It’s here, ladies and gentlemen: Christmas has officially arrived on streaming services. last week’s tour It only featured one festive feature, but the majority of new movies and TV shows this weekend are season-appropriate by comparison.
This does not mean that every addition is a holiday theme, mind you. Netflix, in particular, has a number of dark dramas up its sleeve, while Disney Plus Hosts the long-awaited return of the Disney Princess.
Below, then, we’ve rounded up eight of the biggest new movies and TV shows trending on the likes of Netflix, Prime Video, and HBO Max over the next few days.
Frustrated (Disney Plus)
It’s been 15 years (fifteen!) since Amy Adams’ Giselle first performed Robert Patrick Dempsey in a colorful flash set in Central Park, and the duo is back in action on the highly anticipated Disney Plus movie, Disenchanted.
After moving from the busy streets of Manhattan to the quiet suburb of Monroeville, Gisele, Robert, and Morgan seem happier than ever. But when the former princess starts acting like a stepmother from a fairytale, things take a turn for the villains. James Marsden and Idina Menzel reprise their roles alongside Adams and Dempsey, while Maya Rudolph and Gabriela Baldachino join the film’s cast as newcomers.
Reviews for Disenchanted have certainly been tepid so far, but we think fans of Kevin Lima’s original will find plenty of musical mayhem to enjoy here.
Available now to stream on Disney Plus.
The Wonder (Netflix)
Fresh from her acclaimed (and movie-saving) role do not worry my loveFlorence Pugh goes Oscar hunting in The Wonder on Netflix.
This is located in the Irish Midlands in 1862 New Netflix movie Pugh stars as an English nurse called to watch over a young girl (Kíla Lord Cassidy) who is miraculously still alive and well despite not eating for four months. Ciaran Hinds, Niamh Algar, and Toby Jones are among the film’s supporting cast.
To absolutely no one’s surprise, the Black Widow The actor has been lauded for another standout performance in The Wonder, so this is an easy recommendation (especially if you’re keen to avoid the onslaught of celebratory content this weekend).
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Santa Claus (Disney Plus)
And so we come to the first of this week’s Christmas-themed releases, aptly named The Santa Clauses on Disney Plus.
A miniseries sequel to his beloved 1994 film, Tim Allen returns to the screen as everyone’s favorite delivery man, Scott Calvin (aka Santa Claus). This time, however, Calvin finds himself on the brink of his 65th birthday–and looking for someone to replace him in the most important job in the world.
Original cast members Elizabeth Mitchell and David Krumholtz return to The Santa Clauses as well, so it’s safe to expect a familiar family adventure from this one.
Available now to stream on Disney Plus.
1899 (Netflix)
Not feeling the Christmas cheer yet? Fear not: Netflix’s new historical horror series, 1899, is very much the antithesis of the celebratory.
Put in – you guessed it! – 1899 This eight-part German-language production takes viewers aboard an ill-fated steamship during its voyage from London to New York in the late 19th century. We don’t know much about what to expect from the series’ plot, but Netflix promises a “terrifying nightmare of staggering proportions.” ominous.
Critical reception for 1899 has so far been fairly positive, though verdicts like “slow burn” and “experimental” should turn off anyone looking for some light entertainment this weekend.
Now available to stream on Netflix.
Spirited (Apple TV Plus)
Apple TV Plus Disney Plus regular Will Ferrell and Netflix poster boy Ryan Reynolds are teaming up for Spirited, a musical take on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
Reynolds plays Clint Briggs, a modern-day miser who turns the tables on his ghostly host, the present (Ferrell), by forcing him to re-examine his past, present, and future through the medium of song (Because of Christmas!).
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (La La Land) are responsible for the film’s musical numbers, so expect this clip to boast some particularly catchy tunes, even if Spirited can’t break into our list of The best Apple TV Plus movies.
Now available to stream on Apple TV Plus.
The people we hate at the wedding (Prime Video)
Amazon Studios’ streak continues to release star-studded feature-length content this weekend with The People We Hate at the Wedding.
In this comedy by Claire Scanlon, three American siblings try (and fail) to reconnect in the week leading up to their half-sister’s wedding in Britain. Kristen Bell (Frozen), Allison Janney (Me, Tonya) and Ben Platt (Dear Evan Hansen) all star.
Critics have called The People We Hate at the Wedding an “awkward comedy with a heart of gold” so, unlike 1899 (above), this might be the definition of an easy weekend hour.
Available now to stream on Prime Video.
A Christmas Story (HBO Max)
Not content to sit back and let Disney be the only one to remake decades-old comedies, HBO is breathing new life into the 1983 Christmas story this weekend.
Called A Christmas Story Christmas (yes, really), this one finds Ralph (again played by Peter Billingsley) returning to his childhood home with his kids. Zack Ward, Scott Schwartz, and Ian Petrella reprise their roles alongside Billinsley, with Vince Vaughn, Julie Hagerty, and Erinn Hayes as newcomers.
Now we’ll tell you: this person is unlikely to be on a file list The best HBO Max movies. But if you’re looking for a festive feature for the whole family to enjoy this weekend, you can’t go wrong with A Christmas Story Christmas.
Available now to stream on HBO Max.
Limitless with Chris Hemsworth (Disney Plus)
Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky returns to the small screen this weekend with Limitless with Chris Hemsworth on Disney Plus.
Face the owner Thor: Love and Thunder This six-part show offers a crash course in unlocking the full potential of the human body, using Hemsworth as a test dummy (mostly) to prove the effectiveness of small but significant lifestyle changes.
Earlier this week, we He sat down with Aronofsky and one of the series’ experts, Ross Edgley, who explained how the new Disney Plus series will help you live longer (and die better). Seriously, it’s great stuff.
Available now to stream on Disney Plus.
