Netflix's New Epic War Movie La Bola Negra Is Officially Hitting 465 Theaters This Weekend

Published Nov 6, 2026, 11:30 AM EST

Ryan Northrup is a Senior Staff Writer on ScreenRant's Movie & TV News team, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and reviews. A graduate of McMaster University, Ryan began his career in public relations before attending Vancouver Film School. There, he built lasting industry connections and optioned a feature film screenplay.

La Bola Negra is expanding its theatrical run.

Directed by Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo, the Netflix epic has emerged as a buzzy contender for next year's Academy Awards ceremony. Telling a story that explores what it means to be gay through three different timelines, including during the Spanish Civil War, La Bola Negra premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May before its limited theatrical release in North America on October 16.

Now, per THR, La Bola Negra is poised to grow its theatrical footprint, expanding to 465 theaters domestically this weekend, starting November 6. Netflix originally projected that the film would play in between 200 and 300 theaters, but the film has proven popular with audiences, having grossed $1.3 million so far in North America.

In its opening weekend, La Bola Negra had a per-screen average of $69,375 from four North American theaters, the second-highest ever for a non-English release. In its most recent weekend, October 30 to November 1, the R-rated Netflix epic grossed $418,000 from 38 theaters. Overseas, the film has been even more popular, taking third place on Spain's all-time box office chart (for a Spanish film). It is now in the country's top 10 highest grossing movies of all time.

Netflix has not traditionally focused on theatrical releases for its films, but the Oscars requires that movies have some degree of theatrical play in order to be eligible for awards. The streamer has previously given limited theatrical releases to films like Roma (2018), All Quiet on the Western Front (2022), Maestro (2023), and Frankenstein (2025), among others, all of which earned nominations or wins at the Academy Awards.

With a Netflix release date set for December 2, La Bola Negra will have a 47-day theatrical window, the longest ever for the streamer. This could be a sign of a changing strategy at Netflix, with more films potentially getting the theatrical treatment.

The biggest test for this may be Greta Gerwig's Narnia, which opens wide and in IMAX on February 12, 2027. The fantasy adventure will be the first Netflix movie to get a full exclusive theatrical run before landing on streaming, and it could shape how the company approaches future releases for big titles.

Starring Guitarricadelafuente, Lorenzo Zurzolo, Javier Butler, Penélope Cruz, Glenn Close, Lola Dueñas, Carlos González, and Milo Quifes, La Bola Negra has been a win with critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has an 85% critics' score, with the Popcornmeter coming in even higher at 97%.

La Bola Negra has become a key film heading into awards season, and its critical response and expanding theatrical footprint are sure to only enhance its impact on Oscars voters. It remains to be seen how the movie will fare at next year's awards ceremony, but it's evidently making a mark with audiences.