The 17 Most Anticipated Movies Coming To Theaters This Holiday Season

Rejoice, movie fans! The 2022 holiday movie season comes bearing glad tidings for everyone, from across every film genre.

Care for a biopic? Look no further than a Steven Spielberg origin story. Or, how about a young adult love story peppered with exotic food? Or perhaps a horror thriller with Santa saving the day? If that's not enough— there's also a sequel about a famous swashbuckling feline coming soon. And finally, let's not forget the long-awaited sequel to James Cameron's 2009 "Avatar."

So if you're planning to make a jaunt to theaters this holiday season, be sure to check out our list below, in order of release date.

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The 17 Most Anticipated Movies Of 2022 Holiday Season

“The Fabelmans”

Michelle Williams, Gabriel LaBelle, Paul Dano; directed by Steven Spielberg

Based on the life of Steven Spielberg, “The Fabelmans” explores the iconic director’s adolescent years through the eyes of Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), a 16-year-old boy, who will discover the power of cinematic lens in awakening one’s consciousness to see the truth. His experience will help shape his future as a budding filmmaker.

“The Fabelmans” is in theaters Nov. 23.

“Bones and All”

Timothée Chalamet, Taylor Russell, Mark Rylance; directed by Luca Guadagnino

Timothée Chalamet reunites with his “Call Me by Your Name” director, Luca Guadagnino, in the young-adult romance-horror drama about two young drifters (Chalamet and Taylor Russell), who have a voracious appetite for human flesh. Beware: The film is not for the faint of heart.

“Bones and All” is in theaters Nov. 23.

“Devotion”

Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell, Christina Jackson; directed by J.D. Dillard

Devotion” is a biographical war drama about the comradeship between Jesse Brown (Jonathan Majors), the first Black aviator in the U.S. Navy history, and his fellow naval wingman Tom Hudner (Glen Powell). Both war heroes became the most decorated naval aviators during the Korean War. Expect thrilling aerial maneuvers, like the ones featured in “Top Gun.”

“Devotion” is in theaters Nov. 23.

“Strange World”

Jake Gyllenhaal, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union; directed by Don Hall and Qui Nguyen

Disney’s 61st animated film follows the Clades in their latest space odyssey with Jake Gyllenhaal, Jaboukie Young-White and Gabrielle Union lending their voices for the adventure. By the end, can they find their way back home, as they try to reconcile their differences?

“Strange World” is in theaters Nov. 23.

“Emancipation”

Will Smith, Ben Foster, Grant Harvey; directed by Antoine Fuqua

Based on the true story of a runaway slave named Gordon in 1863, Antoine Fuqua’s new historical drama chronicles his daring escape from a Louisiana plantation after nearly getting scourged to death by his overseers.

In the movie, Will Smith embodies Gordon as Peter, whose long and arduous journey to freedom will lead him to the North where he joins the Union Army.

“Emancipation” is in theaters Dec. 2.

“Violent Night”

Beverly D'Angelo, David Harbour, John Leguizamo; directed by Tommy Wirkola

Season's Beatings, Everyone! Well, that's apropos in “Violent Night” when Santa (David Harbour) drops in at a ritzy residence, where family members are being held hostage by a crew of mercenaries. Apparently, St. Nick comes bearing badass tidings to save the day.

“Violent Night” is in theaters Dec. 2.

“Spoiler Alert”

Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, Sally Field; directed by Michael Showalter

Following the success of Michael Showalter’s 2021 biographical drama, “The Eyes of Tammy Faye,” the filmmaker helms another biopic — the real-life story of entertainment reporter Michael Ausiello (Jim Parson) and his husband, Manhattan-based photographer Kit Cowan (Ben Aldridge).

Adapted from Ausiello’s memoir, “Spoiler Alert: The Hero Dies,” the film chronicles the final 11 months of Cowan’s life after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

“Spoiler Alert” is in theaters Dec. 9.

“Empire of Light”

Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth; directed by Sam Mendes

Romance and the magic of cinema meld in the Sam Mendes’ romantic drama set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s. The movie follows the story of a depressed middle-aged woman (Olivia Colman), who manages the eponymous theater called Empire. Her life is about to change when she meets a young ticket-seller (Micheal Ward), who can bring her that much-needed joie de vivre.

“Empire of Light” is in theaters Dec. 9.

“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinochio”

Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, Cate Blanchett; directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson

Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson collaborate to reimagine the classic Carlo Collodi tale of Pinochio (Gregory Mann), the fabled wooden puppet who becomes a real boy, albeit too mischievous for his own good. Get excited for a dazzling stop-animation treatment that is voiced by an all-star cast.

“Guillermo del Toro’s Pinochio” is available on Netflix Dec. 9.

“The Whale”

Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins; directed by Darren Aronofsky

Empathy abounds in Darren Aronofsky’s latest drama with Brendan Fraser in a career-defining role of a severely obese dad, who is trying to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter. Expect Fraser’s name to resonate with movie buffs in the thick of awards season.

“The Whale” is in theaters Dec. 9.

“Avatar: The Way of Water”

Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Kate Winslet, Sigourney Weaver; directed by James Cameron

Nearly 14 years since James Cameron’s 2009 “Avatar” became a huge box-office success, the sequel will finally hit the big screen after the film’s theatrical release date has been subject to numerous delays over the years. The plot is still under wraps, but expect the saga to pick up 10 years after the events of the original film.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” is in theaters Dec. 16.

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody”

Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders; directed by Kasi Lemmons

Kasi Lemmons’ Whitney Huston biopic comes to life with Naomi Ackie as the late music diva and Stanley Tucci as the record producer, who helped propel Huston’s career to mega-stardom.

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” is in theaters Dec. 21.

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”

Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén; directed by Joel Crawford

The famous fear-defying and swashbuckling Puss returns for the sequel with Antonio Banderas lending his voice for the eponymous feline. This time around, Puss will embark on his most perilous adventure yet with only one life left to spare out of his nine lives. Can he prevail?

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” is in theaters Dec. 21.

“Babylon”

Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva; directed by Damien Chazelle

Writer-director Damien Chazelle’s new film chronicles the rise and fall of multiple characters in a tale of sheer indulgence and depravity during 1920s Hollywood, the time and place when silent films were transitioning to talking pictures.

“Babylon” is in theaters Dec. 23.

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”

Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe; directed by Rian Johnson

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” — Rian Johnson’s highly anticipated follow up to his 2019 hit “Knives Out” — finds the famed eccentric sleuth, detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), at an annual gathering in an exotic Greek island. When a dead body suddenly turns up, everyone becomes a suspect.

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” is available on Netflix Dec. 23.

“Living”

Bill Nighy, Aimee-Lou Wood; directed by Oliver Hermanus

Oliver Hermanus reimagines Akira Kurosawa’s 1952 masterpiece, “Ikiru,” with an English-language adaptation set in 1950s London. The story follows an English bureaucrat (Bill Nighy) in his quest for the meaning of his remaining days after he is diagnosed with terminal cancer.

“Living” is in theaters Dec. 23.

“Women Talking”

Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley; directed by Sarah Polley

Sarah Polley’s new film, which is based on Miriam Toew’s bestseller of the same name, follows a group of Mennonite women as they discuss their viable options after learning that a group of men from their community sexually abused women for years.

“Women Talking” is in theaters Dec. 25.