Once the presents are unwrapped, the chestnuts cracked open, and the eggnog quaffed, holiday merrymakers head to the movies.
The holiday movie season used to be secondary to the summer, when escapist blockbusters awaited kids who just got out of school. But in recent years, filmmakers have mined lucrative box office gold over the holiday season, taking advantage of students’ time off as well as those on vacation over the holidays.
24/7 Wall St. has compiled a list of movies set to debut Dec. 15 through the end of the year, drawing on sources such as Internet Movie Database, Rotten Tomatoes, Movie Insider, and Box Office Mojo. Release dates can be changed and some movies may be delayed to a later date.
Click here to see the 21 movies coming out this holiday season.
Last year, total box office gross for the holiday season — defined by Box Office Mojo as the first Friday in November through New Year’s week or weekend — totaled $2.88 billion. “Rogue One” was the biggest hit in 2016, posting ticket sales of $532.2 million. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is the most lucrative holiday movie ever, grossing $936.7 million in the 2015 holiday season. That film accounted for 32.9% of the total box office gross during the 2015 holiday season, the highest percentage of any holiday movie since 1982, based on Box Office Mojo statistics.
Movie studios have taken the opportunity to show over the holidays remakes, sequels, and spinoffs, along with films they deem worthy of Academy Award consideration. Films that debut in November and December give those movies a late-in-the-year visibility when the Academy selects its nominees in late January.
The proliferation of film-award events leading up to the Oscars in early March has added pressure on studios to open movies over the holiday season. This period, along with the summer season, is the busiest time of the year for the industry.
Film companies also want to get people to the theater before the worst weather of the season hits the colder regions of the country and prevents cinema-goers from getting to the movie house. Also, the studios want to avoid competing against the NFL playoffs, which begin after Jan. 1.
This holiday season, there is vast selection of films for cinema-goers to choose from. Virtually every genre is represented: drama, comedy, westerns, science fiction, action, fantasy, animation, and romance.
The 2017 offerings also feature a variety of actors, from some of the greatest stars of all time to performers who cut their teeth on television and are now trying out their luck on the big screen.
Here are some of the films you may hope to find in your Christmas stocking this holiday season.
Source: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
1. Ferdinand
> Release date: Dec. 15
> Stars: John Cena, Kate McKinnon, Gina Rodriguez
> Genre: Animation
> Rating: PG
“Ferdinand’’ is a giant, gentle bull who must find a way to free himself from his captors and return to his family. The animated movie features the voices of action star John Cena, “Saturday Night Live” comedian Kate McKinnon, and Golden Globe-nominated actress Gina Rodriguez.
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Source: Courtesy of Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films
2. Gotti
> Release date: Dec. 15
> Stars: John Travolta, Ella Travolta, Stacy Keach
> Genre: Gangster
> Rating: R
“Gotti’’ is the story of the relationship between John Gotti, the flamboyant head of the Gambino crime family, and his son. Gotti the father was convicted of multiple crimes in 1991. John Travolta plays the “Dapper Don.’’ Travolta’s wife Kelly Preston plays Gotti’s wife Victoria, and veteran actor Stacy Keach plays Gotti’s mentor.
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
3. Hedgehogs
> Release date: Dec. 15
> Stars: Jenn McAllister, Jon Heder,Chevy Chase
> Genre: Animation
> Rating: PG
“Hedgehogs’’ is an animated family adventure starring Web personality Jenn McAllister and comedy stars Jon Heder (“Napoleon Dynamite’’) and Chevy Chase (“Caddyshack’’). The film is about a mischievous hedgehog named Bobby who leaves his home in the wild and joins pigeon Hubert on an unpredictable journey.
