December – and Christmas – are upon us, and with the festive period comes a bunch of new movies and TV shows to stream on Netflix, BBC iPlayer, Amazon and more while you wait for Christmas dinner. As you’d hope for, there’s plenty to choose from, with murder mysteries, new versions of children’s classics, and gripping true crime dramas, so get stuck into our guide of the best things to stream this December. Here’s what to watch this Christmas…
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Kicking off the list, we’ve got one of the year’s most anticipated films: Rian Johnson’s sequel to his modern murder mystery Knives Out. Glass Onion sees the return of master detective Benoit Blanc, who takes on a new case, this time in Greece. Much like the previous film, this comedy whodunnit features an ensemble cast, with Edward Norton, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monae, Jessica Henwick, Leslie Odom Jr, Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline, and Dave Bautista all featuring. The basic premise is that tech billionaire Miles Bron (Norton) invites several of his friends to a getaway on his private Greek island – but someone turns up dead, bringing Blanc into the fold. The perfect mystery to watch with the family this Christmas.
Release date: 23.12.22
Lady Chatterley’s Lover
The erotic novel Lady Chatterley’s Lover gets a modern update with a new Netflix adaptation, starring The Crown’s Emma Corin. The book was highly controversial at the time of its original release in the 1920s, but this version includes all the steaminess of the original story. Corrin stars as Lady Chatterley, a woman in an unfulfilling marriage, who decides to have an affair with the gamekeeper, Oliver Mellors (Jack O’Connell). Emotions run high and class divisions are exposed as the pair begin their torrid affair, despite its taboo nature. The film was released in select cinemas in November for a limited run but now comes to Netflix on 2nd December, and also stars Joely Richardson, Ella Hunt, and Faye Marsay.
Release date: 2.12.22
Guillermo’s del Toro’s Pinocchio
We’ve already had one Pinocchio adaptation this year courtesy of Disney, but this one looks to be a bit more original: Guillermo del Toro brings out his more child-friendly side for his own spin on the story of a toy who wants to be a real boy. This version takes place in 1930s fascist Italy and is a stop-motion animated musical. David Bradley (Harry Potter, Doctor Who) plays Master Geppeto, Christoph Waltz (Inglorious Basterds, No Time To Die) plays Count Volpe, Ewan McGregor plays Sebastian J. Cricket, and the cast also features Tilda Swinton, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, John Tuturro, and Tim Blake Nelson.
Release date: 9.12.22
Matilda The Musical
Everyone remembers Danny Devito’s much beloved 1996 version of Matilda starring Mara Wilson, but this new version of the classic Roald Dahl story is based on the stage musical version, with songs by Tim Minchin. Netflix’s new adaptation stars newcomer Alisha Weir in the title role as a precocious girl who stands up for herself and makes a difference in her life. It also features Bond star Lashana Lynch as Matilda’s teacher, Miss Honey; Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough as Matilda’s parents; and the legendary Emma Thompson as Matilda’s fearsome headmistress, Ms Trunchbull. The film’s receiving glowing reviews from the BFI London Film Festival and is set to arrive on Netflix on Christmas Day.
Release date: 25.12.22
His Dark Materials Series 3
The BBC/HBO fantasy series following Phillip Pullman’s novel trilogy, His Dark Materials, returns this December for a third and final season with eight episodes. It continues the story of Lyra (played by Dafne Keen) and her attempts to escape the villainous Magisterium organisation and her own mother (played by Ruth Wilson), who kidnapped her at the end of the last series. Adapting the events of the last book in the trilogy, The Amber Spyglass, the series will also see the return of James Macavoy as Lord Asriel, as he assembles an army from across the multiverse. Other cast members making a return include Will Keen, Amir Wilson, and Lin-Manuel Miranda, and the ambitious series will arrive in the UK on Sunday 18th December.
Release date: 18.12.22
Release date: 15.12.22
Emily In Paris
If guilty pleasure was a TV series, it’d be Emily In Paris: the hugely popular series about Lily Collin’s Emily and her life living in the French capital returns this month for a third helping. This new season focuses on Emily having chosen to get closer to her Season 2 boyfriend Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) while repeatedly finding herself bumping into Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), who she also has something of a crush on. Plenty more of the awkwardness and glamorous fashion is in store, as well as Emily’s new bangs hair- which she cuts in the show’s teaser trailer, to the dismay of her best friend Mindy Chen.
Release date: 21.12.22
Litvinenko
ITV Hub is relaunching itself as streaming service ITVX, and is fully launching on 8th December, alongside new ITV drama Litvinenko. The series stars David Tennant in the title role in this timely series that focuses on former KGB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who was poisoned with radioactive polonium in London in 2006 and later died a few weeks later. As well as Tennant’s Litvinenko himself, the series also focuses on The Scotland Yard officers who investigated the case and tried to find out who was responsible – despite denials from Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Mark Bonnar, Barry Sloane, Margarita Levieva, and Neil Maskell also star, and the series is being written by Lupin writer George Kay.