Best new shows and movies to stream in December 2022

We are now in full-on holiday streaming season, and have you got covered with our massive roundup of new 2022 Christmas movies and holiday specials and our ultimate guide to where you can stream all the Christmas classics. Consider this an [almost] holiday-free zone; we’ve got Will Smith’s comeback bid, the highly touted Knives Out sequel, and a badass Witcher spin-off starring Michelle Yeoh to focus on! Did we mention the 2022 FIFA World Cup runs through December 18? And Netflix just dropped a trailer for its new Harry & Meghan docuseries…

Read on for all the best new shows and movies to stream in December 2022…

New movies to stream in December 2022

New limited series and TV shows streaming in December

Upcoming sports events to stream

What’s streaming in January 2023?

New movies streaming in December 2022

Lady Chatterley’s Lover

Release date: December 2
Where: Netflix

D.H. Lawrence’s eponymous novel is brought to the screen once again in a steamy adaptation starring Emma Corrin as a conflicted aristocrat engaged in a passionate affair with her estate’s gamekeeper (Jack O’Connell).

Bullet Train

Release date: December 3
Where: Netflix

If you missed Brad Pitt‘s action-comedy about eccentric assassins on a Japanese train when it hit theaters last summer, now’s your chance to snuggle up on the couch and catch up!

Christmas, Bloody Christmas

Release date: December 9
Where: Shudder

The perfect antidote to sappy Christmas movies, this slasher flick follows an army of animatronic Santa robots gone rogue. It’s not every day you hear the line “Santa killed the kid next door!” For a bonus dose of holiday violence, we’re pretty excited to check out David Harbour in Violent Night (sadly only in theaters for now).

Emancipation

Release date: December 9
Where: Apple TV+

Set into motion before The Slap Heard ‘round the World, Emancipation has drawn mixed reviews but certainly would have seemed to be another Oscar bid for Will Smith. Inspired by true events and the infamous “The Scourged Back” photo that impacted public sentiment during the Civil War, Emancipation follows the inspirational story of a man named Peter, who escaped from slavery and embarked on a dangerous flight to freedom through the swamps of Louisiana.

Guillermo Del Toro’s Pinocchio

Release date: December 9
Where: Netflix

Why yes, this is the second Pinocchio adaptation from an Oscar-Winning director in four months (coming on the heels of Robert Zemeckis’s Disney version back in September). This one is fully animated, however, and is drawing raves. It also features the voices of A-listers like Ewan McGregor (as Jiminy Cricket), Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton, and Cate Blanchett.

Nanny

Release date: December 16
Where: Amazon Prime Video

On its face, Nanny tells the story of a Senegalese woman who leaves her own son behind in Africa to work as a nanny for a wealthy white family in New York City. But—drawing on West African folklore—tinges of horror and the supernatural start to seep in, perhaps as an allegory to the challenges faced. First-time writer director Nikyatu Jusu‘s film drew the Grand Jury Prize at this year’s Sundance Festival.

A Charlie Brown Christmas

Release date: Streaming free December 22-25
Where: Apple TV+

The animated holiday classic about the world’s saddest Christmas tree (and disappointing commercialism) will be free for the whole world to stream from December 22-25.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Release date: December 23
Where: Netflix

Natty detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is back for another murder mystery filled with dastardly rich people in Rian Johnson’s follow-up to the 2019 smash hit movie. Glass Onion is already playing in theaters, and has drawn raves for its mix of comedy and wry social commentary.

Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical

Release date: December 25
Where: Netflix

Roald Dahl’s classic 1988 children’s novel was adapted into a record-breaking smash hit stage musical in 2010, and now Netflix has worked with the original writer and composer to make a family film featuring the show’s irrepressibly catchy and clever tunes. Emma Thompson headlines the cast as the infamous Trunchbull.

White Noise

Release date: December 30
Where: Netflix

The perfect post-holiday palate cleanser? This Noah Baumbach film adapts Don DeLillo’s dark comedy novel about a college professor of Hitler Studies. We’ll see if meme lightning strikes twice for Adam Driver (who starred in Baumbach’s 2019 Netflix film Marriage Story). Greta Gerwig, Don Cheadle, Alessandro Nivola, and André 3000 round out the strong cast.

New limited series and TV shows

Gossip Girl Season 2

Release date: December 1
Where: HBO Max

The HBO Max reboot returns, leaning into its campy roots while dialing back the first season’s woke social consciousness for a decidedly more fun and escapist viewing experience. Speaking of, original star Michelle Trachtenberg will return to wreak havoc as the perpetual troublemaker Georgina Sparks.

Pentatonix: Around the World for the Holidays

Release date: December 2
Where: Disney Plus

In this unscripted musical special, the a capella supergroup takes a magical trip around the world to discover local holiday traditions and gain inspiration for their new holiday album.

Riches

Release date: December 2
Where: Amazon Prime Video / ITV

This six-episode British co-production (it will air on ITV starting December 22) sounds a bit like a Succession rip-off (not that we’re complaining): following the death of a family patriarch, members of a wealthy family vie for control of the family’s business empire.