Source: Courtesy of Walt Disney Studios
4. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
> Release date: Dec. 15
> Stars: Oscar Isaac, Benicio Del Toro, Daisy Ridley
> Genre: Science fiction
> Rating: PG-13
What would a holiday season be without the latest installment in the Star Wars series? “Star Wars: The Last Jedi’’ stars Daisy Ridley, Oscar Isaac, and Benicio Del Toro. In the newest Star Wars adventure, Rey (Ridley) develops her newly discovered abilities with the guidance of Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), who is concerned by the strength of her powers.
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Source: Courtesy of A24
5. The Ballad of Lefty Brown
> Release date: Dec. 15
> Stars: Bill Pullman, Jim Caviezel, Peter Fonda
> Genre: Western
> Rating: R
“The Ballad of Lefty Brown’’ is a western about loyalty and the pursuit of justice. Cowboy Lefty Brown (Bill Pullman) seeks to avenge the death of his partner, the newly elected Sen. Edward Johnson (Peter Fonda).
Source: Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures
6. Permanent
> Release date: Dec. 15
> Stars: Patricia Arquette, Rainn Wilson, Kira McLean
> Genre: Comedy
> Rating: PG-13
Patricia Arquette (“Flirting with Disaster”) and Rainn Wilson (“The Office”) are the parents of 13-year-old daughter Aurelie (Kira McLean), who dreams of getting a perm so she can fit in at her new school. “Permanent” is a comedy about adolescence and bad hair set in a small town in Virginia in the early 80s.
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7. The Thousand Faces of Dunjia
> Release date: Dec. 15
> Stars: Aarif Lee, Dongyu Zhou, Ni Ni
> Genre: Action
> Rating: NR
“The Thousand Faces of Dunjia” is directed by noted action director Yuen Woo (Wo) Ping, who is best known for his work in films such as “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” and the Kill Bill movies. “The Thousand Faces of Dunjia” is about a group of fighters with supernatural abilities battling an ancient evil intent on destroying mankind.
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Entertainment
8. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle
> Release date: Dec. 20
> Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black
> Genre: Comedy
> Rating: PG-13
Plenty of star power in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle” with Dwayne “The Rock,’ Johnson, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black. Four high school students find an old video game console and are drawn into the game’s jungle theme, becoming the adult avatars they chose. Johnson was the world’s highest paid actor in 2016.
Source: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
9. The Greatest Showman
> Release date: Dec. 20
> Stars: Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams
> Genre: Musical
> Rating: PG
“The Greatest Showman” is a musical about the life of show business visionary P. T. Barnum. It stars versatile performer Hugh Jackman, Disney Channel veterans Zac Efron and Zendaya, and Academy Award nominee Michelle Williams.
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10. Pitch Perfect 3
> Release date: Dec. 22
> Stars: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld
> Genre: Musical
> Rating: PG-13
Our favorite a cappella group starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, and Hailee Steinfeld is back for the third Pitch Perfect film. The first two movies have grossed more than $400 million. The group reunites after winning the world championship for a final singing competition on a USO tour.
Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
11. Downsizing
> Release date: Dec. 22
> Stars: Matt Damon, Christoph Waltz, Kristen Wiig
> Genre: Comedy
> Rating: PG-13
“Downsizing” is a satire about scientists who discover how to shrink humans to five inches tall as a solution to overpopulation. Matt Damon and “Saturday Night Live” alumna Kristen Wiig decide to abandon their stressed lives to get small and move to a truly downsized lifestyle.
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
12. Father Figures
> Release date: Dec. 22
> Stars: Owen Wilson, J.K. Simmons, Ed Helms
> Genre: Comedy
> Rating: R
“Father Figures” is a comedy about two brothers (Owen WIlson and Ed Helms), whose eccentric mother (Oscar nominee Glenn Close) raised them to believe their father had died when they were young. When they find out he is still alive, they set out on a cross-country journey to find him. Father figures in the movie include Oscar winners J.K. Simmons and Christopher Walken, and NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw.
