Disney Licenses Ice Age Films, Percy Jackson and More to Netflix

Disney Entertainment has signed an expansive content licensing agreement with Netflix that will bring all five "Ice Age" films, the first two seasons of "Percy Jackson and the Olympians," current series including "Will Trent" and a slate of library titles to the rival streamer on a nonexclusive basis.

The deal, first reported by Variety, reflects a pragmatic calculation: Disney and Netflix compete for streaming subscribers, but Disney views Netflix's customer base of over 325 million as a way to monetize and promote its own content — and, as the report puts it, Netflix is happy to write the checks.

Parts of the arrangement function as promotion for upcoming releases. "Percy Jackson and the Olympians" Seasons 1-2 will be available on Netflix globally beginning Oct. 4 as part of a three-month promotional window ahead of its Season 3 premiere on Disney+ on Nov. 20.

The same logic applies to the animated franchise. All five of 20th Century Studios' "Ice Age" films — "Ice Age" (2002), "Ice Age: The Meltdown" (2006), "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" (2009), "Ice Age: Continental Drift" (2012) and "Ice Age: Collision Course" (2016) — will stream on Netflix worldwide beginning Oct. 4 in a separate three-month promotional window. The franchise's sixth installment, "Ice Age: Boiling Point," reaches theaters on Feb. 5, 2027.

Three current series from 20th Television are also part of the package. Crime drama "Will Trent" Seasons 1-4 arrives on Netflix globally on Nov. 3, ahead of the Season 5 premiere on ABC in early 2027. Sitcom "Shifting Gears" Seasons 1-2 begins streaming Dec. 1 in the U.S. and internationally in January, ahead of its Season 3 premiere on ABC on Jan. 7, 2027. Action-drama "Tracker" Seasons 1-3 will be available on Netflix internationally outside the U.S. as of Feb. 26, 2027, under a multiyear term; its Season 4 premieres on CBS on Oct. 4.

The agreement includes a selection of non-franchised Disney-branded films from Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar. Beginning in early 2027, the Oscar-winning "Soul," "Elio," "Raya and the Last Dragon" and other titles will stream on Netflix globally, with availability and launch dates varying by region.

Library series round out the deal. "Felicity" lands on Netflix in the U.S. on Oct. 7 and internationally at later dates; "Revenge" and "Army Wives" go global; "Fresh Off the Boat" will be available in the U.S. and select regions; and "This Is Us" returns to Netflix internationally outside the U.S., after a previous U.S. licensing run in 2024-25.

The new titles join Disney-owned content already licensed to Netflix, including "Grey's Anatomy," "Arrested Development," "Scandal" and "Black-ish."

From Disney's perspective, the expanded pact is a win-win, according to the report: broader visibility for its titles, millions in incremental revenue, and more content offerings for Netflix. Disney is not abandoning its core strategy — Disney-branded titles remain largely exclusive to its own platforms and channels, and everything currently on Disney+ (including the "Ice Age" movies and "Percy Jackson") and Hulu will stay there.

Netflix, meanwhile, continues to fund originals alongside its licensed lineup. Its recent animated hits include "KPop Demon Hunters" and "Swapped," and its upcoming slate features "Steps" (Nov. 20), "Charlie vs. the Chocolate Factory" and Guillermo del Toro's "The Buried Giant," with sequels to "Leo" and "KPop Demon Hunters" in the works.

The agreement signals that licensing between direct streaming rivals has become standard business — and with promotional windows timed to theatrical and broadcast premieres, more such deals likely follow.