avoided reporting theatrical earnings, even when its movies played in theaters before arriving on the streaming platform.
Netflix Begins Sharing Theatrical Earnings
The first film expected to receive official box office reporting is La Bola Negra, a queer drama directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi. Netflix acquired the movie following its acclaimed premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters on October 16 before streaming on Netflix on December 2. Its 47-day theatrical window will reportedly be the longest ever given to a Netflix movie.
Other upcoming titles included in the new reporting strategy are David Fincher’s The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, Greta Gerwig’s The Chronicles of Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, and the animated film Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory.
A Major Change After Years of Secrecy
Netflix’s decision is notable because the company has spent years refusing to disclose official box office numbers. Several high-profile films, including Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma, Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, and Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion, received theatrical releases without the company publishing complete ticket-sales figures.
Netflix also did not officially report the theatrical performance of K-pop Demon Hunters, despite the movie becoming a major cultural success. According to theatrical estimates cited by TheWrap, the film earned approximately $18 million during a two-day special engagement in August 2025. That performance reportedly made it the weekend’s number-one movie at the box office.
The lack of transparency has frustrated theater owners and competing studios. Exhibitors have argued that reporting grosses is an important part of the traditional theatrical business, while Netflix has generally treated cinemas as a promotional step before a movie reaches its global streaming audience.