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
13. Bright
> Release date: Dec. 22
> Stars: Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace
> Genre: Thriller
> Rating: R
“Bright” stars box office favorite Will Smith (“Men in Black”), Joel Edgerton, and Noomi Rapace in this thriller. In an alternate present day, humans, orcs (evil humanoid creatures), elves and fairies coexist. Two police officers — one a human, the other an orc — are forced to work together to find a weapon that can change their world.
Source: Courtesy of Entertainment Studios
14. Hostiles
> Release date: Dec. 22
> Stars: Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Jesse Plemons
> Genre: Western
> Rating: R
“Hostiles” is a western set in 1892 about a bitter U.S. Cavalry officer (Academy Award winner Christian Bale) who agrees to accompany a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous territory back to their tribal home in Montana.
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Source: Courtesy of 20th Century Fox
15. The Post
> Release date: Dec. 22
> Stars: Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Alison Brie
> Genre: Drama
> Rating: PG-13
Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks star in this Steven Spielberg-directed drama. “The Post” is about The Washington Post’s role in taking on the U.S. government to publish the Pentagon Papers, which showed how various presidential administrations did not disclose to the public the scope of America’s role in actions related to the Vietnam War.
Source: Courtesy of Les Films du Losange
16. Happy End
> Release date: Dec. 22
> Stars: Mathieu Kassovitz, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Isabelle Huppert
> Genre: Drama
> Rating: R
“Happy End” stars French film award winner Mathieu Kassovitz, Jean-Louis Trintignant (“A Man and a Woman”), and Academy Award nominee Isabelle Huppert. The film is a drama about a well-off family living in northern France that is oblivious to the European refugee crisis.
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Source: Courtesy of Lotte Entertainment
17. Along With the Gods: Two Worlds
> Release date: Dec. 22
> Stars: Ha Jung-Woo, Cha Tae-Hyun
> Genre: Fantasy
> Rating: NR
“Along With the Gods: Two Worlds” is a fantasy starring Tae-hyun Cha, Kyung-soo Do, Jung-woo Ha. Cha plays a man who dies unexpectedly and meets the grim reaper (Ha), who escorts him to the afterlife. Cha is assigned a public defender to represent him in seven trials in 49 days to determine how he lived his life and where he should spend the rest of eternity.
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Source: Courtesy of STXfilms
18. Molly’s Games
> Release date: Dec. 25
> Stars: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner
> Genre: Drama
> Rating: R
“Molly’s Games,’’ directed by Aaron Sorkin (“The West Wing”), is the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic-class skier. Bloom, played by Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain, operated an exclusive high-stakes poker game for celebrities, athletes, and the Russian mob that drew the attention of the FBI.
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
19. Phantom Thread
> Release date: Dec. 25
> Stars: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, Vicky Krieps
> Genre: Drama
> Rating: R
“Phantom Thread” stars multiple Academy Award winner Daniel Day-Lewis as renowned London dressmaker Reynolds Woodcock, whose well-ordered life and single-minded pursuit for fashion fame is upended by a young, strong-willed woman, played by Vicky Krieps, who becomes his lover.
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
20. In the Fade
> Release date: Dec. 27
> Stars: Diane Kruger, Denis Moschitto, Numan Acar
> Genre: Drama
> Rating: R
“In the Fade” is a drama starring Diane Kruger, Denis Moschitto,and Numan Acar. Kruger won Best Actress at the Cannes Film Festival for her portrayal in this movie about a woman seeking justice and revenge for the deaths of her husband and son by neo-Nazis.
Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
21. Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool
> Release date: Dec. 29
> Stars: Annette Bening, Jamie Bell, Julie Walters
> Genre: Drama
> Rating: R
“Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool” returns acclaimed actress Annette Bening to the screen for this film based on a true story. Bening plays Oscar-winning actress Gloria Grahame (“The Bad and The Beautiful”), whose career has faded. While living in Liverpool, Grahame collapses in a hotel. As Grahame renews her relationship with British actor Peter Turner, a much younger man and former lover, memories of their affair come back.
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