Tis The Season! Here’s Your Guide To The Most-Anticipated Holiday Movies Of 2023
Jingle bells, baking cookies, and the joy of falling in love for the holidays… Christmas is almost here! There are sequels to holiday hits like Haul Out the Holly, films featuring favorites like Brandy, Jake Epstein, and Robbie Amell, and movies coming from Hallmark Channel, UPtv, BET+, Lifetime, and so much more. Pop Culture Planet’s Kristen Maldonado shares a guide of the can’t miss holiday movies.
Mystic Christmas
Jessy Schram stars as Juniper who travels to Mystic, Connecticut during the holidays to work at the rehabilitation center and aquarium. She reconnects with Sawyer (Chandler Massey), the owner of the pizza shop.
Mystic Christmas premieres October 28 on Hallmark Channel — and look out for Pop Culture Planet’s exclusive coverage from the set of the film!
Joyeux Noel
When a romantic painting of a Christmas market captures the imagination of copy editor Lea (Jaicy Elliot), she is sent to France with pragmatic reporter Mark (Brant Daugherty) to uncover the mystery behind the artist.
Joyeux Noel hits Hallmark Channel on October 29.
A Christmas Frequency
Denise Richards stars as a morning radio show host who is struggling in both her personal and work life. Things get interesting when she’s set up on a series of blind dates as a way to save the show.
A Christmas Frequency hits Hulu on November 1.
Never Been Chris’d
Home for the holidays, BFFs Naomi (Janel Parrish) and Liz (Pascal Lamothe-Kipnes) reconnect with high school crush Chris Silver (Tyler Hynes). A complex love triangle forms, forcing them to take stock of their lives and find the value of friendship.
Never Been Chris’d premieres November 4 on Hallmark Channel.
The Santa Summit
Jordin (Hunter King), Ava (Amy Groening) and Stella (Stephanie Sy) are three best friends who head out for a night on the town to take part in the annual Santa Summit, an event where revelers don Santa suits and visit local spots on the circuit to eat, drink and be merry in true holiday fashion… and set out to find a secret Santa (Benjamin Hollingsworth) Jordin connected with at the start of the night's festivities.
The Santa Summit hits Hallmark Channel on November 5.
We're Scrooged
Ex-high school sweethearts (Tamara Duarte and Andrew Bushell) return home for the Christmas Snowball 10-year high school reunion weekend. They are visited by three Christmas ghosts and have a shared experience reliving their past and present Christmases. When the Ghost of Christmas Future visits them separately, they have a big choice to make to either reunite or lose their love forever.
We’re Scrooged debuts November 5 on UPtv.
Christmas Angel
Troubled R&B megastar Angel St. James goes on a Christmas adventure with a random stranger and his young daughter. There, she discovers the magic of Christmas and the family she’s always wanted.
Skyh Black, DaniLeigh, Romeo Miller, and Tamar Braxton star in Christmas Angel hitting BET+ on November 9.
It’s A Wonderful Knife
Equal parts It’s A Wonderful Life meets Scream, Winnie Carruthers saved her town from a psychotic killer at Christmas. A year later, she’s still haunted by that day and makes a wish that she’d never been born. Now she finds herself in a nightmare parallel universe where the killer is back and things are so much worse.
It’s A Wonderful Knife hits theaters November 10 and will stream on Shudder at a later date.
Christmas Time Capsule
Tiffany had only three days, a road trip, and Christmas magic to make her best friend James realize that she’s the right woman for him when he plans to propose to someone else using his family heirloom engagement ring. Franco Lo Presti and Emily Alatalo star.
Christmas Time Capsule debuts November 12 on UPtv.
Sworn Justice: Taken Before Christmas
On Christmas Eve, a hardened detective and her DA boyfriend are each kidnapped and much follow the demands of a menacing voice to fight for their survival.
Sworn Justice: Taken Before Christmas hits BET+ on November 16.
A World Record Christmas
An autistic boy is supported by his mother and stepfather as he works to set a Guinness World Record by stacking 1,400 Jenga blocks. Together, they organize a fundraiser giving people an opportunity to donate and decorate a Jenga block, with the proceeds going to benefit kids with autism. Aias Dalman, Nikki DeLoach, and Lucas Bryant star.
A World Record Christmas debuts November 16 on Hallmark Channel.
Best. Christmas. Ever!
Brandy and Heather Graham play frenemies who get stuck together for the holidays, while one tries to prove that the others’ life isn’t as perfect as she makes it out to be.
Best. Christmas. Ever! hits Netflix just in time for the holiday season on November 16.
