Christmas movies 2026: new releases and classics to watch

December is coming, and with it Christmas movie season. Between new releases and great classics, here's enough to fill your evenings until Christmas Eve.

This season's new releases

• Scrooge (in French theaters on November 11): a new version of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, with Johnny Depp.
• A Dog's Perfect Christmas (Netflix, November 4): a family movie with Dennis Quaid and Mary Steenburgen.
• The Gospel of Christmas (Netflix, November 11): a Christmas musical from Tyler Perry.

Timeless classics

For the family

• Home Alone (1990, 1h43): the ultimate Christmas movie.
• The Polar Express (2004, 1h40): the magic of the train to the North Pole.
• Klaus (2019, 1h36): a beautiful animated origin story of Santa Claus.
• The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993, 1h16): between Halloween and Christmas, perfect for the transition.

For grown-ups

• Love Actually (2003, 2h15): the ensemble rom-com we rewatch every year.
• The Holiday (2006, 2h16): a house swap between Los Angeles and the English countryside.
• Santa Claus Is a Stinker (Le Père Noël est une ordure, 1982, 1h28): the French comedy classic, to rewatch without moderation.
• Die Hard (1988, 2h12): a Christmas movie? The debate rages on every year.

Our tip

Make a movie "Advent calendar": a short movie on weeknights (The Nightmare Before Christmas, Santa Claus Is a Stinker), and the longer ones on weekends. And save Home Alone for the 24th.