Lucy – Picture: Universal Pictures
A new month is just around the corner, and if you’re looking for a new movie to watch, Netflix has a bunch of them that are all worth watching. Below, we’ve sifted through the dozens of movies on the way and picked out our top 8 picks.
For the full (and most comprehensive on the internet, we might add) list of what’s coming to Netflix in December 2023, keep your eyes locked on our guide throughout the month.
If you need something else to watch on Netflix, check out our picks of 12 great movies departing just before we head into December.
Most Anticipated Netflix Original Movies Coming in December
Rebel Moon – Part One: A Child of Fire (2023)
Coming to Netflix: December 22nd
Rebel Moon. Jimmy (Performed by Dustin Ceithamer/Voiced by Anthony Hopkins) in Rebel Moon. Cr. NETFLIX ©2023
You’ve already been hearing a lot about Rebel Moon, the ambitious new movie that will be spawning a sprawling sci-fi fantasy franchise for Netflix and we’ll no doubt hear a lot more in the run-up to the first part landing just before Christmas.
If you’re not familiar, here’s a quick rundown.
Zack Snyder is behind this new Star Wars-esque movie that sees you following Kora, a stranger with a mysterious past who begins a new life only to be soon mixed up in an interplanetary war.
Some cities are running 70mm cinema screenings for the movie, but it won’t get a limited theatrical release like the next movie on this list.
Maestro (2023)
Coming to Netflix: December 20th
Netflix’s Oscar hopefuls for 2024 are plentiful (we’ve still got two more to cover in this list), but topping the charts for most is Maestro, which currently ranks sixth on GoldDerby’s prediction list for the upcoming awards ceremony.
Written, directed, and starring Bradley Cooper, the movie seeks to retell the life and career of the beloved composer Leonard Bernstein.
Peter Travers embodied the best of the reviews saying for ABC News:
“Engrave an Oscar for Bradley Cooper for his heart-full-to-bursting tour de force as Leonard Bernstein. Alive with glorious music, the film resonates with the love the bisexual legend feels for the wife (a sublime Carey Mulligan) who lives with his demons.”
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023)
Coming to Netflix: December 15th
Picture: Netflix / Aardman
What a year it’s been for Netflix Animation, with some of the best movies and shows the department has ever made for the streamer coming out over the past 12 months. Rounding out the year on a high is the long-awaited return for Ginger and Rocky, who were last on our screens 23 years ago.
You’ll pick up with the chickens living in paradise, but they discover their freedom shouldn’t be taken for granted with a new threat on the mainland.
Thankfully, I was lucky enough to watch the worldwide premiere of Chicken Run 2 in London a little earlier in the year and absolutely loved it. It’s got that classic humor you’d expect from an Aardman movie but is visually improved from its predecessor.
May December (2023)
Coming to Netflix: December 1st
Todd Haynes, best known for the likes of Far From Heaven, Carol, and I’m Not There, comes to Netflix via this pickup Netflix made following the movie’s premiere at Sundance earlier this year.
Starring Natalie Portman and Julienne Moore, the movie follows a married couple who buckles under pressure when an actress arrives to do research for a film about their past.
The movie is only going to be released as a Netflix Original in both the United States and Canada, with other regions having separate distribution plans in place.
Best Licensed Movies Coming to Netflix in December 2023
Note: These titles may only arrive on Netflix in the United States – other regions’ availability may vary.
Good Boys (2019)
Coming to Netflix: December 1st
Good Boys – Picture: Universal Pictures
Looking for a comedy? Good Boys is a great place to start. The Universal Pictures movies feature a young cast who play sixth graders who are skipping out on class for an adventure. That adventure involves getting drugs, getting chases, and prepping for the party of their lives.
The movie comes from director Gene Stupnitsky and has primarily positive reviews across the board.
The Super Mario Bros Movie (2023)
Coming to Netflix: December 3rd
One of the few success stories at the box office in 2023 has been the adaptation of Nintendo’s crown jewel, Mario. The studio behind Despicable Me, Illumination, was tasked with bringing Mario and his friends to the big screen, and they spectacularly did that earlier this year.
Netflix is getting the movie after it spent the last four months on Peacock, where it’ll return after a 10-month stint on Netflix.
The movie’s voice cast includes Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Jack Black.
Lucy (2014)
Coming to Netflix: December 1st
The first of the month will bring several rotations, along with the arrival of most of the DCEU franchise from the past decade or so. One movie I’m keen to revisit is Lucy, which I haven’t seen since its initial cinema release nearly a decade ago!
Starring Scarlett Johansson and Morgan Freeman, the sci-fi movie features a woman who is kidnapped and used as a drug mule. When the drugs inside her leak, it unexpectedly leads her to unlock the ability to use her entire brain power and more. I’m keen to see how this holds up after all these years. I remember it being quite the trip.
Love and Monsters (2020)
Coming to Netflix: December 9th
Love and Monsters, a post-apocalyptic adventure film, garnered praise from critics for its charming blend of humor and heart and commendations for Dylan O’Brien’s lead performance and the bizarre creatures you’ll find throughout.
For most people around the world, you’ve already been able to enjoy Love and Monsters on Netflix as it’s marketed as a Netflix Original, but in the States, the movie was released only as VOD to begin with.
What are you going to be checking out in December 2023? Let us know below.
