2024 Holiday Movie Preview: The Complete Guide

The year is nearly over, but there’s still plenty of reasons to visit your local movie theater before 2025 begins. From big franchise entries to indie darlings and award contenders, some of the most anticipated movies of the year are coming in the next three weeks. Here’s your guide to the movies coming out during the 2024 holiday season.

With time off work, gift-shopping trips, and kids to keep entertained, these last few weeks of the year are the perfect time to stop at the movie theater. Studios are counting on that, judging by some of the heavy-hitters coming out this month. We’re closing out the year with franchises including Marvel, The Lord of the Rings, The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog, not to mention star-studded blockbusters and indie films with award buzz. There are releases from all genres, so there is sure to be a crowd-pleaser below.

Keep in mind that many movies that have come out in recent weeks will likely stay in theaters through the end of the year, even if they also appear on PVOD streaming services. Read on for all the movies getting a wide theatrical release before 2024 is over.

Kraven the Hunter

Sony’s next Spider-Man-adjacent movie hits theaters on Friday, December 13th. Kraven the Hunter stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson in a modern take on one of Marvel’s most flamboyant villains. If you’re a Marvel fan who hasn’t been keeping up with these Sony releases, you may want to jump in now as the MCU’s multiverse has shown it could pull in characters from any continuity at any time.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

There is a lot going on in the Lord of the Rings franchise, but The War of the Rohirrim may be the most fresh and exciting project on the slate. It brings legendary anime director Kenji Kamiyama to Middle-earth, promising an epic adventure unrestricted by conventional filming capabilities. It’s the best of both worlds, with Philippa Boyens – writer and producer of Peter Jackson’s trilogy – on board as a writer and producer of this movie and Miranda Otto reprising her role as Éowyn. The movie even includes archival recordings of Christopher Lee voicing Saruman.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is set 183 years before the start of The Fellowship of the Ring. It’s about Rohan’s war against the Dunlendings – a conflict that served as background in the main trilogy, but will make for an exciting story in its own right. The movie hits theaters on Friday, December 13th.

The Last Showgirl

Pamela Anderson stars in The Last Showgirl – a drama about a Las Vegas dancer trying to plan her future after three decades on the same stage. She co-stars with Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka, Billie Lourd and Jason Schwartzman. The movie created a lot of buzz when it premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year, so it’s definitely worth catching in theaters starting on Friday, December 13th.

The Man in the White Van

A horror movie at Christmas is scary enough, but The Man in the White Van is based on true events. It stars Madison Wolfe as Annie, a young girl who feels she is being stalked by a mysterious white van even though no one believes her. Her parents are played by Ali Larter and Sean Astin, while her sister is played by Brec Bassinger. This thriller is perfect for Halloween-lovers around the holidays.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 will be out on Friday, December 20th. The die-hard fans have been waiting eagerly for this movie, and so far it’s shaping up to deliver on all their hopes. Not only does it introduce Shadow the Hedgehog – he is voiced by Keanu Reeves. The movie also promises double the Jim Carrey as he plays both Dr. Ivo Robotnik and his grandfather, Gerald Robotnik. This should be a popular choice with both families and long-time fans.

Mufasa: The Lion King

The Lion King prequel Mufasa may be the most successful movie of this batch if families with young children turn out as hoped. It tells the story of Mufasa becoming the king of Pride Rock for the first time ever, revealing that he and Scar are actually adopted brothers. Mufasa: The Lion King hits theaters on December 20th.

The Brutalist

The Brutalist is already an award contender and a favorite among critics who caught it at the Venice International Film Festival in September. It stars Adrien Brody as architect László Tóth, who was forcibly separated from his wife and niece during the Holocaust. After emigrating to the U.S., he became a sensation for pioneering the “brutalist” style. The movie depicts all the horrors of his personal life, and is definitely not a feel-good holiday film. It will be in theaters starting on Friday, December 20th.

A Complete Unknown

Timothée Chalamet stars in the latest biopic of legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, with co-stars including Edward Norton and Elle Fanning. The movie focuses specifically on Dylan’s life and career between 1961 and 1965 – the time between his debut as a hero in the folk revival genre to his transition into rock ‘n’ roll with an electric guitar and a full band. A Complete Unknown debuts in theaters on December 25th.

Babygirl

If you’ve seen the trailer for Babygirl, you definitely remember it. Nicole Kidman plays a powerful CEO while Harris Dickinson plays Samuel, an intern with whom she finds herself having an affair. The movie explores power and sexual dynamics while spinning out a tangled web of drama. It hits theaters on Wednesday, December 25th.

Nosferatu

Robert Eggers’ star-studded take on Nosferatu has been hotly anticipated by horror fans for nearly a decade now, and it will finally be out on Christmas Day. The movie stars Lily-Rose Depp as Ellen Hutter and Bill Skarsgård as the Transylvanian vampire Count Orlok. The cast includes Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney and Willem Dafoe.

The Fire Inside

The Fire Inside tells the true story of boxer Claressa “T-Rex” Shields training for the 2012 Summer Olympics. Ryan Destiny plays the athlete herself while Brian Tyree Henry plays her coach, Jason Crutchfield. The movie became a critical darling on the festival circuit and it is finally getting a widespread theatrical release this Christmas. It hits theaters – hard – on December 25th.

Wicked Sing-Along

For many people, Christmas is a time for re-watches and comfortable nostalgia, whic is perfectly valid. Even then, you may find yourself drawn to the theater for a special re-release of Wicked as a sing-along event. Fans will be encouraged to join Elphaba in song starting on Wednesday, December 25th. Just make sure you’re in the right theater, as singing along in a regular showing is very controversial.