The 7 best new movies and shows to stream this Christmas
Dec. 22, 2023From Doctor Who to Rebel Moon, here’s what’s on over Christmas
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The festive period is finally upon us, and what better time is there to kick back on the sofa and work through your watch list? As usual, too, this Christmas is jam-packed full of great new releases on streaming, meaning that there will be plenty to keep you occupied after stuffing yourself with turkey. Among the highlights are a festive Doctor Who special to kick off Ncuti Gatwa’s season as the Time Lord as well asZack Snyder’s hugely-anticipated new sci-fi adventure,Rebel Moon Part One.
Rebel Moon Part One
Available:Worldwide on December 21 (US) and December 22 (UK)Watch on:Netflix
For more on the movie, check out ourinterview with Snyder and the cast about mythology, female empowerment, and griffin taming.
Available:Worldwide on December 25Watch now:Disney Plusin the US; BBC iPlayer in the UK
Following on from his brief introduction in the Doctor Who 60th Anniversary Specials, Ncuti Gatwa is back for his first proper outing as the Doctor. The Christmas special, called ‘The Church on Ruby Road’, introduces the new companion Ruby Sunday, played by Millie Gibson, who was abandoned on Christmas Eve as a baby. Cut to the present and she’s living with her mum Carla and her grandmother Cherry when a chance encounter with the Doctor sets her on a new adventure.
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Available:Worldwide on December 22Watch now:Prime Video
For more,read our interview with Emerald Fennell.
Available:USWatch now:Hulu
Gareth Edwards' stunning sci-fi The Creator takes place in the near future when humans are at war with AI. John David Washington’s ex-special forces soldier is given the task of hunting down a new weapon made by the Creator, the architect of the advanced AI. Things get complicated when he finds out the weapon in question is a young child simulant named Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). The film has been praised for its beautiful cinematography as well as being one of the best original sci-fi movies in recent years. UK viewers will have to wait a little while longer though as it doesn’t land on Disney Plus until January 17.
For more,read our interview with director Gareth Edwards.
Available:UK on January 1Watch now:BBC
Jamie Dornan returns for The Tourist season 2 on New Year’s Day, though UK fans expecting to see the bright sunshine of Australia’s outback might be disappointed, because this time, the action takes place in Ireland.
The second chapter sees Dornan’s Elliot return to his homeland alongside Constable Helen Chambers (Danielle Macdonald), as he tries to rediscover his roots. Before long, though, the pair get “dragged into the dangerous whirlwind of his past life and are confronted by friends and foes both old and new.”
Available: WorldwideWatch now:Disney Plus
Rick Riordan’s literary hero Percy Jackson gets a new on-screen update in Disney Plus series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which sees the titular 12-year-old demigod (Walker Scobell) – whose father is the water god Poseidon – accused of stealing Zeus' thunderbolt.
Plunged out of his normal life into the world of Greek mythology, Percy finds himself at Camp Half-Blood, a summer camp for other young demigods. He’s joined on his ensuing adventures by his best friends, Athena’s daughter Annabeth, and Grover, a satyr, played by Leah Sava Jeffries and Aryan Simhadri.
The series' star-studded supporting cast includes Lance Reddick as Zeus, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Hermes, and Jay Duplass as Hermes, while Jason Mantzoukas is Dionysus, the head of Camp Half-Blood.
Available:WorldwideWatch now:Netflix
A prequel to Netflix’s super popular Spanish-language series Money Heist, Berlin centers on Pedro Alonso’s eponymous thief of the same name – and is set long before he finds out about his terminal diagnosis and takes the Royal Mint of Spain hostage.
“It’s a trip through the golden age of the character, when he robbed around Europe, crazy in love,” the original show’s creator previously explained Álex Pina. “That’s the most surprising, the comedy. [Pedro is] going to make people laugh a lot.”
If there’s nothing here that tickles your fancy, then you might have to start looking into each streaming service’s back catalogue, which can be a daunting task given how many titles they each host. Fear not, though… if you’re a TV fan, then we’ve got you covered with our lists of thebest Netflix shows,best Disney Plus shows, and thebest Amazon Prime Video shows.
I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I’ve also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.
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