Dashing Through The Snow
A divorced New York cop takes his son on a ride along with him on Christmas Eve. Lil Rel Howery, Ludacris, Teyonah Parris, and Oscar Nunez star.
Dashing Through The Snow debuts on Disney+ on November 17.
EXmas
Graham (Robbie Amell) surprisies his family by traveling home for Christmas only to discover them already celebrating with his ex-fiancé (Leighton Meester). The two exes start a holiday war to see who the family prefers to stay through Christmas Day.
EXmas debuts November 17 on Freevee.
A Merry Scottish Christmas
It’s a Party of Five reunion for Lacey Chabert and Scott Wolf in A Merry Scottish Christmas. When estranged siblings, Lindsay and Brad travel to Scotland at Christmas to reunite with their mother, a big family secret is revealed.
A Merry Scottish Christmas premieres on Hallmark Channel on November 18.
The Naughty Nine
Ocean’s Eleven meets the North Pole when fifth grader Andy lands on the naughty list. He puts together a team of kids to pull off an elaborate heist to get the gifts they feel they deserve. But will they use their talents for good and get off the naughty list once and for all?
Led by Winslow Fegley, Camila Rodriguez, and Clara Stack, The Naughty Nine is out November 22 on Disney Channel.
A Season For Family
Siblings adopted into separate families wish to reunite for Christmas. Circumstances bring the two brothers unknowingly together and they become fast friends, while sparks fly between their parents.
Stacey Farber and Brendan Penny star in A Season For Family out November 22 on Hallmark Channel.
Catch Me If You Claus
Avery Quinn (Italia Ricci) is an aspiring news anchor finally getting her big break on her station's Christmas morning newscast. But that's put in jeopardy when she captures an intruder in her home wearing a red suit claiming to be Chris (Luke Macfarlane), Santa's son, on his first mission.
Catch Me If You Claus debuts on Hallmark Channel on November 23.
So Fly Christmas
A woman is left at the altar on Christmas Eve. To show her solidarity, her best friend suggests they renounce love. But things complicated when she starts falling for someone and has to keep it under wraps.
Tichina Arnold, Tami Roman, Jackée Harry, and Tommy Davidson star in So Fly Christmas out November 23 on BET+.
Letters To Santa
Young siblings get a magic pen from Santa that seemingly grants wishes. They hope to use it to get their separated parents (Katie Leclerc and Rafael de la Fuente) to reunite.
Letters To Santa debuts November 24 on Hallmark Channel.
Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up
The Christmas decorating competition on Evergreen Lane heats up when new neighbors move in who turn out to be holiday royalty. Lacey Chabert, Wes Brown, Stephen Tobolowsky, Melissa Peterman, Ellen Travolta, Seth Morris, and Jennifer Aspen star in the sequel.
Catch Haul Out the Holly: Lit Up on Hallmark Channel on November 25.
Laughing All The Way
An aspiring comedian in charge of a Christmas variety show worries she doesn’t have what it takes. That is, until she connects with a famous comedian returning to the club that launched his career, and they fall hopelessly and hilariously in love.
Paniz Zade and Jake Epstein lead Laughing All the Way out November 26 on Lifetime.
A Biltmore Christmas
A screenwriter is hired to write a remake of a beloved holiday classic filmed at the historic Biltmore House. But when she accidentally time travels back to the original film set with the help of an hourglass, she sets off a chain of events that put the whole production in jeopardy.
Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha star in A Biltmore Christmas out November 26 on Hallmark.
Christmas Ringer
When an R&B singer known as the Princess of Christmas has her career derailed by her manager-fiancé, she heads home for the holidays to help her family’s church choir win a Christmas competition. Trenyce, Kelly Price, Chrisette Michelle, and Tamika Scott star.
Christmas Ringer hits BET+ on November 30.
The Sacrifice Game
Led by Mena Massoud and Olivia Scott Welch, things take a deadly turn when boarding school students who can’t go home for the holidays find a murderous gang on their doorstep.
The Sacrifice Game debuts on Shudder and AMC+ on December 1.
Candy Cane Lane
Eddie Murphy leads his first holiday film with Candy Cane Lane. Desperate to win his neighborhood’s annual home decoration contest, he makes a deal with an elf bringing the 12 Days of Christmas to life. Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Nick Offerman, and D.C. Young Fly also star.
Candy Cane Lane hits Prime Video on December 1.
Mistletoe Match
A writer goes undercover to give a cynical look at the annual Secret Santa for Singles event and ends up finding romance with a fellow skeptic. Will she risk a lifetime promotion for a romance she never saw coming?
