December is officially here and for most of the country, that means shorter days and colder weather will be rolling in. What better way to make it through the winter than binge-watching series on Netflix and streaming both classic and new films. The start of the month means that Netflix is ready to release a whole new slate of content.
Of course, December means the holiday season so the list of holiday titles can’t be overlooked. For the kids, the “Trolls Holiday Special” will arrive on December 6 while the three “Santa Clause” films from Disney will be added on December 12.
For the older crowd, the Christmas-themed movies “Miss Me This Christmas” (December 19), starring Erica Ash, and “Christmas Inheritance” (December 15), starring Andie MacDowell, have potential.
Beyond the holiday-themed content, there is plenty of other options scheduled for December that should excite Netflix subscribers. Will Smith reunites with his “Suicide Squad” director David Ayer for “Bright,” (December 22) a cop/fantasy film and Netflix original that also stars Joel Edgerton as an orc. The docudrama “Wormwood” arrives on December 15. Director Errol Morris leads a talented cast including Peter Sarsgaard, Molly Parker, and Jimi Simpson to tell the story of a U.S. scientist killed during a Cold War era experimental program.
The critically acclaimed series “The Crown,” starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith returns for a second season on December 8 and fan favorite “Peaky Blinders” starring Cillian Murphy will debut season four on December 21.
As always there is a collection of movies worth checking out whether for the first time or to rewatch. At the top of that list is Marvel’s, “Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2,” starring Chris Pratt and Zoe Saldana, on December 5th.
Both “Ace Ventura: Pet Detective” and “Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls,” will arrive on December 1 but for the more serious movie-watcher, be on the lookout for “Full Metal Jacket,” “August Rush,” and “Sahara.”
Comedy specials from big names are expected to bring the laughs
December will also be a big month for Netflix’s ever-expanding collection of comedy specials.
It starts December 5, with “Craig Ferguson: Tickle Fight,” and continues December 12, when director/producer Judd Apatow returns to standup with “The Return.” British comic, Russell Howard, will debut “Recalibrate” on the 19th while veteran stand-up, Todd Barry, releases “Spicy Honey” on the 26th. But perhaps the most anticipated release will come on December 31, when Dave Chappelle brings “Equanimity,” the third special in his deal with Netflix.
Check out these titles before they’re gone
To make room for all this new content, Netflix will discontinue a host of television series and movies. Here is just a small sample of those titles, so if any are in the queue or a go-to watch for binging time, make the most of it before it’s too late.
“It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” seasons 1-11
“Young Frankenstein”
“Nightcrawler”
"Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl"
