The 16 movies we're most excited to see this holiday season

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (in theaters, Nov. 23-30; Netflix, Dec. 23)

EW slices into the many layers — and liars — of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery with star Daniel Craig and the new cast of the follow-up to Rian Johnson's hit 2019 whodunnit. Read our interview with Johnson and his ensemble.

Spoiler Alert (in theaters, Dec. 2)

We dare you to watch this movie tissue-less. Based on the memoir by EW alum Michael Ausiello, it traces his romance with his boyfriend Kit, and how things change when one of them falls ill. You may think you've seen this story before, but you haven't — the movie doesn't shy away from the complexities of a long-term relationship — and Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge play the couple with sharp, surprising honesty. (Bonus: Sally Field as Kit's mom!)

Violent Night (in theaters, Dec. 2)

Violent Night and Stranger Things star David Harbour tells us his favorite Christmas movies — the Yuletide flicks that make him merry.

Women Talking (in theaters, Dec. 2)

Starring a cast of Oscar-bound aces including Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, and Jessie Buckley, Sarah Polley's powerful drama constructs a new future through conversation. Read our chat with Polley.

Empire of Light (in theaters, Dec. 9)

Rising actor Micheal Ward plays a movie-theater employee who falls for his Olivia Colman-played boss in Sam Mendes's 1980s-set drama. We spoke with Ward, who told us Colman was "spitting fire" on set.

Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (in theaters, Dec. 9; Netflix, Dec. 25)

The exhilarating film adaptation of the wildly popular Tony- and Olivier award-winning musical based on the beloved children's book boasts a starry cast (Emma Thompson and Lashana Lynch play the menacing Miss Trunchbull and inspirational Miss Honey, respectively) and enough rousing song-and-dance numbers to make it an instant classic.

Something From Tiffany's (Prime Video, Dec. 9)

She's the patron saint of Gen-Z comedies, and descended from teen-movie royalty (mom is Lea Thompson); he's the patron saint of Ferris wheel mile-high clubs thanks to his stint as Nathan on Insecure. And now Zoey Deutch and Kendrick Sampson are a match made in holiday rom-com heaven with this utterly predictable, sneakily enjoyable Manhattan-set romp about a baker and a writer who meet when his swanky Tiffany's purchase gets mixed up with her loser boyfriend's and…well, does it really matter? You know you're gonna watch.

The Whale (in theaters, Dec. 9)

Brendan Fraser has always had great eyes, darting and intelligent. The gentle humor of his past work shines through Darren Aronofsky's one-set drama (based on the stage play by Samuel D. Hunter) about a divorced teacher, estranged from his teenage daughter and trapped by food addictions.

Avatar: The Way of Water (in theaters, Dec. 16)

We got James Cameron to break down four key scenes from Avatar: The Way of Water — from Sigourney Weaver's new role to the new clan of ocean-dwelling Na'vi. "The best metaphor is really good episodic TV," the director says. "The key to The Way of Water is to get you on the side of the characters so you actually care about what happens next in their journey."

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (in theaters, Dec. 21)

Star Antonio Banderas keeps getting the same Christmas gift every year, and he'd like it to stop, please. "It's not the worst gift to give, but it's just funny how many times I get [it]," Banderas tells EW. If you're looking to troll him, here's where to start.

Babylon (in theaters, Dec. 23)

La La Land's Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle reveals the inspirations for his highly anticipated period drama featuring Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, and more.

Corsage (in theaters, Dec. 23)

Phantom Thread's Vicky Krieps charms in another role that has her chafing against a mannequin lifestyle. Here, she plays Empress Elisabeth of Austria, renowned for an impossibly slender waistline but pinned in by royal expectations. Writer-director Marie Kreutzer enters into the story playfully, with spunk and irreverence. Fans of Marie Antoinette should take a peek.

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (in theaters, Dec. 23)

How does a Cockney girl from East London transform into an around-the-way girl from East Orange? For Naomi Ackie, becoming Whitney Houston involved dialect lessons, matador jackets, and many, many wigs.

Living (in theaters, Dec. 23)

Dapper and quintessentially British, Bill Nighy has always deserved bigger roles than his scene-stealers in Love Actually and Hot Fuzz. Now he gets the spotlight: Director Oliver Hermanus steers Nighy through the showcase of his career as a fading London bureaucrat who realizes he's wasted his life and has more to give. The film is a remake of Akira Kurosawa's 1952 drama Ikiru, but it's the opposite of homework.

The Pale Blue Eye (in theaters, Dec. 23; Netflix, Jan. 6)

Christian Bale goes Hudson Valley gothic as a broken detective investigating a series of gruesome murders involving West Point cadets. His unlikely assistant? A showy, eloquent misfit who also happens to be young Edgar Allan Poe (The Queen's Gambit's Harry Melling).

A Man Called Otto (in theaters, Dec. 25)

What's better than a grumpy Tom Hanks? A grumpy Tom Hanks who becomes a reluctant father figure to his pregnant neighbor (Mariana Treviño) and her lively family. Still not sold? There is also a cute cat involved.

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