Picture Credits: Netflix
From the highly anticipated final episodes of Stranger Things season 5 to the season’s biggest film festival standouts, we’ve compiled an early list of the biggest releases coming to Netflix in December 2025. Here is your preview of the new and exciting shows and movies to add to your watchlists.”
We’ll have a full list of everything coming in December for both the United Kingdom and the United States in due course. You may also want to start familiarizing yourself with all the new movies and series coming up in 2026, too!
Dec 1.
Troll 2
After premiering in 2022, Troll quickly became Netflix’s most popular non-English film. The movie is very much your typical giant monster flick. In this case, it’s a troll, a creature ingrained in fantasy folklore, who unveils himself in Norway after being trapped for over 1000 years. Enraged, he destroys everything in his path, sparking national alarm. As the troll destroys his way through the Norwegian countryside, nearing the capital of Oslo, the residents must prepare for his attack.
In Troll 2, a dangerous new troll — perhaps even more dangerous than the first — wakes up and also goes on a rampage. Our team of heroes, many of whom are returning from the first movie, once again has to work to save their homeland from destruction by the beast. It’s their most perilous talk yet.
“With the sequel, we are aiming high – expanding the scope, deepening the story, and creating a troll-sized spectacle like you’ve never seen before. I cannot wait for fans to experience the adventure we have in store,” director Roar Uthaug said upon the release of the trailer recently.
Dec 4.
The Abandons
THE ABANDONS. Lena Headey as Fiona Nolan in The Abandons. Cr. MATTHIAS CLAMER/Netflix © 2024
On our radar for a very long time has been the new Western series The Abandons, which initially had Sons of Anarchy’s boss, Kurt Sutter, at the helm. As you may know, he left the project quite late into filming due to creative differences. While that put a slight question mark as to whether the series would ever come to fruition, you won’t have to wait long to see what the fuss is all about.
Headed up with a stacked cast with the likes of Lena Headey and Gillian Anderson, the series will transport you back to the 1850s in Washington with two families battling for supremacy in the lawless frontier.
Dec 5.
Jay Kelly
Acclaimed filmmaker Noah Baumbach’s movie, Jay Kelly, starring George Clooney and Adam Sandler, has received mostly positive reviews at various film festivals and will mark the filmmaker’s fourth major movie for the streamer following The Meyerowitz Stories, Marriage Story, and most recently, White Noise.
This poignant and sentimental coming-of-age comedy-drama follows movie star Jay Kelly (Clooney) and his manager, Ron (Sandler), as they embark on a journey of self-discovery across Europe. Along the way, they confront their pasts, regrets, and relationships.
Dec 12.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
Another film festival standout is Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the third instalment in the franchise from director Rian Johnson.
A standalone sequel to Glass Onion, the movie premiered at film festivals to excellent reviews, with many calling it the best of the three films. This movie sees Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) take on a case shrouded in conspiracy and a web of secrecy, in which death brings him to meet charismatic priest, Monsignor Jefferson Wicks and his congregation. Unlike its predecessor, this movie takes on a darker and more gothic tone.
Wake Up Dead Man also boasts a top-tier cast, including Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, and Jeremy Renner.
Dec 11.
Man vs. Baby
Man Vs Baby. Rowan Atkinson as Trevor Bingley in Man Vs Baby. Cr. Courtesy of Ana Blumenkron/Netflix © 2025
Comedy legend Rowan Atkinson returns as Trevor Bingley in Man Vs. Baby. After housesitting in a high-tech mansion… and being terrorised by a bee… Bingley now unwittingly ends up in a luxurious London penthouse. This time, he’s got a baby to look after. What could possibly go wrong? If one thing is for certain, it won’t be a relaxing Christmas.
The official synopsis reads:
“Trevor Bingley has left the stressful world of housesitting for the quieter life of a school caretaker. That is, until a lucrative offer to look after a luxury London penthouse over Christmas proves too tempting to resist. But on the last day of term, when no one comes to collect the Baby Jesus from the school nativity, Trevor finds himself with another undersized and very unexpected companion. With a penthouse to protect and a baby to burp, will Trevor be able to have the calm Christmas he hopes for, or will festivities descend into chaos?”
Dec 11.
Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft
Tomb Raider media has had varied success over the years. When Netflix debuted animated series Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft, set after the events of the Tomb Raider Survivor Trilogy games, it received mixed ratings. The series was renewed for one final season, which premieres on December 11.
The official longline for season 2 reads:
“When adventurer Lara Croft discovers a trail of stolen African Orisha masks, she joins forces with her best friend Sam (Karen Fukuhara) to retrieve the precious artifacts. Lara’s thrilling new adventure takes her around the globe as she delves deeper into the hidden secrets of Orisha history, dodging the machinations of a dangerous and enigmatic billionaire who wants the masks for herself, while discovering these relics contain dark secrets and a power that defies logic. Power that may, in fact, be divine.”
Dec 18.
Emily in Paris Season 5
Emily in Paris stars Lily Collins as marketing executive Emily Cooper, who moves from Chicago in America to Paris, where she lends her expertise to a marketing firm. The series is one of Netflix’s most popular original series, and it will enter its fifth season this December. In season 5, Emily swaps out France and embarks on some Italian adventures.
“This season is a tale of two cities: Rome and Paris,” creator Darren Star told Netflix TUDUM. “Straddling both, Emily takes love and life to the next level.”
He added: “From Parisian rooftops to Roman ruins, we can’t wait to share where Emily’s next chapter takes us.”
How will Rome compare to Paris, the city of love?
Dec 12.
Goodbye June
Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet makes her directorial debut with Goodbye June. A very British festive drama, Goodbye June takes place just before Christmas, when June, a mother of four, falls ill. As her health deteriorates, the four fractured siblings and their father navigate the tough period in various messy ways. However, as for June herself, she simply wants to bow out with laughs and joy, surrounded by the ones she loves.
Winslet not only serves as director, but also stars in the movie. The cast includes Toni Collette, Helen Mirren, Johnny Flynn, Andrea Riseborough, and Stephen Merchant. You’ll also be able to catch this in cinemas if you’re in the United Kingdom and the United States beginning December 12th.
Dec 12 (Vol. 2) & Dec 31. (Finale)
Stranger Things 5
Stranger Things returns for the first four episodes of what promises to be an epic final season on November 26. The final four episodes air in December, beginning with Volume 2 on Christmas Day and concluding with the series finale on New Year’s Eve.
Season 4 ended on a pretty massive cliffhanger: the hellish Upside Down landscape began to spill into the quaint town of Hawkins. Clearly, the omnipotent threat of Vecna still looms large, despite the team’s almost defeating him. Season 5 will no doubt ramp the stakes up even further. 1980s icon Linda Hamilton — who played Sarah Connor in the Terminator movies — is also joining the cast. The final season will undoubtedly be the Netflix event of the year!
What other Netflix Originals are coming to Netflix in December?
Outside of our standout picks, Netflix has a lot of other content prepped for the holiday season. There’s a few international movies, such as music documentary Selena y Los Dinos, South African rom-com Love & Wine, Korean sci-fi The Great Flood, and Japanese manga adaptation of 10DANCE.
Which Netflix Original are you most excited to watch in December 2025? Tell us in the comments down below!
