Picture: Illumination / Universal Pictures
The animation studio behind Despicable Me, Minions, and more recently, the billion-dollar-plus grossing The Super Mario Bros. Movie are back with Migration, a new animated film that’ll be landing on Netflix in the US in August 2024 following its debut on Peacock.
Directed by Benjamin Renner and based on a screenplay by Mike White, the movie has you following a flock of birds going on a vacation like no other.
The movie’s all-star voice cast includes Isabela Merced (Transformers: The Last Knight), Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games), Awkwafina (The Little Mermaid), Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele), Carole Kane (The Princess Bride), Danny DeVito (Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick).
Having received generally positive reviews from critics, the movie is set to premiere in theaters over the Christmas holiday, with screens opening on December 22nd, 2023. It also did relatively well at the box office given its a brand new IP, grossing close to $300M.
When will Netflix Stream Migration in the United States?
After the movie’s theatrical run, Netflix will get a portion of the pay-one window. This comes via a deal that Netflix struck with Universal and its animation divisions in 2021.
Here’s a rough guide on the schedule for Illumination (and DreamWorks) movies so far:
Illumination / DreamWorks Netflix Release Schedule – Picture: What’s on Netflix
What does this look like in practice? Let’s take a look at The Super Mario Bros Movie and how that came to Netflix and then apply the same to Migration:
- Theatrical release: April 5th, 2023
- Peacock release: August 3rd, 2023
- Netflix release: December 3rd, 2023
Let’s apply the same to Migration:
- Theatrical release: December 22nd, 2023
- Predicted Peacock release: April 19th, 2024
- Predicted Netflix release: August 19th, 2024
Check out our guide to all the upcoming DreamWorks and Illumination movies coming soon to Netflix for more information. Despicable Me 4 will be the next movie from Illumination to come to Netflix following Migration.
Will other Netflix Regions Stream Migration?
Yes, but it won’t be as fast or under the same conditions as the United States. In fact, every country will have its own individual arrangement with Universal for its movies, and thus, the situation will differ from country to country. Below, we’ll provide some rough estimates for countries based on prior Illumination movie release schedules.
Australia, Belgium, and South Korea are also expected to receive the movie next summer within the first window. Belgium did indeed begin streaming the movie from June 21st, 2024.
France and India will likely receive the movie towards the tail end of 2024 based on how Minions: The Rise of Gru dropped there.
The United Kingdom and other European territories will likely get the movie sometime in the second window in 2025.
Don’t forget that Netflix has plenty of its own Original animated movies on the horizon. 2024 will see the release of the likes of Orion and the Dark, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, Spellbound, Thelma the Unicorn, and Ultraman: Rising, to name but a few.
Did you check out Migration in theaters, or will you wait for it to come to Netflix? Let us know in the comments.
