10 Upcoming Films In December 2022 To Add To Your Watchlist

December marks the last month before we kick off a new year. With the year coming to an end, the awards season, from the Golden Globes to the Oscars, marks its beginning. Generally, it is seen that most of the acclaimed films of a particular year prefer to be released in these holiday months in order to gain more attention. Therefore, expectations for the month of December also remain pretty high. Furthermore, this month consists of both Christmas and New Year’s Eve; therefore, star-studded blockbusters are also expected. So, in the plethora of films released theatrically as well as through direct digital release, here is a list of 10 films one should keep an eye on in December 2022. 


The Eternal Daughter (2 December) (Theatrical)

The film is a joint production, including the likes of A24 and BBC Film, and its executive producer is Martin Scorsese. Joanna Hogg [director of “The Souvenir” (2019) and “The Souvenir II” (2021)] is a promising filmmaker working currently one should look out for. Her new venture looks very exciting as she shifts genre, dwelling in the gothic-mystery territory. From the glimpses we catch in the trailer, the film promises to be an atmospheric, layered narrative with a cast that includes the incredibly versatile Tilda Swinton. “The Eternal Daughter” also premiered at the prestigious Venice Film Festival this year, receiving very positive reviews from film critics and a Rotten Tomatoes score of 95%.


An Action Hero (2 December) (Theatrical)

Even though it is directed by debutant Anirudh Iyer, from what we’ve seen of the film through its finely cut trailer, “An Action Hero” promises to be a quirky action drama with an intriguing score and impressive performances with great chemistry between Ayushmann Khurrana and Jaideep Ahlawat. The trailer also showcases bits of the action set-pieces, which actually seem interesting and look like something one should definitely see on the big screen.


The Whale (9 December) (Theatrical)

After a 5-year gap, one of the most exciting filmmakers of the current generation in Hollywood, Darren Aronofsky, is back with a new film. The film also marks a major comeback for “The Mummy” (1999) actor Brendan Fraser as the film’s protagonist. As far as the reviews are concerned, Brendan Fraser has delivered a career-best performance and is among the top contenders for this year’s Awards Season in the Best Actor category. The film seems to be told through an empathetic lens, revolving around a reclusive, obese father trying to reconnect with his daughter for the last time. “The Whale” trailer promises a bleak, and, at the same time, humane tale told through the lens of Aronofsky.


Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (9 December) (Netflix Release)

After suffering from major production debacles, Netflix helped this stop-motion animated film to finally get made. If one looks at “Pinocchio” trailer and the making of the film, one can see the kind of detailing and effort that went into this retelling of the famous story of Pinocchio. This is the first time, Oscar-winning director Guillermo Del Toro has tested his directorial prowess in Animated films along with Mark Gustafson as the co-director. And as per the reviews, the film has completely blown their minds, with some even calling it Del Toro’s best work to date. If one has become accustomed to the unique and deliciously twisted vision of Del Toro, one will definitely know what to expect from his retelling of this age-old story.


Avatar: The Way of Water (16 December) (Theatrical)

In a day and age where film sequels, prequels, and spinoffs are churned out like fast food being prepared at fast-food joints, director James Cameron took almost 13 years to craft this sequel to the all-time blockbuster “Avatar” (2009). Being one who has witnessed a glimpse of this film during the re-release of “Avatar” (2009) this year, that too inside an IMAX theater in 3D, I can say that “Avatar: The Way of Water” is definitely worth each and every penny and showcases what a real blockbuster and epic filmmaking looks like. Even the glimpse itself was way better than some so-called spectacles or theme-park movies with highly inflated budgets and lacking any kind of filmmaking prowess. Definitely, a film just to experience inside the magic of a cinema hall.


Bardo, False Chronicle Of A Handful Of Truths (16 December) (Netflix Release)

Two-time Oscar winner for Best Director [“Birdman” (2014) and “The Revenant” (2015)], Alejandro González Iñárritu is returning to his Mexican roots after gaining prominence in Hollywood. “Bardo, False Chronicle Of A Handful Of Truths” trailer promises a quirky film with doses of dark humor and a very autobiographical aspect, as the film revolves around a character who is a Mexican journalist turned documentary filmmaker living in Los Angeles. The film seems to have dreamlike, surrealist, and very personal visions and is reminiscent of the works of legendary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, especially “La Dolce Vita” (1960)” and “8 ½” (1963).


Babylon (23 December) (Theatrical)

The youngest Oscar-winning director, Damien Chazelle [“La La Land” (2016)], is coming out with his mad vision of a film called “Babylon” (2022). The film is an epic period drama that can be categorized into the comedic genre. “Babylon” trailer gives a peek into Chazelle’s epic vision of the mad, mad world of 1920s Hollywood and consists of a star-studded ensemble of Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva, Tobey Maguire, and many more. The audio-visual aspects, as shown in the trailer, give “Babylon” (2022) an essence of a maddening, adulterated, and enticingly scary quality, showcasing a sense of excess like “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013).


Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (21 December) (Theatrical)

On the other hand, another well-known character, Puss in Boots, is coming to the theaters during the holiday week of Christmas. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is generating wide critical acclaim, and this may be the perfect Christmas gift and one to be enjoyed as a wholesome family entertainer. “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” visually looks great with its different animation style and aesthetic and also has an ensemble cast of renowned actors, from Antonio Banderas as the voice of the titular role to Salma Hayek, Florence Pugh, Olivia Coleman, and many more.


Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (23 December) (Netflix Release)

Even though “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” saw its one-week theatrical release in the month of November, its large-scale worldwide release awaits on Netflix. The critical and public opinion regarding the film seems to be quite positive. This Rian Johnson directorial is also among the most-awaited films of this year, as it is the sequel to the 2019 sleeper hit, “Knives Out.” Daniel Craig reprises his role as the detective, Benoit Blanc, and this sequel consists of a massive cast consisting of Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jr., and Dave Bautista. The trailer at least promises a crisp and thrilling whodunnit, one that will captivate the audience’s eyes and minds.


White Noise (30 December) (Netflix Release)

The third collaboration between Netflix and acclaimed writer-director Noah Baumbach after “The Meyerowitz Stories” (2017) and “Marriage Story” (2019) looks like a darkly funny dysfunctional family drama situated in a disaster-like situation. “White Noise” may remind one of last year’s film, “Don’t Look Up” (2021), to some extent. Even though the reviews are kind of mixed, it would be a good idea to catch this solely due to the names associated with the film, both from an acting standpoint (headed by Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig) and a technical standpoint.


This list features films that one may expect to be impressive due to the critical buzz and through-the-minute glimpses from teasers and trailers, as well as the people associated with a particular project. So, eventually, only after seeing these films post-release will we find out how the final piece of work turned out.


See more: Top 10 Films Directed By Martin Scorsese, Ranked


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Riddhadev Bandyopadhyay
Riddhadev Bandyopadhyay
Riddhadev has a major interest in watching various kinds of films, knowing about history, playing varied video games, and having a knack for politics. He is also a football fanatic. He is very opinionated but sometimes finds it difficult to express himself. Moreover, he has a piece of paper that people refer to as a degree in journalism and mass communication. At present, he is pursuing a Master's in Media Science while also trying out different activities to figure out which he does best.

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