Netflix’s 2026 Year-End Slate: Cliff Booth, Emily in Paris and Live Sports

Netflix is closing 2026 with a lineup built around several different kinds of attention: a new Brad Pitt film directed by David Fincher, the final season of Emily in Paris, returning series and a major slate of live sports. The mix gives viewers plenty to track through the holiday stretch, while putting a clear emphasis on events that can draw audiences at the same time.

The financial backdrop adds another layer. Netflix reported third-quarter revenue of $12.9 billion, up 12% year over year, and an operating margin of 34.6%, compared with 28.2% a year earlier. CNBC reported that shares fell more than 6% after the company’s fourth-quarter revenue outlook came in below expectations. Netflix expects Q4 revenue of $13.4 billion and full-year 2026 revenue of $51.1 billion, up 13%, with a 31.5% operating margin.

Those figures make the company’s attention to viewing hours understandable. Netflix said in its quarterly letter that it knows some investors are concerned about growth in viewing hours, while describing engagement as healthy. For the closing quarter, the programming mix gives subscribers a range of reasons to return: established series, new adaptations, films and appointment viewing.

Returning series and new adaptations

The returning shows include Emily in Paris Season 6, identified as the series’ final season, along with new seasons of The Diplomat, The Empress and The Hunting Wives. Lupin: Part 4 and a new season of Nobody Wants This are also on the slate. That breadth should appeal to viewers who already follow Netflix’s returning dramas and comedies, while the final season of Emily in Paris gives fans a reason to mark the calendar.

New series include East of Eden, The Body, the UK take on Pride and Prejudice and Canadian series Below. The limited series The Murder of JonBenét Ramsey, starring Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen, rounds out a list spanning literary adaptation, drama and true crime. Executives said on the earnings call that East of Eden had already given the quarter a strong start.

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Netflix’s post about Emily in Paris described Season 6 as a return for the series, while the slate identifies it as the final chapter. That distinction makes the new season especially notable for fans: it’s both a familiar title in the service’s lineup and a closing point for one of its ongoing stories. The slate itself doesn’t reveal what happens, leaving the season’s appeal in the return of its characters and the chance to see the show through to its end.

Cliff Booth leads a varied film slate

The biggest film announcement is The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth, with Pitt returning to his Oscar-winning role. Written by Quentin Tarantino and directed by David Fincher, the film places Booth in 1977, in a very different Hollywood. Netflix has scheduled an exclusive two-week global IMAX run beginning November 25, followed by its Netflix arrival on December 23.

The theatrical window gives the film a distinct place in the year-end schedule: audiences can see it on IMAX screens before it reaches the service. That run had originally been set aside for Greta Gerwig’s Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew, which was pushed to February for a full wide theatrical release. Netflix’s own post describes Pitt’s return as a new chapter for Booth, with Fincher directing from Tarantino’s screenplay.

The other films cover different audiences and styles. Animals stars Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington; Ray Gunn, directed by Brad Bird, features Scarlett Johansson and Sam Rockwell; and Cameron Diaz stars in Bad Day. The animated film Steps features Ali Wong, Stephanie Hsu and Amanda Seyfried. Netflix is also backing two international Oscar submissions: Spain’s La Bola Negra and South Korea’s Possible Love.

Live events put the holiday calendar to work

Netflix described this as its biggest quarterly live slate to date. It includes the NFL’s inaugural Thanksgiving Eve game, with a U2 halftime show, and an NFL Christmas Day doubleheader. Together, those broadcasts account for three NFL games across the two holiday dates. The boxing match between Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua adds another high-profile live event.

That schedule gives the fourth quarter a different rhythm from a lineup made up only of on-demand premieres. Holiday games and a major boxing match can bring viewers together around specific dates, while the series and films offer more flexible viewing. The broader test is whether the combination can keep audiences engaged through a crowded period and support Netflix’s expectations for the quarter.

For subscribers, the choices are straightforward: follow a returning series, catch the last season of Emily in Paris, see Pitt back as Cliff Booth, or set aside time for a live event. For the company, the slate puts recognizable stories alongside new projects and shared viewing moments. With The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth arriving on Netflix on December 23 and the holiday broadcasts anchoring the calendar, the remaining months of 2026 will show how well that blend holds viewers’ attention.