Movies Streaming in December 2023

Along with a slew of holiday-centric movies, December sees a hefty amount of new and theatrical titles hitting some of your favorite streaming platforms, too. From the release of Killers of the Flower Moon and Barbie to newly released and long-anticipated titles like Zack Snyder’s Rebel Moon -- Part 1: A Child of Fire and disaster flick Leave the World Behind, there’s plenty to choose from this month that’s sure to keep you entertained. Check out our list of select titles!

Leave the World Behind (Dec. 8 on Netflix)

Who doesn’t love a good disaster movie?! I know I do. Leave the World Behind is based on the 2020 novel of the same name by Rumaan Alam and marks the first fictional movie from Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company. The film stars Julia Roberts (The Mexican) and Ethan Hawke (The Black Phone) as a couple vacationing in Long Island when a world-threatening disaster takes place. Mahershala Ali (Green Book) plays the owner of the home the couple is renting, and when he shows up seeking refuge with his daughter, the two families are forced to trust each other as the world collapses. Leave the World Behind is rumored to be one intriguing use-your-imagination thriller.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (now available on Disney+)

I’ll start by saying this movie is ridiculously long, so if you plan to watch it—especially with any kiddos, be prepared. Harrison Ford is back as the titular character for his final outing and fifth (unnecessary) installment of the long-running adventure franchise that is Indiana Jones. As Jones searches for a mystical artifact that has the power to turn back time, he teams up with his goddaughter to track down the device.

May December (now available on Netflix)

Starring Natalie Portman (Black Swan) and Julianne Moore (The Big Lebowski), May December is loosely based on the real-life relationship between former middle school teacher Mary Kay Letourneau and her student Vili Fualaau. The film follows a married couple who, 20 years after their notorious tabloid romance, buckle under the pressure when a Hollywood actress (Portman) meets them to do research for a film about their past.

Killers of the Flower Moon (now available on Apple TV+)

Based on journalist David Grann’s 2017 bestseller of the same name, Killers of the Flower Moon recounts the true story of how a white businessman and self-proclaimed “true friend” of the Osage nation orchestrated the brutal murders of numerous members of the tribe in early 1920’s Oklahoma. Real love crosses paths with unspeakable betrayal when Mollie Burkhart, an Osage Nation member, tries to save her community from this spree of murders fueled by oil and greed. Killers of the Flower Moon is reported to be Leonardo DiCaprio’s best performance of his entire career.

Candy Cane Lane (now available on Prime Video)

He’s no Clark Griswold, but Eddie Murphy (The Nutty Professor) is a father determined to win his neighborhood’s annual Christmas home decoration contest. When he unintentionally strikes a deal with an elf (Jillian Bell, of 22 Jump Street) to improve his odds of winning, chaos ensues as the elf casts a spell that brings to life the 12 Days of Christmas. Candy Cane Lane also stars Chris Redd (Kenan) and Nick Offerman (Parks and Recreation).

Mr. Monk’s Last Case: A Monk Movie (Dec. 8 on Peacock)

Tony Shalhoub reprises his Emmy-winning role in the long-awaited Monk movie. Set in a post-COVID world, the flick follows Shalhoub’s consulting detective with obsessive-compulsive disorder and a wide range of phobias as he takes on a very personal case involving his beloved stepdaughter Molly, a journalist preparing for her wedding. Several original series stars are set to reprise their roles alongside Shalhoub, so Monk fans, your party returns.

The Family Plan (Dec. 15 on Apple TV+)

Mark Wahlberg (Entourage) is back in an action-comedy role, this time as a former elite government assassin living incognito as a suburban dad. Starring opposite Michelle Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone), the family-friendly flick follows Dan Morgan (Wahlberg) as he packs up his wife, teenaged son and daughter, and 10-month-old baby and flees from past enemies who’ve tracked him down. This unsuspecting family takes an unforgettable cross-country road trip to Vegas, baby.

The Retirement Plan (Dec. 15 on Hulu)

Nicolas Cage (An Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent) stars as a retired government assassin with a violent set of skills who must protect his estranged daughter and grandchild after they get tangled up with some very bad men—one of whom is Ron Perlman (Hellboy). I’ve seen this flick, and it’s a cute movie. You’ll melt over the relationship Cage’s on-screen granddaughter strikes with Perlman’s character. For more details, read this full review of The Retirement Plan.

Finestkind (Dec. 15 on Paramount+)

Finestkind is a crime-thriller drama that tells the story of two half-brothers raised in different worlds, who are reunited as adults over one fateful summer. Set against the backdrop of commercial fishing, desperate circumstances force the brothers to become involved with the Boston crime syndicate, which ends up becoming their biggest threat, especially when a woman’s betrayal is woven in there. The film reveals itself to be a story about fathers who can’t always be the best examples for their sons, and about the fact that a safe return home isn’t always guaranteed. Finestkind stars Tommy Lee Jones (The Burial), Ben Foster (Hell or High Water), Jenna Ortega (Wednesday), and Jake Gyllenhaal (Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant) and features big boats, drug running, crime, and drama.

Gran Tourismo (Dec. 15 on Netflix)

Gran Tourismo is about a team of unlikely underdogs who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world: racecar driving. Based on the racing simulation video game series of the same name, it tells the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a teenage Gran Tourismo player who became a professional racecar driver. Stars David Harbour (Violent Night), Orlando Bloom (Lord of the Rings trilogy), Djimon Hounsou (Black Adam), Archie Madekwe (See), Takehiro Hira (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters), and Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever).

Barbie (Dec. 15 on Max)

If you’ve been waiting to see Barbie and Ken in all their live-action glory, your wait is over. The hit musical will soon be available to stream for free … with a Max membership, of course.

Maestro (Dec. 20 on Netflix)

Bradley Cooper (A Star is Born) is American composer Leonard Bernstein in this biographical drama that focuses on his relationship with Costa Rican actress-turned-wife Felicia Montealegre. Cooper, who also directs the film, spent a reported six years learning how to conduct an orchestra. It’s a lot harder and more involved than it looks.

Beau Is Afraid (Dec. 21 on Paramount+)

It’s a big year for Joaquin Phoenix (Joker), and if you’ve been waiting for Beau Is Afraid to hit a streaming platform, you’re in luck. Phoenix stars as an anxiety-ridden loner who sets out on a bizarre odyssey home to see his mother. While the Ari Aster (Hereditary) flick may confuse those with huge expectations, know that the film is supposed to be a polarizing movie, so view it with an open mind and just be there for the experience … and Phoenix’s performance, which—let’s be honest—is the only real reason any of us see movies with him in the lead role. Or is that just me?

Rebel Moon – Part 1: A Child of Fire (Dec. 22 on Netflix)

Finally, famed director Zack Snyder’s long-awaited franchise arrives this month. Hitting Netflix right before Christmas, this mega-budget sci-fi action flick is inspired by the works of Akira Kurosawa, the Star Wars films, and Heavy Metal magazines and will no doubt feature Snyder’s well-known slow-motion effects. When a colony on the edge of the galaxy finds itself threatened by the armies of the tyrannical Regent Balisarius, they dispatch a young woman with a mysterious past to seek out warriors from neighboring planets to help them take a stand. The franchise boasts big names like Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy), Michiel Huisman (The Haunting of Hill House), Djimon Hounsou (Black Adam), Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service), and Ray Fisher (Zack Snyder’s Justice League). Rebel Moon – Part 2 will release on Netflix in April 2024.

Keeley Brooks is a big ole movies, television, and streaming nerd with a voracious appetite for entertainment consumption and an uncontrollable urge to write about everything she watches, even if it sucks.