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It’s been a year of great movies with something for anyone’s tastes. Although, we are not done yet. There’s still a trickle of movies coming out in December. We still have some monster movies, action movies, superhero movies, animated movies, and arthouse films to look forward to before we get to next year’s lineup, which will undoubtedly be filled with films that were delayed due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. So, let’s look at several anticipated movies scheduled to release in December 2023.
Godzilla Minus One
(Updated on August 9, 2024 – updated links and formatting)
The latest kaiju film to come to theaters is Godzilla Minus One. The movie is set in post-World War II Japan, written and directed by Takashi Yamazaki (Always: Sunset on Third Street). It is the 37th Godzilla film and the latest Japanese Godzilla movie from Toho Studios. Godzilla Minus One stars Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, and Munetaka Aoki.
The movie moves away from the westernized action-packed Godzilla we have come to know, instead treating it like the horror story it should be. Godzilla Minus One was released in Japan on November 3. The movie will be released in the United States on December 1, 2023, and in New Zealand and Australia.
Silent Night
If action-packed is exactly what you want this December, look no further than Silent Night. Starring Joel Kinnaman (Suicide Squad, Altered Carbon), the film was directed by John Woo (Hard Boiled, Face/Off). Kinnaman plays Godluck, a man whose son was killed because of stray bullets from a high-speed chase. In the incident, he also lost the ability to talk, so Silent Night is a movie without any dialogue.
This is John Woo’s first Hollywood film in 20 years, since 2003’s Paycheck. Woo is a Hong Kong filmmaker and is one of the seminal action-film directors. It also stars Kid Cudi (Don’t Look Up, X) and Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace and A Most Violent Year). Silent Night is set to make its theatrical debut on December 1, 2023.
Poor Things
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos (The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Favourite), Poor Things is highly anticipated, as it received excellent reviews when it premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival earlier this year. The film stars Emma Stone (La La Land, The Amazing Spider-Man), Mark Ruffalo (The Avengers, Spotlight), Ramy Youssef (Ramy, Mr. Robot) and Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, The Lighthouse).
It is a black comedy fantasy that is based on the Alasdair Gray novel of the same name. Poor Things follows Bella (Stone) and her newfound freedom after being resurrected by a scientist named Dr. Baxter (Dafoe). The movie is currently sitting at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, and it is slated to be released on December 8, 2023.
The Boy and the Heron
After 10 years, Hayao Miyazaki has written and directed another Studio Ghibli animated film. The Boy and the Heron tells the story of a boy named Mahito Maki who encounters a new world in which he meets a talking heron. The film will be screened in theaters with both a subtitled Japanese version as well as an English dubbed version. If you choose to watch the dubbed version of The Boy and the Heron, you’ll be pleased to know that it features a stacked cast.
Robert Pattinson (The Batman, Tenet), Karen Fukuhara (The Boys, Bullet Train), Gemma Chan (Eternals, Crazy Rich Asians), Christian Bale (The Dark Knight, American Psycho), Mark Hamill (Batman: The Animated Series, Star Wars: Episode V – Empire Strikes Back), Florence Pugh (Oppenheimer, Black Widow), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy, Glass Onion – A Knives Out Mystery) and Willem Dafoe all voice characters in the movie. The Boy and the Heron is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 8, 2023.
Wonka
That’s right, we’re getting closer to yet another Charlie and the Chocolate Factory movie. Wonka is territory they haven’t quite explored before, as it’s a prequel to the original Roald Dahl book. Wonka himself is being played by Timothée Chalamet (Dune, Call Me by Your Name), as he plays a younger version of the character that hasn’t yet established his chocolate empire. The film was directed by Paul King (Paddington, Paddington 2), and it was written by King and Simon Farnaby (Ghosts, Horrible Histories).
In addition to Chalamet, the movie also stars Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key (Key & Peele, Keanu), Matt Lucas (Little Britain, Bridesmaids), Paterson Joseph (The Beach, Timeless), Olivia Colman (The Favourite, Fleabag), Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean, Johnny English), Mathew Baynton (Ghosts, Horrible Histories), and Sally Hawkins (Paddington, The Shape of Water), while Hugh Grant (Love Actually, Notting Hill) will be playing an Oompa-Loompa. Wonka will be released on December 15, 2023.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
The sequel to the 2018 DC movie Aquaman is nearly here. James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring) is returning to direct Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones, Fast X) will be returning as the titular hero, as he attempts to stop Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) from destroying Atlantis with the powerful Black Trident. To do so Arthur (Momoa) enlists the help of his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), releasing him from his prison.
