Picture Credit: Sony Pictures
If you’re a subscriber to Netflix’s Standard with Ads plan, you will notice a welcome change when logging in today if you go out in search of newer or older Sony Pictures movies. Overnight, Netflix has quietly removed the infamous “padlock” icon from Sony Pictures movies, unlocking both legacy catalog titles and recent Pay-1 window releases for ad-tier users for the first time and much earlier than expected.
This comes as a massive—and very welcome—Easter surprise.
Ever since Netflix struck its monumental global deal with Sony Pictures in 2021 to bring all of Sony’s theatrical output to Netflix, including massive franchises like Spider-Man and the upcoming Legend of Zelda, there’s been a glaring catch for a growing segment of the subscriber base. Due to pre-existing licensing constraints, those massive theatrical releases were kept strictly behind a paywall, available exclusively to Premium and Standard ad-free subscribers.
In fact, if you regularly checked our running list of movies and series unavailable on Netflix’s ad-tier, you know that Sony Pictures titles historically made up a massive chunk of the restricted library, which, as of recently, made up around 1.5% of the overall library. Ad-tier subscribers attempting to watch recent box office hits during their “Pay-1 window” (the period shortly after a theatrical release when a movie makes its streaming debut) were met with a prompt to upgrade their plan.
So, why is this a shock? Because it’s happening way ahead of schedule.
We previously confirmed that Sony Pictures movies wouldn’t be integrated into Netflix’s ad-tier until 2027. That’s because of the brand-new deal, which kicks in in 2027 and extends the first-window deal globally. Netflix confirmed to us that all its movies would be available on the ad tier. It appears Netflix and Sony have gone back to the negotiating table to hammer out an addendum, successfully clearing the licensing hurdles to allow ads to run alongside these titles much earlier than anticipated.
What does this mean for Ad-Tier Subscribers?
Effective immediately, the block is lifted. This applies to two major categories of Sony content:
- Legacy Catalog Titles: Older Sony Pictures movies licensed to Netflix (think classic comedies, legacy action franchises, and older Marvel properties) are now fully playable with ads.
- The Pay-1 Window Releases: The fresh-from-the-theater blockbusters are now available to everyone.
That means recent additions such as 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Clika, Nuremberg, Annaconda, and Sisu: Road to Revenge are now available on the ad tier. That also extends to older catalog titles like Pixels, Vertical Limit, The Glass House, and The Brothers Grimsby, to name but a few.
This is incredibly well-timed for subscribers. If you take a look at our preview of Sony Pictures movies coming to Netflix in 2026 and beyond, the pipeline is absolutely stacked. Unlocking these titles now means ad-tier users won’t miss out on some of the biggest streaming premieres of the year without having to fork over the extra cash for a premium, ad-free plan.
Have you noticed the padlock disappearing from Sony titles on your account? What’s the first Sony movie you’ll be firing up on the ad tier today? Let us know in the comments down below!