The final month of 2025 might not just finish the year—it could reboot the industry with a stacked slate, global prestige, and event-status releases that demand the big screen.

The calendar has flipped, and Hollywood is betting big on December. It is no longer just the final sprint of the year; it may well be the month the industry uses to reassert theatrical power after a turbulent cycle of hits, misses, and streaming-driven uncertainty. As the film business contends with shrinking windows, fragmented audiences, and the uneasy recalibration of post-pandemic habits, December’s slate functions as a make-or-break moment. According to FictionHorizon’s latest roundup of the most anticipated titles, this month’s releases will determine whether theaters can mount a meaningful, measurable comeback.

At the center of the conversation is Five Nights at Freddy’s 2, a sequel that has already shattered pre-sale expectations. Horror remains the rare genre that still commands urgency, and this franchise—fueled by a fervent global fanbase and rich online mythology—positions itself as the kind of communal experience that only a packed auditorium can deliver. The success of its predecessor created an audience that extended well beyond gamers, and the sequel arrives as a full-scale cultural event engineered for maximum theatrical impact.

Counterprogramming comes in the form of Jay Kelly, a prestige-leaning drama anchored by George Clooney. Its quieter, character-driven appeal stands in stark contrast to the spectacle of James Cameron’s Avatar: Fire and Ash, which targets the global marketplace with a level of ambition only Cameron attempts. The third film in the Avatar saga expands Pandora’s mythology with the Ash People, introducing a new cultural and environmental dimension intended to reignite the sense of awe that powered the previous film’s record-breaking run.

This duality defines December: high-stakes blockbusters positioned to dominate worldwide screens sit beside awards hopefuls trying to capture year-end momentum. Theaters are gambling on both strategies working. If prestige falters and tentpoles underperform, the month collapses. If even a few titles hit, December reclaims its role as Hollywood’s most reliable oxygen supply.

The month’s slate reflects a new reality in which theaters matter only when enough films create true event-level urgency. The promise of December is that audiences will show up not just because a movie is available, but because these films offer something fundamentally irreplicable at home. That thesis is being tested across genres, budgets, and release strategies. The global market, too, factors into everything—December is engineered for international impact, with studios increasingly relying on cross-continental momentum to lift opening weekends.

Still, the risks are real. The holiday frame is crowded, attention spans are fractured, and the pressure to deliver instant cultural relevance is enormous. Prestige films can disappear without a spark. Franchise films can stumble. And audiences, conditioned by streaming convenience, may not behave as predictably as they once did.

But if December hits even half its marks, it could become the month the industry cites as the turning point—the moment theaters rediscovered their value and studios rediscovered their confidence. FictionHorizon’s list underscores that this isn’t just a normal year-end rush; it’s a referendum on the future of moviegoing.

December’s Most Anticipated Films

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Releases December 12, 2025 — Netflix

Daniel Craig returns as Benoit Blanc in Rian Johnson’s third and reportedly most labyrinthine mystery yet. Plot details remain under lock and key, but early whispers suggest a darker, more character-driven case that pushes Blanc into genuinely perilous territory. With Cailee Spaeny and Josh O’Connor joining Craig, Johnson continues to reinvent the modern whodunnit with fresh ensembles and sharp tonal pivots. Expect a streaming takeover the moment it drops.

Ella McCay

Releases December 12, 2025 — 20th Century Studios

James L. Brooks returns to filmmaking with a political dramedy centered on a rising Rhode Island politician who unexpectedly becomes governor and must reconcile her ambitions with her personal life. Woody Harrelson and Ayo Edebiri headline a cast built around Brooks’ long-standing strengths: ensemble chemistry, emotional nuance, and character-first storytelling. It arrives as one of December’s warmest, most human studio offerings.

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Releases December 19, 2025 — 20th Century Studios

James Cameron transports audiences back to Pandora in the third chapter of his epic sci-fi franchise. This installment introduces the Ash People, a fire-aligned Na’vi clan whose harsher worldview complicates Jake and Neytiri’s ongoing fight for survival. Sam Worthington and Zoe Saldaña return, joined by Michelle Yeoh and Oona Chaplin. Cameron expands the planet’s mythology with new biomes and escalating conflict following the record-breaking success of The Way of Water.

