Put away the turkey and grab the popcorn. December is full of cheer!David Harboureats cookies and gets bloody inViolent Night, a Christmas movie unlike the rest.Robert Downey Jr.shows his soft side with his filmmaker father in“Sr.”, a documentary exploring the father-son bond between the two artists.Brendan Frasermakes his triumphant return inThe Whale,Darren Aronofsky’s film adaptation ofSamuel D. Hunter’s acclaimed play. Music legendWhitney Houstonfinally gets the biopic treatment withI Wanna Dance with SomebodystarringNaomi Ackiein the main role. After over a decade, we return to Pandora inJames Cameron’sAvatar: The Way of Water, which is full of surprises and over three hours long.Sarah Polley’sWomen Talkingtackles a toxic religious community and a brave group of women who try to expose its secrets. Plus,Guillermo del Toro’s freaky take on Pinocchio,Anna Kendrick’s powerful performance inAlice, Darling,Spoiler Alert’s emotional Christmas love story, and Benoit Blanc cracks a case on Netflix.

Let’s take a closer look at what movies will be hitting the big and small screens in December.

RELATED:What’s New on Netflix in December 2022

Release Date:December 1 on Netflix

This isn’t some troll under a bridge.Tomb RaiderandThe WavedirectorRoar Uthaugtakes us to Norway withTroll, a Norwegian monster story inspired by a legend. Roughly 1,000 years prior, trolls walked Norway, and now, due to an explosion in the mountains, one of the trolls is awake. Can a paleontologist save the day? The film starsIne Marie Wilmann,Kim Falck,Mads Sjøgård Pettersen,Gard B. Eidsvold, andFridtjov Såheim.

Violent Night

Release Date:December 2 in Theaters

Um, Merry Christmas? Santa gets naughty inTommy Wirkola’sViolent Night, a movie from the producers of off-beat, genre-bending action films such asNobodyandBullet Trainthat puts the crime in the typically holy holiday. David Harbour stars as Santa Claus, except this time, things are a little different. Rather than being jolly and playful, he’s wielding a bloody sledgehammer and knocking back beers. If you step out of line, you’ll get coalanda black eye.

Savage Salvation

Drugs, revenge, and De Niro. Directed byThe IrishmanandEnd of WatchproducerRandall Emmett, the gritty thrillerSavage Salvationtakes place in a small town rife with drugs and conflict.Robert De Nirostars as Sheriff Church, a town leader doing his best to keep the residents in line. Shelby John (Jack Huston) and his fiancée Ruby (Willa Fitzgerald) are determined to get sober with the help of Ruby’s brother-in-law Peter (John Malkovich), but Ruby dies before being able to fully turn her life around. Consumed by fury and grief, Shelby’s determined to kill those in the drug business. Will Sheriff Church be able to contain Shelby’s wrath?

The Eternal Daughter

Like mother, like daughter.Tilda Swintonsees ghosts and doubles inThe Eternal Daughter, a film about the past quite literally haunting you. Written and directed byJoanna Hogg, this mysterious and eerie drama follows a woman who travels with her elderly mother (both played by Swinton) to an old, desolate hotel that used to be their family home. Now back on their old stomping grounds, the pair is forced to deal with the demons of their past.

Lady Chatterley’s Lover

Release Date:December 2 on Netflix

This story has quite a history. In 1928,D.H. Lawrenceprivately published his last novel,Lady Chatterley’s Lover, in Italy. The book, notorious for its highly descriptive sex scenes involving an affair between a working-class man and an upper-class woman whose husband is paralyzed from war, was officially published openly in 1960. This triggered an intense obscenity trial against Penguin Books, which ended up winning the trial and selling nearly three million copies in the process. DirectorLaure de Clermont-Tonnerreand screenwriterDavid Mageetell this controversial tale about societal expectations and forbidden love withEmma Corrinas Lady Chatterley,Jack O’Connellas her lover Oliver, andMatthew Duckettas her paralyzed husband.

“It’s a bit of a foray into trying to understand your dad.” That’s how Robert Downey Jr. can sum up his reasoning for starring in and producing“Sr.”, a documentary about the life and work of his father, the 1960s absurdist and satirical style filmmakerRobert Downey Sr., with whom he had a deeply loving and difficult relationship. The film, which is beautifully shot in black and white, gives a rare, intimate look inside the private life of the father and son duo as they reflect on fame, the messiness of growing up, creativity, and death. It’s an especially bittersweet film, as Robert Downey Sr. passed away last year.

Hotel for the Holidays

Release Date:December 2 on Freevee

Have you checked into Hotel Fontaine? Riverdale starMadelaine Petschcertainly has inHotel for the Holidays. Georgia (Petsch) works at a hotel but wants to own one herself. There’s something about the magic of the holiday season and the variety of guests this time of year that has her more determined than ever. Things get complicated when she falls for hotel chef Luke (Mena Massoud) and new guest Prince Raymond (Max Lloyd-Jones). Who will she choose?

Christmas with the Campbells

Release Date:December 2 on AMC+ and in Theaters

Would you spend Christmas with your ex’s family? Produced byVince VaughnandPeter Billingsleyand co-written by Vaughn,Barbara Kymlicka, andDan Lagana,Christmas with the Campbellscenters on the unexpected Christmas of Jesse (Brittany Snow), who is dumped by her boyfriend Shawn (Alex Moffat) right before the holidays. Despite this, Shawn’s family insists she spends Christmas with them and their very unfiltered extended family. With nothing else to lose, Jesse agrees to spend Christmas with her ex’s family, where she meets and falls for Shawn’s cousin (Justin Long).

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules

Release Date:December 2 on Disney+

Apostrophes are for nerds, at least according to Rodrick.Jeff Kinney’s funny children’s book series is getting another animated installment withDiary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Ruleson Disney+. Wimpy kid Greg Heffley (Brady Noon) has a lot of problems, and his biggest one lives with him. This family comedy focuses on Greg’s dysfunctional relationship with his older brother Rodrick (Hunter Dillon), who spends his time procrastinating, rocking out with his band Löded Diper, and teasing Greg. It’s time for Greg to learn Rodrick’s specific set of rules, and potentially bond with his brother in the process.

Darby and the Dead

Release Date:December 2 on Hulu

So Darby. She sees the dead. In the aptly titled Hulu originalDarby and the Deaddirected byHigh MaintenanceandDickinsondirectorSilas Howard,Riele Downsplays Darby Harper, a high schooler whose extracurriculars include helping dead people with their unfinished Earthly business. When head cheerleader and headache Capri (Auli’i Cravalho) dies in a hair straightening accident, Darby reluctantly agrees to help Capri plan what would’ve been her Sweet 17 birthday party.