From cheesy TV movies to huge theatrical releases, the holiday season looks to be quite promising for new media. Here’s a preview of what’s to come later this year so you can get into the holiday spirit:
“A Biltmore Christmas” (Hallmark)
Two Hallmark Channel favorites, Bethany Joy Lenz and Kristoffer Polaha, star this romantic, time-traveling holiday. Lucy (Lenz) is hired to write a remake of a beloved holiday film that was set at the historic Biltmore Estate in North Carolina. When her boss isn’t impressed with her initial work, he sends her on location for inspiration, where she finds herself time traveling to the set of the original 1947 film she’s remaking. She meets one of the film’s stars, Jack (Polaha), and the pair become close. But as most time-travel-related films conclude, messing with the past has consequences — and Lucy must figure out what’s most important: altering the future or making things right again.
“Candy Cane Lane” (Prime Video)
Another star-studded holiday film that’s set to release on Prime Video this year is “Candy Cane Lane.” According to IMDb, the cast currently includes Eddie Murphy, Nick Offerman, Jillian Bell, Tracee Ellis Ross, Chris Redd, and more. The film’s plot has been kept under wraps, but director Reginald Hudlin has worked on various acclaimed films and shows like “The Last O.G.,” “New Girl,” “Marry Me,” “Modern Family,” and more. With a long list of A-list comedians on the call sheet, this new holiday movie is sure to have your stomach hurting from laughing so much, so be on the lookout for a trailer in the future.
“Merry Liddle Christmas Vacation” (Lifetime)
Kelly Rowland will star in the fourth installment of the popular holiday movie franchise on the Lifetime channel. “Merry Liddle Christmas Vacation” follows the Liddle family yet again as they travel to a gorgeous resort for the holidays as well as to celebrate Jacquie (Rowland) and Tyler’s (Thomas Cadrot) wedding anniversary and their twins’ birthday. As with most holiday TV movies, slight tensions will rise and will cause characters to remember the reason for the season. As new traditions begin, the Liddle family will bring entertainment to your television this holiday season
“Red One” (Prime Video)
If you’re looking for a bit more action and adventure in your holiday entertainment, à la “Die Hard,” consider turning to Prime Video’s “Red One.” This star-studded film features Dwayne Johnson as Callum Drift and Chris Evans as Jack O’Malley. Additional stars include Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Nick Kroll, and Bonnie Hunt. While not much has been shared about the film just yet, there are rumors it will be the first of a potential franchise that reimagines holiday mythology. Johnson has shared via social media the film will be an over-the-top family movie and, given his and Evans’ popularity, it should certainly be entertaining for anyone.
“The Naughty Nine” (Disney Channel)
The last time The Disney Channel released an original movie for the season was in 2021 with “Christmas… Again?!” Since 1997, the family channel has only released a handful of holiday films, but is offering up a new experience for younger viewers with “The Naughty Nine.” When Andy discovers he is on Santa’s naughty list, he enlists a group of other kids on the list to get the gifts that they think they deserve. The film will star mostly unknowns when it comes to the child actors, but director Alberto Belli has most recently worked on “Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion,” a show that premiered on The Disney Channel in 2022.
Are you excited for any of these upcoming holiday films? There’s sure to be many more to choose from, so you’re sure to find something you’ll enjoy this year.