Fandango 2023 Holiday Preview

Welcome to the home stretch of 2023! As the days get cooler and shorter, we’re looking forward to nestling into the warm, plush seats of the multiplex and watching some of the best movies of the year. Here’s your guide to what’s coming your way, complete with exclusive images.

 

NOVEMBER 2023

Priscilla

PRISCILLA
November 3

When movies tell the story of Elvis Presley, his wife Priscilla is often an afterthought to the plot. Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla puts the woman front and center. Cailee Spaeny stars as the teenaged Priscilla, who’s swept up in Elvis’s (Jacob Elordi) world. It’s a movie about two people from different worlds, tracing their long, often-turbulent relationship to shed light on a person who’s more than “Mrs. Elvis Presley”.
 
 

The Marvels

THE MARVELS
November 10

Leading a team is an unfamiliar experience for Carol Danvers. Actually, it’s been a while since she was on a team, period. Getting captured and brainwashed by the Kree will do that to a person. But as it turns out, taking on the Kree and stabilizing the universe isn’t the kind of thing even a superhero can do alone. Fortunately, when Danvers is thrown together with two other Marvels, they make a powerful team. Brie Larson's Carol stars alongside Teyonah Harris as Monica Rambeau, last seen in the WandaVision TV series, and Iman Vellani reprising her role of Kamala Khan from Ms. Marvel. Nia DaCosta directs.

 

It's A Wonderful Knife

IT'S A WONDERFUL KNIFE
November 10

In Tyler MacIntyre's holiday-horror mash-up, a young woman who saved her town from a serial killer one Christmas Eve (as one does), makes the mistake of wishing she’d never been born. Suddenly, she finds herself in an alternate universe where the killer is back for another round. To get back to her own world, she’s going to have to track down the killer and set things right.

 

Journey to Bethlehem

JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM
November 10

The story of Christmas gets a musical twist, as it combines classic holiday songs with contemporary pop. Fiona Palomo and Milo Manheim star as the journeying Mary and Joseph; Antonio Banderas is King Herod, who will do whatever he needs to do to stay in power.

 

The Holdovers

THE HOLDOVERS
Limited release October 27; wide release November 10

It’s the holiday season at a New England prep school, and someone has to keep an eye on the kids with nowhere to go. That “someone” turns out to be the gruff instructor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti). Over the course of a break, he’ll form unexpected bonds with Angus (Dominic Sessa), a troubled and troublemaking student, and the school’s head cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph), who’s carrying burdens of her own. The Holdovers has been a favorite on the fall festival circuit and in limited release, and it will be playing everywhere on November 10.

 

Dream Scenario

DREAM SCENARIO
November 10

Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) is an ordinary guy, right up until the night when he starts appearing in millions of strangers’ dreams. His life’s bizarre turn is chronicled in a movie that’s absurd, joyfully chaotic and really, really funny.
 
 
 

The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES
November 17

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes takes us to Panem 64 years before the events of The Hunger Games, when young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blyth) is assigned to mentor District 12 tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler). He’s caught between loyalty to his family and his own desire to rise in Panem’s power structure; she’s determined to survive the Games, and she’s a quick study in those same power structures. With secret agendas and shifting loyalties, the audience is left to figure out who’s the songbird and who’s the snake.

 

Next Goal Wins

NEXT GOAL WINS
November 17

True story: The 2001 American Samoa soccer team was really bad. Like, “loses a match 31-0” bad. So they brought in coach Thomas Rongen (played here by Michael Fassbender) to get them into some sort of competitive shape… if he can control his temper. Taika Waititi directed and co-wrote, and the supporting cast features Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley and Rachel House.
 
 
Thanksgiving
 
THANKSGIVING
November 17
 
Pushed over the edge by a Black Friday riot, a Thanksgiving-inspired serial killer is on the loose in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Can the townspeople stop the killer before the killer carves up the whole town? Thanksgiving began life as a fictitious trailer in 2007’s Grindhouse, and it looks like Eli Roth had the time of his life expanding the story.
 
