As November winds down and the yuletide season quietly begins to creep in, it’s hard not to wonder what cinematic gifts December has in store.
For movie lovers, December is traditionally a magical time—when studios roll out their biggest, boldest, and most inspiring films in hopes of connecting with wide audiences during the holidays.
This year is no exception. December is packed with ambitious releases that promise spectacle, heart, and plenty of festive excitement. Here are the top five theatrical releases you should be looking forward to most next month.
TOP 5
5. THE SHINING: 45TH ANNIVERSARY IMAX
For its forty-fifth anniversary, Stanley Kubrick’s immortal horror film is getting a release on IMAX screens, and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it.
The Shining is one of the defining cinematic experiences of the past century, so the opportunity to see it as big and loud as humanly possible is not one I’m going to pass up.
The film did get a wide re-release back in 2019, just before Mike Flanagan’s follow-up, Doctor Sleep, came out, but that was predominantly in Dolby. This is IMAX—which is, and I cannot stress this enough, the way Kubrick films are meant to be seen.
When 2001: A Space Odyssey was released in IMAX back in 2018, I saw it five different times over the course of a single weekend, because I am insane and also because it was the most transportive experience I had ever had in a theater, and I couldn’t stop going back for more.
Chances are that my view count for The Shining in IMAX will be lower, out of sheer necessity, but I am nonetheless incredibly psyched for this—and you should be too.
Release Date: December 12th
4. MARTY SUPREME
After The Smashing Machine earlier this year—directed by one half of the former Safdie Brothers directing duo—the other brother, Josh, is now releasing his own biographical sports drama in the form of the Timothée Chalamet–starring ping-pong film Marty Supreme.
It’s always fascinating when a directing team splits and begins tackling projects independently; you get to see which elements of their shared craft carry over and which ones evolve. But the fact that the duo behind Good Time and Uncut Gems split up and will have each delivered an A-list–starred sports drama by the end of the year makes this an even wilder situation.
I personally wasn’t huge on The Smashing Machine, and I’ve found every trailer for Marty Supreme released so far to be nothing short of endlessly compelling. So yes, I’m genuinely jazzed to see what Josh Safdie brings to the table here.
Release Date: December 25th
3. MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG
Stephen Sondheim is, in my estimation, one of the greatest writers in all of American history. Experiencing any one of his works across his illustrious career is essentially a masterclass in storytelling and musical composition. By all accounts, the recent Broadway production of his iconic play Merrily We Roll Along—starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez—was nothing short of spectacular. It swept multiple Tony Awards, and its soundtrack is absolutely jaw-dropping.
So the fact that a filmed version of that very production is coming to theaters this December is absolutely not an opportunity I’m going to miss. Sondheim is a master, and getting the chance to see this Tony-winning production roar to life on the big screen sounds downright stupendous.
Release Date: December 5th
2. THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE
I know very little about Mona Fastvold and Brady Corbet’s upcoming follow-up to last year’s terrific, Academy Award–winning film The Brutalist—other than that it stars Amanda Seyfried, is a musical period piece, and looks absolutely bonkers. For all these reasons and more, I’m beyond excited to check this thing out when it releases.
Fastvold and Corbet have been quietly making some of the most interesting films of the past decade, but The Brutalist launched them onto an entirely new platform. I can’t wait to see how they capitalize on that momentum here.
Release Date: December 25th
1. AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH
Was it even a question?
James Cameron’s latest Avatar sequel ranks so high on my list because his 2022 follow-up to the seminal 2009 hit was one of the most striking and impressive big-screen sequels I’d seen in years. The way he deepened and strengthened nearly every element of the story kept it firmly in true James Cameron–sequel territory—after all, this is the man who made Aliens and Terminator 2: Judgment Day. I can’t wait to see how he continues pushing the story, craft, and technology forward on the biggest canvas possible.
I will be there opening night, in the IMAX 3D, witnessing Payakan’s glorious return and spreading the gospel.
Release Date: December 19th
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