Believe it or not, it’s December already, and it’s shaping up to be a stellar month for telly lovers. There’s plenty of enticing new films and TV shows that are sure to make fantastic festive viewing.
This month sees the launch of brand-new series from the worlds of Star Wars, Harry Potter and Pixar, as well as the hotly-anticipated return of Squid Game. All of this comes from the likes of Disney+, Netflix, Amazon’s Prime Video, and Paramount+, all of which are available with a raft of money-saving deals.
Disney+ now starts at £4.99 a month, while Sky has just unveiled a new £15 TV and Netflix bundle. Telly fans can try Prime Video free for 30 days, while Paramount+ can be enjoyed with a seven-day free trial. So, read on for our pick of the best new films and shows heading to screens in December.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Inspired by 80s coming-of-age films like The Goonies, this new Star Wars is the latest live-action series set between the events of Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. Starring Jude Law, Skeleton Crew follows the journey of four kids who make a mysterious discovery on their seemingly safe home planet, then get lost in a strange and dangerous galaxy.
Finding their way home – and meeting unlikely allies and enemies – will be a greater adventure than they ever imagined.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew is streaming now on Disney+, get it here.
Black Doves
Set against the backdrop of London at Christmas, this all-new thriller follows Helen Webb (Keira Knightley), a quick-witted, down to earth, dedicated wife and mother – and professional spy. For 10 years, she’s been passing on her politician husband’s secrets to the shadowy organisation she works for: the Black Doves.
When her secret lover Jason (Andrew Koji) is assassinated, her spymaster, the enigmatic Reed (Sarah Lancashire), calls in Helen’s old friend Sam (Ben Whishaw) to keep her safe. Together, Helen and Sam set off on a mission to investigate who killed Jason and why, leading them to uncover a vast, interconnected conspiracy linking the murky London underworld to a looming geopolitical crisis.
Black Doves premieres December 5 on Netflix, get it with Sky here.
The Sticky
Produced by and starring Jamie Lee Curtis, The Sticky is inspired by the true story dubbed the ‘Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist’ and follows Ruth Landry (Margo Martindale), a tough, middle-aged maple syrup farmer who turns to crime when the bureaucratic authorities threaten to take away everything she loves. She teams up with a hot-tempered mobster (Chris Diamantopoulos) and a mild-mannered French-Canadian security guard (Guillaume Cyr) to carry out a multi-million dollar heist on Quebec’s maple syrup surplus.
The Sticky premieres December 6 on Prime Video, try it free here.
Dream Productions
This new Pixar mockumentary-style series takes place between the Inside Out films, in the studio inside Riley’s mind where dreams come true – every night, on time and on budget, thanks to acclaimed director Paula Persimmon (Paula Pell). Riley’s growing up and her core Emotions are on the job helping her navigate, but now Paula is facing a nightmare of her own: her signature combination of dreams featuring Rainbow Unicorn and copious amounts of glitter just isn’t working anymore.
To try and save her career, Paula teams up with Xeni (Richard Ayoade), an overly confident daydream director looking for his next big break. With differing visions on what makes Riley’s dreams successful, can the reluctant pair come together to create the next big tween-dream hit?
Dream Productions premieres December 11 on Disney+, get it here.
Dexter: Original Sin
Serving as a prequel to Showtime’s hit series, Original Sin follows Dexter Morgan (Patrick Gibson) in his early years in 1991 Miami, as he transitions from student to avenging serial killer. When his bloodthirsty urges can’t be ignored any longer, Dexter learns to channel his inner darkness with the guidance of his father, Harry (Christian Slater), and adopts a code designed to help him find and kill people who deserve to be eliminated from society without getting on law enforcement’s radar.
This is a particular challenge for young Dexter as he begins a forensics internship at the Miami Metro Police Department. Dexter star Michael C. Hall reprises his role to voice the iconic inner monologue in Dexter’s head.
Dexter: Original Sin premieres December 13 on Paramount+, try it free here.
Elton John: Never Too Late
This candid, behind-the-scenes documentary chronicles Elton John’s record-breaking 50-year career that’s seen him become one of the most successful musicians of all time. As he prepares for his final concert in North America at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium, Elton takes viewers back in time and recounts the extraordinary highs and heartbreaking lows of his early years and how he overcame adversity, abuse and addiction to become the icon he is today.
Elton John: Never Too Late premieres December 13 on Disney+, get it here.
Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking
Fans of Harry Potter and The Great British Bake Off are in for a treat this month with the launch of this Potter-themed baking show that blends legendary storytelling and fantastical edible creations. Hosted by Weasley twins James and Oliver Phelps, the competition kicks off with a super-sized episode in which nine teams of pastry chefs and cake artists are tasked to craft massive, spellbinding edible showpieces inspired by moments and themes from the Harry Potter saga.
Each week, the culinary artists will design eye-popping creations not only to tantalise the taste buds, but that also offer surprising and enchanting, visual elements. Across the six-part season, James and Oliver will be joined by Harry Potter stars Warwick Davis (Professor Flitwick), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood) and Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley) who will help in evaluating the competitors’ showpieces and also share their own film stories.
Harry Potter: Wizards of Baking premieres December 17 on Prime Video, try it free here.
Marvel’s What If…? Season three
The final season of Marvel’s animated series returns for its culminating adventure through the multiverse. What If…? follows classic Marvel characters as they make unexpected choices that will mutate their worlds into spectacular alternate versions of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Season three features an incredible voice cast of Marvel stars who reprise their iconic roles, including Captain America/Sam Wilson, The Winter Soldier/Bucky Barnes, Hulk/Bruce Banner and Storm the Goddess of Thunder.
What If…? season three premieres December 22 on Disney+, get it here.
A Quiet Place: Day One
In this post-apocalyptic horror prequel, Samira (Lupita Nyong’o) ventures off to New York City, but her simple trip turns into a harrowing nightmare when the mysterious creatures that hunt by sound attack. Accompanied by her cat Frodo and an unexpected ally (Joseph Quinn), Samira must embark on a perilous journey through the city that has suddenly gone silent in which the only rule is ‘stay quiet, stay alive’.
A Quiet Place: Day One premieres December 25 on Paramount+, try it free here.
Squid Game: Season two
Netflix’s award-winning Korean thriller finally returns this month, continuing the story of the deadly game show. Season one is the most-watched Netflix series of all time with more than 265 million views, so it will be interesting to see how the next instalment fares.
The new season takes place three years later and rejoins Player 456, who gave up going to the states and comes back with a new resolution in his mind. Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) once again dives into the mysterious survival game, starting another life-or-death game with new participants gathered to win the prize of 456 billion won.
Squid Game season two premieres December 26 on Netflix, get it with Sky here.