 
Trolls Band Together
 
 
The Trolls are back in theaters this season, and this time, it’s all about family. Well, families and music. And families that make music. But mostly family. Poppy is shocked to discover that her love Branch and his brothers once made up her favorite boy band. Now one of the brothers is in trouble, and saving him is going to take getting the band back together after all this time. Meanwhile, she’s startled by Viva, who turns out to be the high-energy sister she never knew she had! Expect lots of musical shenanigans when this one hits the multiplex.
 
 
Saltburn
 
SALTBURN
November 22
 
Emerald Fennell blew us all away with her first feature, Promising Young Woman. Now she’s back with Saltburn, a pitch-black comedy already getting major awards buzz. Barry Keoghan, usually cast in supporting roles, is front and center as a working-class Oxford student who accepts a new friend’s invitation to spend the summer at his family’s lavish estate.
 
 
Napoleon
 
NAPOLEON
November 22
 
Ridley Scott is back in “epic” mode, directing Joaquin Phoenix in this examination of the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte. Napoleon's political maneuverings and battlefield prowess are only half the story, as he also battles through a volatile relationship with Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).
 
 
Wish
 
WISH
November 22
 
Disney celebrates its 100th birthday with this charmer of an animated movie. Ariana DeBose lends her voice to Asha, who sets out to save her community from the terrible King Magnifico (Chris Pine) with only her bravery, wits and a little help from a star.
 
 
 
DECEMBER 2023
 
Godzilla Minus One

 

GODZILLA MINUS ONE
December 1

Postwar Japan is already struggling. What will they do when Godzilla stomps onto the scene? Godzilla’s saga continues in the fifth film in Toho Studios’ Reiwa era. Takashi Yamazaki directs and wrote the screenplay, and Ryunosuke Kamiki and Minami Hamabe lead the cast.
 
 

 

HOW THE GRINGO STOLE CHRISTMAS
December 1

 

In this refreshing spin on a favorite movie trope, George Lopez is a father excited to welcome his daughter home for the holidays. He’s not expecting his daughter to bring a boyfriend… or for that boyfriend to be white. How the Gringo Stole Christmas is a good-hearted comedy about family, identity and learning to see people for who they truly are.

 

Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce

RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ
December 1

Beyoncé takes us through the development and performance of her Renaissance World Tour. Beyoncé is involved in every aspect of production of the tour, and her film showcases her creativity, dedication and purpose as she creates a joyful experience for her millions of fans.

 

The Shift

THE SHIFT
December 1

An encounter with a mysterious stranger sends a man to a dystopian reality. Can he survive long enough to figure out a way back to his wife in his original world? Kristoffer Polaha and Neil McDonough star in this sci-fi thriller from Angel Studios.

 

Silent Night

SILENT NIGHT
December 1

When a boy dies in Christmas Eve crossfire, his father (Joel Kinnaman) sets out to avenge his son’s death. Director John Woo delivers another action masterpiece.

 

Waitress The Musical

WAITRESS THE MUSICAL
December 7

If you haven’t had a chance to see Waitress The Musical on Broadway – or if you have, and you want to relive the experience – you’re going to want to make your reservations for this one. Composer and lyricist Sara Bareilles stars as Jenna, a small-town waitress and piemaker, who sees a chance to reclaim her life. It’s a delicious exploration of friendship, dreams and the power of great pie.

 

Poor Things

POOR THINGS
December 8

Director Yorgos Lanthimos loves a good twist on a classic story, and he delivers a superb one in Poor Things. A Victorian scientist (Willem Dafoe) brings a young woman (Emma Stone) back to life, and finds out that she’s not at all what she expected. She wants to see the world and experience what life has to offer, and there’s a shady lawyer (Mark Ruffalo) that’s happy to make that happen.