Mistletoe Match debuts December 3 on Lifetime.
Silent Night, Fatal Night
A best-selling mystery writer wants to end her long-running detective franchise. Desperate for a big payday, her manager takes her prisoner, convinces the world she’s passed away, and forces her to write a “posthumous” novel. She must spend the holiday writing her own escape.
Silent Night, Fatal Night premieres December 8 on Lifetime.
Rescuing Christmas (working title)
Two of Santa’s elves devise a plan to grant one human on Earth three wishes to kickstart the holiday season. Unfortunately they pick a woman (Rachael Leigh Cook) who hates Christmas and wishes the holiday would “just disappear.”
Catch Rescuing Christmas on Hallmark Movies Now on December 7.
Never Alone For Christmas
A woman gets cold feet and calls off her wedding. Not wanting to be alone for Christmas, she and her ex unknowingly end up at the same Cajun Christmas retreat for singles with new dates on their arms. Mignon Von, Allen Maldonado, and Macy Gray star.
Never Alone For Christmas debuts December 7 on BET+.
Magic in Mistletoe
The bitter and reclusive author of a popular book series returns to his hometown for an annual Christmas festival celebrating his books. He’s joined by the publicist for the major publishing house he works with to do damage control after his recent social media comments have ruffled fathers.
Magic in Mistletoe hits Hallmark on December 8.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever
The winter holidays are especially stressful for Greg Heffley this year. After accidentally damaging a snowplow, he’s worried he won’t get his dream gift for Christmas. To make matters worse, he gets snowed in with his family.
A new original animated adventure inspired by Jeff Kinney’s wildly successful book series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: Cabin Fever will stream December 8 on Disney+.
Merry Little Batman
When young Damian Wayne finds himself home alone on Christmas Eve, he transforms into “Little Batman” to defend Wayne Manor and Gotham City from the crooks and supervillains intent on destroying the holidays.
Merry Little Batman premieres December 8 on Prime Video.
Christmas on Cherry Lane
Three couples celebrate the holiday season while navigating crucial turning points in their lives. Catherine Bell, Jonathan Bennett, John Brotherton, Erin Cahill, James Denton, and Vincent Rodriguez III star.
Christmas on Cherry Lane debuts December 9 on Hallmark Channel.
Round and Round
A woman is stuck in a time loop, reliving the night of her parents’ Hanukkah party. Can the “nice boy” Grandma’s trying to set her up with help her make it to tomorrow?
Round and Round debuts December 10 on Hallmark Channel.
Yes, Chef! Christmas
A culinary school instructor gets invited to compete in the city’s annual Kringle Cook Off. She learns a family secret that could change everything and be the big break she needs. Tia Mowry, Buddy Valastro, and Luke Humphrey star.
Yes, Chef! Christmas hits Lifetime on December 10.
Christmas Rescue
A man abducts the love of his life from her holiday-themed wedding in a desperate attempt to win her back. Robin Givens, Raven Goodwin, Donny Carrington, and Mario Van Peebles star.
Christmas Rescue debuts December 14 on BET+.
Sealed With a List
A holiday lover sets out to conquer her list of abandoned resolutions from last year. With the help of her co-worker, she finds love and the confidence to chase her dreams. Katie Findlay and Evan Roderick star.
Sealed With a List hits Hallmark Channel on December 16.
The Holiday Proposal Plan
A travel columnist and her ex team up to help their best friends get engaged at a snowy chalet with 12 holiday traditions. Will the proposal plan help rekindle more than one relationship? Tatyana Ali and Jesse Kove star.
The Holiday Proposal Plan debuts December 16 on Lifetime.
A Christmas Intern
Seizing the opportunity to spend Christmas with her daughter and get back in the game after retirement, a woman becomes an intern at her daughter’s online gift giving business Cyber Santa.
Led by Jackée Harry, Ciarra Carter, and Vivica A. Fox, A Christmas Intern drops December 16 on Lifetime.
Friends & Family Christmas
When two women are set up by their parents, they agree to pretend they are dating for the holidays. What they don’t expect is to build a deep connection the longer they spend in each other’s worlds. Humberly Gonzalez and Ali Liebert star.
Friends & Family Christmas debuts December 17 on Hallmark Channel.
Whatever It Takes
It’s Thanksgiving weekend as five women navigating careers, life, and friendship bond over the imperfections in their love lives. Tami Roman, Kandi Burruss, Brely Evans, AJ Johnson, Rayan Lawrence, Kendrick Cross, Stevie Baggs Jr, and Zuri James star.
Whatever It Takes hits BET+ on December 21.
