Holiday Movie Releases Bring Johnny Depp, Robert Downey Jr. and Sequels to Cinemas
Santa Claus isn’t just coming to town this holiday season. Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Timothée Chalamet and a werewolf are also heading to local cinemas.
The upcoming slate features franchise installments, including “Avengers: Doomsday” with Robert Downey Jr. taking on the role of Marvel supervillain Doctor Doom on Dec. 18, alongside new entries in the “Dune,” “Hunger Games” and “Jumanji” series.
Director Ti West Unleashes Ebenezer Scrooge and More November Premieres
The holiday movie lineup kicks off in November with a mix of horror-comedy, drama, and prequels. Director Ti West puts a unique spin on a Charles Dickens classic with “Ebenezer” on Nov. 13, featuring Johnny Depp as the miserly Scrooge alongside Ian McKellen as the spirit of his old business partner.
On Nov. 20, the emotional true-life drama “Elsinore” arrives in theaters, starring Andrew Scott as Scottish actor Ian Charleson. The same day brings “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping,” a prequel set 24 years before the original film that stars Joseph Zada as a teenage Haymitch Abernathy competing in the 50th edition of the brutal competition.
Late November brings comedies and animation. “Focker-in-Law” hits screens on Nov. 25, reuniting Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro while adding Ariana Grande to the cast. David Fincher’s “The Further Mis-Adventures of Cliff Booth” arrives Nov. 25 before streaming on Netflix on Dec. 23, with Brad Pitt reprising his Oscar-winning stuntman role. Disney’s animated coming-of-age fantasy “Hexed” also debuts on Nov. 25, featuring Hailee Steinfeld as a misfit teen discovering magical powers.
December Blockbusters Led by Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three
December brings more holiday releases. “Violent Night 2” lands on Dec. 4, putting David Harbour’s Santa Claus on the naughty list alongside Kristen Bell as Mrs. Claus. Jesse Eisenberg’s dark comedy “The Debut” follows on Dec. 11, starring Julianne Moore as a New Jersey housewife joining a local community theater musical directed by Paul Giamatti.
Two tentpoles arrive on Dec. 18: Marvel’s “Avengers: Doomsday,” pitting Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom against Earth’s mightiest heroes, and Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi conclusion “Dune: Part Three,” which stars Timothée Chalamet as the imperious ruler Paul Atreides facing a rebellion led by Zendaya’s Chani.
The holiday schedule rounds out on Dec. 23 and Dec. 25 with “The Angry Birds Movie 3,” Luca Guadagnino’s OpenAI drama “Artificial” starring Andrew Garfield, the video-game franchise finale “Jumanji: Open World,” football biopic “Mr. Irrelevant” starring David Corenswet, and Robert Eggers’ folk horror movie “Werwulf” starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Holiday Movie Season
When does Robert Downey Jr. debut as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday?
Robert Downey Jr. makes his return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the masked supervillain on Dec. 18.
Who stars in the Charles Dickens adaptation Ebenezer?
Johnny Depp stars as the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge in director Ti West’s adaptation, which releases on Nov. 13 and features Ian McKellen as his old business partner.
What is the premise of Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial?
Releasing on Dec. 25, the true-life drama tracks the rise of artificial intelligence company OpenAI and the friction between founders Sam Altman, played by Andrew Garfield, and Ilya Sutskever.
Worth a look