 

The Boy and the Heron

THE BOY AND THE HERON
December 8

A new film from master animator Hayao Miyazaki is always reason to celebrate. The Boy and the Heron follows a boy who investigates a mysterious tower and the magical world that lay beyond. A talking heron accompanies him every step of the way. It’s a beautiful film, enhanced by an English-language voice cast that includes Christian Bale, Gemma Chan, Florence Pugh and Robert Pattinson.

 

American Fiction

AMERICAN FICTION
Limited release December 15; wide release December 22

Writer Monk (Jeffrey Wright) is frustrated with the entertainment industry profiting off the well-worn and offensive Black tropes, so he writes a novel under a pen name that launches him into the heart of the beast. Writer Cord Jefferson makes his directorial debut with the funniest take on racism, culture and relationships we’ve seen in a long time.
 
 
 
Wonka
 
WONKA
December 15
 
How did Willy Wonka become the eccentric chocolatier we’ve come to know from books and movies? Timothee Chalamet portrays the young Wonka on his musical journey of adventure, determination and imagination.
 
 
The Zone of Interest
 
 
How can you lead an ordinary life when the ultimate evil is happening on the other side of a wall? Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest follows Rudolph Höss (Christian Friedel), the commandant of the Auschwitz death camp, and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) as they create an idyllic family life detached from the horrors he facilitates right next door.
 
 
 
Anyone But You
 
ANYONE BUT YOU
December 22
 
How about a little vacation romcom to warm your winter? Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) have a bit of a history, which complicates things when they’re invited to a destination wedding in Australia. Solution? Pretend they’re a couple, of course!
 
 
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
 
 
Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) has settled into a comfortable life as the king of Atlantis, but Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is out for some serious revenge. Aquaman must team up with his estranged brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) if they’re going to save the underwater world.
 
 
All Of Us Strangers
 
December 22
 
A screenwriter (Andrew Scott) starts a relationship with his mysterious neighbor (Paul Mescal). At the same time, he’s drawn back to his childhood home, where his parents (Jamie Bell and Claire Foy) are eager to catch up on his life. Thing is, the parents died 30 years ago. All of Us Strangers has drawn raves on the fall festival circuit, and it's part of the early awards conversation.
 
 
Migration
 
MIGRATION
December 22
 
We love a good family road trip movie, and that’s exactly what Illumination is bringing us: The story of a family of ducks embarking on a winter vacation to warmer climes. Dad (voiced by Kumail Nanjiani) isn’t so sure about the endeavor, but his wife (Elizabeth Banks) and ducklings are eager for adventure. Along the way, they’ll see new places, meet strange new birds and learn what it means to be a family.
 
 
The Iron Claw
 
THE IRON CLAW
December 22
 
The Von Erich family was a major force in ‘80s pro wrestling, and writer-director Sean Durkin is more than up to the challenge of telling their story. The Iron Claw centers on brothers Kevin Von Erich (Zac Efron) and Kerry Von Erich (Jeremy Allen White) as they wrestle inside and outside the ring.
 
 
The Color Purple
 
THE COLOR PURPLE
December 25
 
An all-star cast brings the hit Broadway version of The Color Purple to the big screen. Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks and Fantasia Barrino star in the musical story of a figure who faces her life’s challenges head-on with the support of the amazing women in her life.
 
 
The Boys in the Boat
 
 
If you think of rowing as a sport reserved for the moneyed elite, meet The Boys in the Boat. George Clooney directs an adaptation of Daniel James Brown’s bestselling history of the 1936 U.S. Olympic rowing team, focusing on the eight-man boat manned by working-class rowers from the University of Washington. Personal histories, the Great Depression and the lead-up to WWII intertwine to give us one of the great underdog tales of all time.
 
 
 
Ferrari
 
FERRARI
December 25
 
1957 was a pivotal year in the life of Enzo Ferrari, and it’s the focus of this biopic. Adam Driver stars as the driver-turned-race car company impresario, who’s facing multiple personal crises while trying to keep his company afloat. Penelope Cruz co-stars as his wife and company co-founder.