When will a new film be on streaming?

A film you missed at the cinema usually turns up at home in two stages. First you can rent or buy it digitally, then later it arrives on a subscription service at no extra cost. How long each stage takes depends on the studio, the film and the deals behind it. Here's what to expect.

Stage 1: rent or buy, usually one to two months after release

Cinemas get the film to themselves first, a period called the "theatrical window". Once it ends, studios release the film to rent or buy on stores like Apple TV, Amazon and Google Play, often at a premium price at first.

• Typical gap: industry analysts measured an average of around five to six weeks between cinema release and digital rental for wide releases in 2024 and 2025. That gap has been getting longer since the shortest windows of 2020 and 2021.
• Big films wait longer. The biggest releases of the year averaged about seven weeks, and Disney's films typically take around two months.
• Studios are lengthening their windows. In 2026 Universal promised cinemas at least five weekends of exclusivity, rising to seven from 2027. Paramount said it would keep its films in cinemas for 45 days. Smaller films and specialist labels often arrive sooner, sometimes within three weeks.

Stage 2: subscription streaming, usually three to four months after release

Arriving on a service you already pay for usually takes longer, because studios want to sell rentals and purchases first. Most films owned by a studio with its own service go there:

• Across the industry, the average gap from cinema to subscription streaming was just under 100 days in 2024.
• Warner Bros. films typically reach Max somewhere between two and three months after release.
• Universal films usually arrive on Peacock within about four months.
• Netflix's own films that get a cinema release usually reach Netflix after just two to three weeks.

Outside the US, a studio's film doesn't always go to its own service. Older licensing deals mean it can land on a different service, or a local broadcaster, depending on the country. That's exactly the kind of thing the country-by-country picture on this site helps with.

How to tell when a film you want is available

• Search it here. On its Where to Stream page, switch between Stream, Rent and Buy. A film that's only just left cinemas will usually show up under Rent and Buy first.
• Check other countries. Release dates vary, so a film may already be streaming somewhere while it's still rent-only where you live.
• Decide whether to wait. If you're happy to wait a couple of months, it may arrive on a service you already pay for. If not, renting is usually cheaper than buying. See stream, rent or buy.