For film lovers, there’s no time of the year more wonderful than the holiday movie season. Here’s your guide to the best movies coming your way in November and December, complete with over a dozen exclusive images.
NOVEMBER 2024
A REAL PAIN
November 1
Jesse Eisenberg wrote, directed and stars in this tale of two cousins who sign up for a group tour of Poland to honor the wishes of their grandmother. As the strait-laced David (Eisenberg) and the more volatile Benji (Kieran Culkin) make their way through the country, they’ll grapple with their family’s history and the distance between them.
BLITZ
November 1
In 1940, Rita (Saoirse Ronan) makes the heartbreaking decision to send her young son George (Elliott Heffernan) away to the countryside to escape German bombing. George takes his first opportunity to start making his way back to London, while Rita learns that George hasn’t reached his destination and embarks on a frantic search for her son.
THE BEST CHRISTMAS PAGEANT EVER
November 8
November 8
Based on the classic children’s book, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever tells the story of what happens when a family of unruly kids barges their way into roles in the local Christmas pageant. Will everything fall apart, or will everyone learn a little something about Christmas spirit? The Chosen creator Dallas Jenkins directs this family-friendly movie.
November 8
Two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are drawn into a twisted game of wits with a man who’s not quite what he seems (Hugh Grant).
November 15
Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) has been kidnapped. Getting him back in time for Christmas is going to take an ace team of operatives led by Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans and Lucy Liu. Throw in Krampus, a polar bear security agent and some knife-wielding Yeti, and you have the perfect action comedy for your early holiday season entertainment.
WICKED
November 22
John M. Chu directs this adaptation of the Broadway smash. Long before Dorothy Gale landed in Oz, young Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) and Glinda (Ariana Grande) met at Shiz University and forged an unlikely and powerful friendship. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see their paths diverge as they fulfill their destinies to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good.
November 22
Ridley Scott returns to direct the sequel to his Oscar-winning epic from 2000. This time around, Paul Mescal stars as Emperor Marcus Aurelius’ grandson Lucius. Despite his mother’s efforts to keep him safe as a young boy, Lucius is enslaved and forced into gladiatorial combat. Pedro Pascal co-stars as Marcus Acacius, the Roman general who becomes the object of Lucius’ wrath, and Denzel Washington is Macrinus, a wise man with an agenda all his ownn.
November 22
Angel Studios brings us the extraordinary story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German theologian and Nazi opponent. When he’s brought into a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, Boenhoeffer must decide whether to uphold his pacifist convictions or risk his life to save millions of people.
November 27
Head back to Oceania with this Disney animated sequel. When her ancestors call, Moana (voiced by Auli’I Cravalho) sets out for adventure – with a little help from Maui (Dwayne Johnson) and the people she loves.
November 27
William Lee (Daniel Craig) is an American expat in 1950s Mexico City, living a rather aimless existence until he meets young Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey). Luca Guadagnino directs this adaptation of William Burroughs’ semi-autobiographical novel.
November 29; expanding nationwide December 13
Sometimes history happens when you least expect it – like during the 1972 Olympics, when Israeli athletes were taken hostage. This tense drama tells the story of the day through the eyes of the broadcast journalists who covered it.
DECEMBER 2024
December 6
Women who take time away from their careers to raise children can start to feel like they’re becoming a different being entirely. In Nightbitch, one suburban mother (Amy Adams), doesn’t just feel like it.
December 6
In Kyle Mooney’s comedy Y2K, it’s December 31, 1999, and two teenagers (Jaeden Martell and Julian Dennison) are crashing the biggest party in town. So far, so ‘90s teen movie, right? Except ‘90s teen movies never had to contend with the Y2K bug. When midnight hits, the teens find themselves in a very different kind of movie.
December 6
Most movies inspired by The Odyssey focus on the journey. The Return considers what happens when Odysseus gets home. Ralph Fiennes stars as the warrior determined to return to his home and family; Juliette Binoche co-stars as Penelope, who has spent the past decades contending with suitors who see a rich widow, ripe for the marrying – if they can get rid of Odysseus and Penelope’s son Telemachus (Charlie Plummer).
December 6
What if a supermoon caused every human exposed to moonlight to turn into a werewolf for the night? It wasn’t pretty when it happened a year before Werewolves is set, and now the supermoon is coming back for more. Can the planet survive?