Slow Horses Season 2

Release date: December 2
Where: Apple TV+

The delightful spy series based on Mick Herron’s books returns for the second of at least four seasons, this time based off the novel Dead Lions. The first two episodes with Gary Oldman & co. will drop on the premiere date, and weekly thereafter.

George & Tammy

Release date: December 4
Where: Showtime

Not to be content with playing just one famous Tammy (even if it did nab her a Best Actress Oscar), Jessica Chastain goes back to the well to portray country music legend Tammy Wynette (with Michael Shannon in the role of her musician husband, George Jones). The six-episode miniseries—based on a memoir by the couple’s daughter—chronicles their star-crossed meeting, legendary musical careers, and tumultuous marriage.

Connect

Release date: December 7
Where: Hulu

Based on a popular Korean webtoon of the same name, this horror-crime-drama thriller follows an immortal human chasing the serial killer that stole one of his eyes (with the unpleasant side effect that he can see the killer’s crimes). The series premiered in South Korea in September, and stars Jung Hae-in in the leading role.

Harry & Meghan

Release date: December 8 & 15
Where: Netflix

On December 1 Netflix nearly broke the internet when it released a teaser trailer (and some admittedly beautiful photos) of the former royals and tabloid fixation. (For all the drama, their life sure does look fun, doesn’t it?) The six-episode series seems like an expansion on their infamous Oprah interview, with Meghan asking, “Doesn’t it make more sense to hear our story from us?” The first three episodes will be released on December 8, with “Volume 2” coming a week later on the 15th.

Kindred

Release date: December 13
Where: FX / Hulu

Based on Octavia Butler’s 1979 novel, this eight-episode series produced by Darren Aronofsky follows a young Black woman in Los Angeles who time travels back to an antebellum plantation and engages with her ancestors, herself experiencing the horrors of enslavement. All episodes will be available to stream at once.

National Treasure: Edge of History

Release date: December 14
Where: Disney Plus

Though sadly missing Nicolas Cage, this new Disney Plus series based on the popular movies features a woman on a quest to learn about her family history and recover lost treasure (sounds familiar). Harvey Keitel and Justin Bartha do reprise their roles. The first two out of ten episodes drop on December 14.

The Recruit

Release date: December 16
Where: Netflix

Onetime Netflix heartthrob Noah Centineo has aged up into CIA thriller territory, playing a young lawyer chasing down threats. Series directors include Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) and the tone seems just playful enough to maximize Centineo’s charms and offset the bloody action.

1923

Release date: December 18
Where: Paramount+

The latest entrant into the Yellowstone universe (following up on last year’s 1883) stars Harrison Ford (in his first-ever TV role) and Helen Mirren as Dutton family members dealing with economic downturn in pre-Depression Montana.

Emily in Paris Season 3

Release date: December 21
Where: Netflix

Whether for the gorgeous Parisian scenery, the ridiculous outfits, or the soapy plots, Netflix’s bubbly Lily Collins series is a certified global hit. Season 3 will serve up more of the same, with Emily dealing with the usual work drama and inevitable love triangles.

Jack Ryan Season 3

Release date: December 21
Where: Amazon Prime Video

John Krasinsky reprises his role as the iconic CIA analyst from the Tom Clancy books. Season 3 will consist of eight episodes, and while Season 4 has already been announced, it was also announced that it will be the final installment in the series. Maybe Noah Centineo will someday star in the reboot.

The Witcher: Blood Origin

Release date: December 25
Where: Netflix

Michelle Yeoh stars in this six-episode prequel miniseries about the original Witchers, who appeared 1,200 years before Geralt of Rivia (the hero of the main series). Minnie Driver also stars as a time traveler, with fan-favorite Jaskier (Joey Batey) appearing in some sort of narrator role.

Sports events to stream in December

The FIFA World Cup is in full swing, with the Round of 16 kicking off on Saturday, December 3. The final is set to take place on Sunday, December 18. The NFL’s regular season is heading into the home stretch, with the Playoffs (now featuring an extra Wild Card team) kicking off on January 14, 2023. Meanwhile, college football bowl season kicks off on December 16, culminating with the College Football Playoff running from December 31 through January 9, 2023. And NBA fans can look forward to five games on Christmas Day, highlighted by playoff rematches featuring the Warriors vs. the Grizzlies and the Celtics vs. the Bucks.

What’s streaming in January 2023?

Yes, that’s right, 2023! How did that happen?! Among the most anticipated new shows of 2023 is The Last of Us on HBO, a video game adaptation starring Game of Thrones alumns Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey that premieres on January 15. We’re also intrigued by the Netflix heist series Kaleidoscope (starring the always-excellent Giancarlo Esposito); the 1830s gothic crime thriller The Pale Blue Eye (starring Christian Bale and Gillian Anderson on Netflix); and the Apple TV+ comedy Shrinking, which stars Jason Segel and comes from the team behind Ted Lasso (set to be returning in March!). We’ve also got our eye on two more reboots: That 90s Show (Netflix) and Night Court (NBC/Peacock), which features original cast member John Larroquette and Melissa Rauch in the role of Judge Harry’s daughter. Sports fans can look forward to the NHL’s Winter Classic live from Boston’s Fenway Park on January 2, and the NFL Playoffs begin on January 14.