There aren't many new movies left to arrive in theaters before 2023 ends. Indeed, with the final month of the year officially upon us, it's almost time to wave goodbye to the year that was.
Before we do, however, there are still some great looking new films due out in cinemas worldwide. 2023's final contingent includes the last superhero film of 2023 courtesy of DC, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory's prequel, and other customary festive season releases that aren't Christmassy in any way, shape, or form.
For each entry on this list, you'll find more information on their release dates (based on where you live), official trailers, cast lists, and story synopses. In short: you don't need to look elsewhere to get all of your big screen entertainment needs met.
For those looking for something new to watch at home, the world's best streaming services have lots of new movies coming out before December 31, too. You'll need to read our new Netflix movies, new Max movies, new Prime Video movies, and new Disney Plus movies, however, to see what's new on those platforms. For now, here are the all of the new movies you can catch before 2023 ends.
New movies: December 2023
The Bikeriders
Release date: December 1 (January 25, 2024 in Australia)
Austin Butler (Elvis) and Tom Hardy (Venom, The Dark Knight Rises) are joining a motorcycle club in The Bikeriders, a ferocious, petrol-fuelled drama that (whisper it quietly) might be in with a shout during the 2024 Oscars season.
Jodie Comer (Free Guy, Killing Eve) stars as Kathy, a seemingly timid woman who meets and ends up marrying Butler's Benny, a member of a fictional and fearsome '60s era biker gang called the Vandals. The Bikeriders recounts Kathy's time with the Vandals, her attempts to 'fix' Benny and put him on the straight and narrow, and the pair's history with the gang's strong but increasingly ruthless leader Johnny (Hardy).
Get ready to settle in for explosive drama, bike-centric action, and likely top-tier performances from the film's leading trio. Given its 85% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes, this is one you won't want to miss.
The Boy and the Heron
Release date: December 8 (December 7 in Australia, December 26 in the UK)
Following its critically-acclaimed July release in Japan, Studio Ghibli's latest anime flick is coming to cinemas very soon.
Based on Genzaburō Yoshino's 1937 novel of the same name, The Boy and the Heron – the previously assumed final movie from legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki – follows a boy named Mahito Maki, who discovers an abandoned tower in his hometown. Understandably curious, Maki follows a talking grey heron through one of the tower's doors, entering an expectedly fantastical new world in the process.
Recently, the English language cast list for one of 2023's final new movies was revealed, and it's full of household names. Christian Bale (Batman), Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy), Florence Pugh (Black Widow), and Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man: No Way Home) are among its powerhouse voice cast.
Wonka
Release date: December 15 (December 8 in the UK, December 14 in Australia)
In Hollywood, it turns out even chocolatiers have backstories. This Charlie and the Chocolate Factory origins tale goes beyond the Roald Dahl source material to imagine what Willy Wonka got up to before he went into business manufacturing everlasting gobstoppers and Whipple-scrumptious fudgemallow delights.
Dune star Timothée Chalamet dons the top hat as a younger version of a character previously played by Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp, and has described the movie as "so sincere, it’s so joyous". And while that could easily be PR fluff, we actually believe him.
It's been directed by Paul King, the man who turned both Paddington movies into instant, heart-warming classics. Intriguingly, the movie’s also a musical that features songs written by The Divine Comedy’s Neil Hannon. We think it'll be one of the best new movies to debut around Christmas for some time – and, based on its official trailer, we're even more confident of that assessment.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Release date: December 22 (December 29 in the UK, December 26 in Australia)
Going by the less internet-friendly title of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, this superhero sequel – which we're calling Aquaman 2 – will continue the underwater adventures of Jason Momoa's DC superhero.
It'll reunite the Game of Thrones actor with original co-stars Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman, and Patrick Wilson, although the level of Heard's involvement reportedly remains up in the air. It'll see the titular character forced to "forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation", too.
Aquaman 2's first teaser was released on September 10, although it wasn't your typical DCEU trailer and that posed a big problem. Its official trailer arrived four days later (watch it above) and features even more VFX-heavy underwater sequences, the return of Aquaman's Black Manta, and plenty of frenetic action and razor-sharp quips.