December 6
Just a nice family getaway to a remote island… that happens to be inhabited by a whole lot of people (among them a serial killer) who don’t want the outsiders there during a local festival. Nick Frost wrote and stars in a comedic horror movie that doesn’t skimp on either genre.
December 6
Jharrel Jerome stars in the real-life story of collegiate wrestler Anthony Robles, a young man born with one leg, whose determination and spirit helped propel him to the top of his sport. Jennifer Lopez gives an unforgettable performance as Anthony's mother, Judy, and Don Cheadle and Michael Peña are two of the coaches who encouraged Anthony to follow his dream.
December 13
A Marvel supervillain gets an origin story in this addition to the Sony Spider-Man Universe. Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars as the feared hunter whose father (Russell Crowe) pushes him onto the road of vengeance. Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger and Christopher Abbott co-star as some of the characters he meets along the way.
December 13
Middle-Earth gets an anime spin in director Kenji Kamiyama’s prequel. It’s 183 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and the house of Helm Hammersmith is under attack. Can Helm and his daughter Hera lead their people through a do-or-die last stand?
December 13
In Jim Crow-era Florida, two young Black men lean on each other to survive a sadistic reform school. Based on the bestselling novel by Colson Whitehead, Nickel Boys features impactful performances from stars Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor that are already inspiring Oscar buzz.
December 20
How did Mufasa become the Lion King? Have a seat and let Rafiki tell you all about an orphaned cub, a royal friend and the family that formed along the way. Most of the cast of the 2019 version of The Lion King is back for this one, with Aaron Pierre and Kelvin Harrison Jr. joining to voice young Mufasa and Taka, respectively. Barry Jenkins directs, and Lin-Manuel Miranda provides new songs.
December 20
A new threat is on the horizon – as if Sonic, Tails and Knuckles didn’t have enough Dr. Robotnik chaos to contend with! The main cast from Sonic 2 is back on board, once again led by Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, Idris Elba and Colleen O’Shaughnessey. Keanu Reeves joins as the mysterious Shadow.
December 20
Adrien Brody stars as architect László Toth, a Hungarian architect who emigrates to the US after surviving the Holocaust. His life becomes intertwined with a wealthy, secretive client (Guy Pearce). Felicity Jones co-stars as László’s wife Erzsébet, and Joe Alwyn is the client’s volatile son.
December 20
In Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar's first English-language film, Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore give powerhouse performances as old friends whose lives come back together at a crucial point. This engaging melodrama won the top prize at the 2024 Venice International Film Festival.
December 20
Angel Studios, better known for its faith-based dramas, expands into post-apocalyptic action-adventure. After a catastrophic event, America is in chaos. One man and his family finds refuge in The Homestead, a wealthy family’s mountain fortress. As the world outside falls apart, can their faith help them survive?
December 25
Director Robert Eggers goes back to basics with his take on the classic 1922 silent film – itself a direct take on Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula. Bill Skarsgård brings the vampire Nosferatu to life (well, death, but you know what we mean). Lily-Rose Depp portrays Ellen, the object of Nosferatu’s affection; Nicholas Hoult is the man caught in the middle.
December 25
Before he was an icon, Bob Dylan (Timothée Chalamet) was just another young man with a guitar. A Complete Unknown follows Dylan through the folk scene of 1960s New York as he encounters icons like Pete Seeger (Ed Norton), Joan Baez (Monica Barbaro) and Woody Guthrie (Scoot McNairy; falls in love with Sylvie Russo (Elle Fanning); develops his own artistry; and approaches a crossroads that could change the culture forever.
December 25
A high-powered CEO embarks on a sexy affair with a young intern. So far, so familiar? Not when the CEO is embodied by Nicole Kidman and the intern is one Harris Dickinson. A24 serves up this very sexy thriller just in time for Christmas.
December 25
Cinematographer Rachel Morrison makes her feature directorial debut with this biopic. Ryan Destiny stars as boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields, a Flint, MI native; Brian Tyree Henry supports as Jason Crutchfield, the coach who helped her become an Olympic gold medalist.
December 25
The true story of British pop star Robbie Williams, from his early days in boy band Take That through his successful solo career. Jonno Davies stars as Williams… in the form of a motion-captured chimpanzee. It’s a take on the musical biopic that you have to see for yourself. Trust us.
