CHRISTMAS
What movies are coming out on Christmas day? TV, where and how to watch
Most people will be curling up with a good film at some point over the festive period so we take a look at the new releases out this Christmas...
Festive films are a big Christmas tradition in many households, and the combination of chilly weather and family gatherings can make the prospect of curling up in front of a blockbuster seem even more appealing.
Everyone has their favourite Christmas classics, but what about the new titles that are coming to screens this year? We take a look at the films which will be released for Christmas 2021…
A Journal for Jordan
Michael B. Jordan and Denzel Washington star in this enticing drama, based on the memoir A Journal for Jordan: A Story of Love and Honor by Dana Canedy. Jordan plays war veteran Sgt. Charles Monroe King who authors a journal for his son which hopes will teach him how to live his life.
American Underdog
For the sports fans in the family, American Underdog offers a fascinating insight into a sporting journey from zero to hero. The biographical sports drama follows the true story of NFL quarterback Kurt Warner, played by Zachary Levi, as he goes from self-stacker to Super Bowl MVP.
Licorice Pizza
Few films from 2021 have a line-up to match Liquorice Pizza, which follows the lives of Alana Kane and Gary Valentine in 1970s San Fernando Valley. The likes of Ben Stiller, John C. Reilly, Bradley Cooper, Christopher Walken and Sean Penn star in the coming-of-age film which weaves elements of drama and comedy.
Licorice Pizza has been available in select theatres since 26 November, but will finally get the nationwide release on 25 December.
The Tragedy of Macbeth
The classic Shakespearian play Macbeth is reimagined by writer and director Joel Coen to produce the film The Tragedy of Macbeth. The movies stars Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand, who earlier this year won the Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Actress for the film Nomadland.
The movie first premiered at the 2021 New York Film Festival on 24 September and received critical acclaim. It will go on limited theatrical release from 25 December, before moving to streaming service Apple TV+ on 14 January 2022.
New on Netflix this Christmas
The range of Christmas day releases is fairly modest this year, but as film studios increasingly look to pivot towards streaming there are some exciting new releases on Netflix over the festive period.
First up, Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, alongside a massive ensemble cast, star in Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up. The satirical sci-fi fiction will be available to stream from 24 December and follows two low-level astronomers as they attempt to warn the world of an impending comet set to destroy the planet.
From 16 December, Netflix users will be able to watch Gary Oldman in the Winston Churchill biopic Darkest Hour. The World War Two drama follows Churchill in the build up to the conflict and the early years of his leadership.
Anyone delighted to see the back of the year which has just gone will rejoice in Death to 2021, the satirical end-of-year recap that builds on the similarly named 2020 edition. Created by Charlie Brooker’s production company Broke And Bones, the new version features the likes of Hugh Grant, Tracey Ullman, Samson Kayo, Diane Morgan and Lucy Liu and will be available on Netflix from 27 December.