All of Us Strangers
Release date: December 22 (January 26 in the UK, January 18, 2024 in Australia)
Andrew Haigh's first feature film for six years is due out in US cinemas before the end of the year.
All of Us Strangers stars Adam (Sherlock and Fleabag's Andrew Scott), whose mysterious encounter with neigbor Harry (Aftersun and Normal People's Paul Mescal) disrupts the flow of his everyday life. As the duo's relationship begins to blossom, Adam struggles to let go of his past, and strangely begins seeing visions of his deceased parents in the childhood home he left three decades ago. A romantic fantasy-thriller with two excellent leads that might cause an upset or two on the awards circuit early next year.
Anyone But You
Release date: December 22 (December 26 in the UK and Australia)
This fiery rom-com, which brings Sydney Sweeney (Euphoria) and Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) together looks like it'll make for captivatingly hilarious viewing over the festive period.
The duo play Bea and Ben who, after enjoying a fantastic first date together, find their exciting connection fizzle out over one seemingly slight issue. So, what's the problem? Well, Bea and Ben soon find themselves reunited at a wedding in Australia – a scenario that forces the icy cold pair to pretend to be a loved-up couple. Based on its trailer (which you can watch above), expect sparks and laughter to fly.
The Color Purple
Release date: December 25 (January 26, 2024 in the UK and January 25, 2024 in Australia)
Alice Walker's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is getting a big screen glow up – following its early 21st century stage musical adaptation – in time for the US holiday season.
The Color Purple tells the tale of Celie Harris Johnson (played here by Fantasia Barrino) and the extraordinary, albeit at-times horrifyingly abusive journey she goes on in the early 1900s. Halle Bailey, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, Colman Domingo, Corey Hawkins, and H.E.R. are among its starry cast.
Blitz Bazawule (Black Is King, The Burial of Kojo) directs from a screenplay penned by Marcus Gardley (Maid, The Chi). Oprah Winfrey and Steven Spielberg are part of the movie's world-famous producing team, too.
The Boys in the Boat
Release date: December 25 (January 12, 2024 in the UK and January 4, 2024 in Australia)
Based on real-life events, this George Clooney-directed underdog tale is Warner Bros' second Christmas Day feature film release – alongside the aforementioned The Color Purple (in the US, anyway).
The Boys in the Boat stars Joel Edgerton and Callum Turner (among many others) as two members of the 1936 University of Washington rowing team, which competed for the gold medal at that year's Summer Olympics games in Berlin. Billed as an "inspirational true story", we wouldn't be surprised if one of 2023's last new movies (or first of 2024's new flicks, depending on where you live) earns its fair share of award nominations early next year.
New movies: the most exciting films of 2024
There are only 31 days (at the time of writing) left before 2024 is here, but the world's biggest studios have already revealed some of brilliant new movies that we can look forward to next year. Here's a selection of the most eagerly anticipated ones to keep an eye on:
- One Life (January 1)
- Night Swim (January 5)
- The Book of Clarence (January 12)
- Mean Girls (January 12)
- Lisa Frankenstein (February 9)
- Bob Marley: One Love (February 14)
- Madame Web (February 14)
- Dune Part 2 (March 1)
- Imaginary (March 8)
- Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (March 29)
- Mickey 17 (March 29)
- The First Omen (April 5)
- Godzilla vs Kong: The New Empire (April 12)
- The Fall Guy (May 3)
- Furiosa: A Mad Mad Saga (May 24)
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (May 24)
- The Garfield Movie (May 24)
- Ballerina (June 7)
- Inside Out 2 (June 14)
- A Quiet Place: Day One (June 28)
- Despicable Me 4 (July 3)
- Deadpool 3 (July 26)
- Borderlands (August 9)
- Kraven the Hunter (August 30)
- Alien: Romulus (August 30)
- Beetlejuice 2 (September 6)
- Joker: Folie à Deux (October 4)
- Smile 2 (October 18)
- Gladiator 2 (November 22)
- Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (December 20)
- The Lion King: Mufasa (December 20)
- Nosferatu (December 25)
