5 new movies to watch in December, including Sonic 3 & Kraven the Hunter

It’s officially the most wonderful time of the year, and December 2024 is packed with must-see movies that’ll have you racing to your local cinema.

November was an incredible month for moviegoers: we had Gladiator 2, Ridley Scott’s long-awaited sequel; Wicked, the musical adaptation that’s (unsurprisingly) become a box office smash; and Moana 2… and even if we didn’t like it, it’s already set to outgross its predecessor.

The nights may be darker, the days may be colder, and you may be more concentrated on ticking off your list of the best Christmas movies or TV shows you missed in 2024.

However, December is absolutely stacked with films you won’t want to miss – and we’ve rounded them all up (plus a peek at what’s coming in the New Year).

Werewolves

Release date: December 6

Imagine The Purge with werewolves, and you have… Werewolves, a new action-horror movie from Steven C. Miller (Extraction, Line of Duty) and starring Frank Grillo.

It has a bonkers set-up: a year after a supermoon triggered a latent gene that transforms people into werewolves, killing billions of people across the world, a small town prepares for round two.

Kraven the Hunter

Release date: December 13

Sony Pictures

Sony’s not-so-illustrious Marvel universe returned twice this year with Madame Web and Venom: The Last Dance – and this month, it may bow out with Kraven the Hunter.

The film, directed by JC Chandor and starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the title role, explores the origin story of the iconic Spider-Man villain… without Spider-Man. That may not sound particularly great, but this movie looks a bit different from the studio’s other efforts; practical action, real locations, and a proper R-rating. As the director has asked, we should give it a chance.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Release date: December 13

Lord of the Rings is in a weird place right now. Peter Jackson is returning to produce two new movies, starting with The Hunt for Gollum, and Rings of Power Season 2 was a divisive, undeniable improvement for the Amazon series.

This month, Warner Bros. will release its first LOTR anime movie, The War of the Rohirrim. Set nearly 200 years before the events of the films, it follows Hera (Gaia Wise), the daughter of Helm Hammerhand (Brian Cox), as the kingdom of Rohan goes to war with the Dunlendings.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Release date: December 20

Paramount Pictures

When Sonic 2 hit cinemas, its post-credits scene ignited hype all around the world with two words: “Project Shadow.”

Sonic 3 is delivering the goods with Keanu Reeves as Shadow the Hedgehog, who’s hellbent on revenge against all of humanity. Sonic (Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O’Shaughnessey), and Knuckles (Idris Elba) team up to stop him, and they may need the assistance of an unlikely ally: Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey).

Nosferatu

Release date: December 25

In 2011, it was David Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. This year, Robert Eggers’ Nosferatu is set to be the feel-bad movie of Christmas.

With an all-star cast (Willem Dafoe, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Emma Corrin, and Bill Skarsgård as the titular vampire), this long-awaited remake of one of the best horror movies of all time is a must-see.

New movies in December 2024: Full list

This is a list of all the major new movies coming to US cinemas in December 2024:

December 6

• Get Away
• The Return
• Solo Leveling -ReAwakening-
• Werewolves
• Y2K

December 13

• Kraven the Hunter
• The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

December 18

• Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (in limited theaters)

December 20

• Homestead
• Mufasa: The Lion King
• Sonic the Hedgehog 3
• The Brutalist (in limited theaters)

December 25

• Babygirl
• A Complete Unknown
• The Fire Inside
• Nosferatu

December 27

• 2073 (in limited cinemas)

What’s coming in January 2025?

Before you know it, Christmas will be over and January 2025 will be here – and there’s plenty to watch:

• Den of Thieves 2
• Better Man
• Wolf Man
• Flight Risk
• Dog Man

For more previews, check out the best new TV shows this month, what’s happening in true crime and documentaries, plus movies that are streaming this month.