The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

Releases December 19, 2025 — Paramount Animation

SpongeBob embarks on a deep-sea rescue mission to confront the ghostly Flying Dutchman in his fourth cinematic adventure. Tom Kenny, Bill Fagerbakke, and the original voice cast return for a family-friendly holiday release that blends classic Bikini Bottom humor with new worldbuilding. The nearly 30-year-old franchise continues to show remarkable staying power as another generation joins the fandom.

The Housemaid

Releases December 25, 2025 — Hidden Pictures

Paul Feig shifts into psychological thriller territory with a Christmas Day release starring Sydney Sweeney as a young woman who accepts a housekeeping job in a wealthy household ruled by dark secrets and growing unease. Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar co-star in this adaptation of Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel. It aims to counterprogram the holiday weekend with tension, dread, and an atmosphere of slow-burn paranoia.

Marty Supreme

Releases December 25, 2025 — A24

Josh Safdie directs Timothée Chalamet in a feverish character portrait inspired by table-tennis icon Marty Reisman. The film charts his rise as a flamboyant, self-mythologizing player who dominated the sport and the cultural moment around him. Gwyneth Paltrow and Odessa A’zion co-star as Safdie crafts a kinetic, character-driven odyssey through ambition, spectacle, and celebrity. With buzz already sky-high and Chalamet earning career-best acclaim, this is shaping up to be A24’s major holiday swing.

Anaconda

Releases December 25, 2025 — Columbia Pictures

Tom Gormican reimagines the 1997 creature feature as a comedic adventure anchored by Jack Black and Paul Rudd. Leaning into meta-humor and self-aware thrills, this revival pays homage to the original’s B-movie roots while reframing it for modern audiences. It’s positioned as a crowd-pleasing alternative on a crowded Christmas slate, trading pure terror for big laughs and high-energy spectacle.

POPULAR ON THE CINEMA GROUP

The Testament of Ann Lee

Releases December 25, 2025 — Mid March Media

Amanda Seyfried stars as Ann Lee, the enigmatic founder of the Shaker movement, in Mona Fastvold’s historical drama. The film traces Lee’s mystical visions, her creation of a utopian community, and the fervent devotion she inspired. Already earning strong early praise for its spiritual resonance and visual rigor, this Christmas Day release brings a rare contemplative counterpoint to a blockbuster-heavy lineup.

Rebuilding

Releases December 17, 2025 — PG

Max Walker-Silverman directs this intimate drama about a cowboy named Dusty, played by Josh O’Connor, who loses his ranch to wildfire and rebuilds his life inside a FEMA camp. There, he reconnects with his daughter and ex-wife as the film explores resilience, community, and the fragile threads of family after disaster. With performances by Lily LaTorre and Meghann Fahy and a warm 77 Metascore, Rebuilding offers December a grounded, emotional entry amid larger studio fare.

Cover-Up

Releases December 26, 2025 — R

From filmmakers Mark Obenhaus and Laura Poitras, this documentary examines the career of Seymour Hersh, the journalist whose investigations exposed some of the most consequential political scandals in U.S. history. Uncompromising in scope and urgent in tone, Cover-Up tracks Hersh’s pursuit of truth against institutional power. With an 84 Metascore and strong festival reception, it arrives as one of the season’s most impactful nonfiction releases.

Goodbye June

Releases December 24, 2025 — R

Kate Winslet directs a drama following a fractured group of siblings forced back together under sudden and emotionally fraught circumstances. Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, and Johnny Flynn anchor a story centered on grief, memory, and the messy work of reconnection. Premiering on Christmas Eve, the film offers a character-driven alternative to high-budget spectacles.

Father Mother Sister Brother

Releases December 24, 2025 — R

Jim Jarmusch brings his unmistakable sensibility to a family drama about estranged siblings reunited after years of silence. Tom Waits, Adam Driver, and Mayim Bialik headline the cast as long-dormant tensions resurface and generational patterns come into sharp focus. With a 76 Metascore and early critical praise, it stands as one of December’s most auteur-driven offerings.