The year may be drawing to a close, but December still has a dazzling lineup of films and shows to keep you company this holiday season. This month, the Na’vi return, Taylor Swift shares the stage with Benoit Blanc, and we carry on the Filipino family tradition of going to the movies on Christmas Day.
From genre-bending adventures and intimate documentaries to long-awaited sequels to popular film franchises, here are our five screen picks for December:
1. Scarlet
The latest movie from visionary anime filmmaker Mamoru Hosoda (Wolf Children) is a time-bending adventure centered on Scarlet, a medieval-era, sword-fighting princess on a dangerous quest to avenge her father’s death. Fueled by rage and a thirst for vengeance, she encounters a young man from the present day who slowly helps her heal her wounds. The story is loosely inspired by William Shakespeare’s Hamlet.
In cinemas December 10.
2. Taylor Swift | The End of an Era
Swifties, rejoice! Step behind the curtain and see the real life of a showgirl as Taylor Swift makes history with the highest-grossing concert tour of all time. Fans get an all-access pass to see what it took to bring the Eras Tour to life as filmmakers intimately capture the journey from pre-production all the way to the last performance. Alongside the documentary series is the premiere of The Final Show, a concert film of the tour’s final night.
Streaming on Disney Plus starting December 12.
3. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns to crack a new case and encounters a new set of suspects in the third Knives Out film. This time, Blanc faces a religious congregation when he is called to a Catholic Church in upstate New York to investigate yet another mysterious death. This installment’s all-star cast includes Josh O’Connor, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Cailee Spaeny, Jeffrey Wright, Andrew Scott, Josh Brolin, and Glenn Close.
Streaming on Netflix December 12.
4. Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron’s next entry in the Avatar cinematic universe picks up a year after the events of Avatar: The Way of Water. Jake (Sam Worthington), Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), and their kids are still mourning the major losses they suffered in the previous film when a new and ferocious Na’vi tribe emerges. Known as the Ash people, these fiery Na’vi are hostile toward other tribes and bring frightening new threats to our heroes.
In cinemas December 17.
5. 2025 Metro Manila Film Festival
It’s not a Philippine Christmas without the Metro Manila Film Festival! For the 51st edition of the annual MMFF, eight new films will launch in theaters on Christmas Day. This year’s entries include Vice Ganda and Nadine Lustre’s team-up in the dramedy Call Me Mother, Piolo Pascual as a police officer in the crime thriller Manila’s Finest, and the 17th installment of the iconic Shake, Rattle & Roll horror anthology series.
In cinemas December 25.
Conclusion:
If you’re looking for even more to watch, December is packed with theatrical sequels and new seasons of your favorite shows. On streaming, the fifth season of Netflix hit Emily in Paris premieres this month, as well as the second seasons of Disney Plus’ Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Prime Video’s Fallout. Plus, Part 2 of the epic final season of Stranger Things drops the day after Christmas. In movies, keep an eye out for George Clooney’s new film Jay Kelly and the sequel to horror film Five Nights at Freddy’s.
Whether you’re craving blockbuster spectacle, gripping mysteries, behind-the-scenes revelations, or the latest in Filipino cinema, these final weeks of the year are full of stories ready to sweep you into exciting new worlds.