Amber Heard (The Rum Diary, The Stand), Nicole Kidman (Moulin Rouge!, Bombshell), and Temuera Morrison (The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett) will all also be reprising their roles from the first movie. The film will finally be released on December 22, 2023, after being originally scheduled to be released in 2022. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom marks the end of the DC Extended Universe, with James Gunn rebooting the DC Universe with Creature Commandos and Superman: Legacy.
The Iron Claw
The Iron Claw is a biographical sports film that revolves around the professional wrestling Von Erich family. The film was written and directed by Sean Durkin (The Nest). It stars Zac Efron (High School Musical, Baywatch) as Kevin Von Erich, Jeremy Allen White (The Bear, Shameless) as Kerry Von Erich, Harris Dickinson (The King’s Man, See How They Run) as David Von Erich, and professional wrestler Maxwell T. Friedman as Lance Von Erich.
Those familiar with the Von Erich family will know that the film is a tragedy, with multiple members of the family dying within a decade. The Iron Claw also stars Maura Tierney (ER, Liar Liar), Holt McCallany (Mindhunter, Fight Club), and Lily James (Cinderella, Baby Driver). The movie is slated to be released on December 22, 2023.
Migration
Migration is another animated movie set to come out this December, but this one is by the studio behind Despicable Me, Illumination. Directed by Benjamin Renner (Ernest & Celestine) and written by Mike White (School of Rock, The White Lotus), the film follows a family of ducks, called the Mallard Family, as they risk leaving their safe pond for new horizons and go on a wild and dangerous journey as a result.
Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley, Eternals), and Elizabeth Banks (Pitch Perfect, The Hunger Games) voice the parents, Mack and Pam Mallard respectively. Caspar Jennings, Tresi Gazal, Awkwafina (Renfield, Crazy Rich Asians), Keegan-Michael Key, David Mitchell (That Mitchell and Webb Look, Peep Show), and Danny DeVito (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Matilda) are also voices in the movie. Migration will be flying into theaters on December 22, 2023.
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire
One of the most anticipated movies of the year is Zack Snyder’s (Man of Steel, Zack Snyder’s Justice League) science fiction epic, Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire. This is the first film of a planned multimedia universe coming from the mind of Snyder. It is also co-written by Kurt Johnstad (300, Atomic Blonde) and Shay Hatten (John Wick: Chapter 4, Army of the Dead). Rebel Moon follows a band of rebels attempting to stand against an oppressive government, and if you couldn’t tell based on that, this movie stems from ideas Snyder had for a Star Wars pitch.
It stars Sofia Boutella (The Mummy, Kingsman: The Golden Circle), Djimon Hounsou (Guardians of the Galaxy, Blood Diamond), Charlie Hunnam (The Gentlemen, Sons of Anarchy), and Michiel Huisman (The Haunting of Hill House, Game of Thrones). A Child of Fire will have a limited theatrical release beginning on December 15, 2023. But, as it is a Netflix project, the movie will be landing on the streaming service one week later on December 22, 2023.
Ferrari
Michael Mann (Heat, Ali) hasn’t directed a film since 2015’s Blackhat and he has returned for Ferrari. The film is based on the biography by Brock Yates entitled, Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine. Enzo Ferrari is being played by Adam Driver (Marriage Story, Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens), and the film follows Ferrari during the summer of 1957.
It is a biographical drama with part of the film focusing on Ferrari’s marriage with Laura Ferrari, played by Penélope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Vanilla Sky). Ferrari also stars Shailene Woodley (Big Little Lies, Divergent) and Patrick Dempsey (Grey’s Anatomy, Enchanted). The film premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival earlier this year and currently has 74% on Rotten Tomatoes. Ferrari will be released in theaters on December 25, 2023, although it might not make for the best Christmas movie.
