The Holiday Movies We're Already Looking Forward to in 2026

There is something about the holiday movie season that makes a cold night feel a little more inviting. The decorations go up, the familiar favorites find their way back onto our screens, and studios begin rolling out a fresh batch of Christmas stories. And in 2026, there are plenty of new movies worth adding to the watchlist.

This year's lineup has a little bit of everything: Arnold Schwarzenegger playing Santa, Johnny Depp taking on Ebenezer Scrooge, a new chapter in the wonderfully chaotic Violent Night franchise, and several holiday romances arriving on streaming. Whether you prefer your Christmas movies sweet and sentimental or loud, strange, and full of action, there should be something here for you.

Here are the 2026 holiday movies we're already looking forward to.

The Man with the Bag

Release date: December 2, 2026 | Prime Video

Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to the Christmas movie business, and this time he's playing Santa Claus. In The Man with the Bag, Santa's iconic gift bag is stolen by a rogue elf, putting Christmas in jeopardy. To get it back, he turns to a thief on the Naughty List, played by Alan Ritchson, and assembles an unlikely crew for a holiday heist.

The combination of Schwarzenegger, Ritchson, and Awkwafina is enough to make this one stand out. It's a different kind of Christmas adventure, trading the usual trip to the North Pole for a team-up involving criminals, elves, and a very important missing bag. It also gives Schwarzenegger another chance to revisit the holiday-comedy territory that made Jingle All the Way such a memorable seasonal watch.

We're curious to see whether The Man with the Bag can deliver the same kind of big, silly Christmas energy.

Ebenezer

Release date: November 13, 2026 | In theaters

Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol has been adapted countless times, but there's always room for another take on Ebenezer Scrooge. This time, Johnny Depp steps into the role in Ebenezer, a supernatural reimagining directed by Ti West.

The story follows the familiar Christmas Eve journey through Scrooge's past, present, and future, but the creative team suggests a darker and more unsettling approach. The cast is another reason to pay attention, with Rupert Grint, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, Daisy Ridley, and Ian McKellen joining Depp.

A Christmas Carol works because its central story is timeless: a bitter man is forced to confront the life he's chosen and the person he has become. Seeing that story filtered through Ti West's sensibilities could make Ebenezer one of the more unusual holiday releases of the year.

Violent Night 2

Release date: December 4, 2026 | In theaters

Santa Claus is back, and he's apparently still not in the mood to put up with anyone's nonsense. Following the success of the original, Violent Night 2 brings David Harbour back as a very different version of Saint Nick.

The sequel finds Santa facing a ruthless gangster terrorizing the merchants of the Silver Bell Mall. That setup promises another round of holiday mayhem, outrageous action, and the sort of dark comedy that made the first movie such a fun alternative to traditional Christmas fare.

The original Violent Night found an entertaining balance between a familiar holiday setting and an unapologetically ridiculous action movie. The sequel has the opportunity to go even bigger. For anyone whose Christmas movie marathon needs a little more chaos, this is an easy one to put on the list.

In a Holidaze

Release date: December 2, 2026 | Netflix

A holiday time loop is a pretty irresistible setup for a romantic comedy. Based on the novel by Christina Lauren, In a Holidaze follows Maelyn Jones, a young woman who finds herself reliving Christmas at her family's snowy Utah cabin after wishing for a chance to figure out what will make her happy.

Maddie Ziegler leads the film, with Graham Phillips, Elias Kacavas, Rob Lowe, and Patton Oswalt among the supporting cast. The story has all the ingredients of a cozy seasonal watch: a beloved family tradition, romantic complications, a picturesque winter setting, and the possibility of getting another chance to make things right.

Time-loop stories are especially well suited to the holidays. They give characters room to reconsider their choices while letting viewers revisit the same festive setting from a new angle. If Netflix is looking for its next easy-to-watch Christmas romance, this one has plenty of potential.

A Dog's Perfect Christmas

Release date: November 4, 2026 | Netflix

For viewers who prefer their holiday movies with a little extra heart, A Dog's Perfect Christmas is built to tug at the emotions. The film follows a grandfather, his teenage granddaughter, and a family dog as they navigate grief and a difficult family relationship during the Christmas season.

Dennis Quaid leads the cast, joined by Milo Ventimiglia, Mary Steenburgen, Jennifer Tilly, and Thomas Haden Church, who voices the dog narrating the story. The movie is based on a novel by W. Bruce Cameron, the author behind A Dog's Purpose.

It's a familiar kind of holiday story, but sometimes familiar is exactly what the season calls for. A movie about family, healing, and the bond between people and their pets could be just the thing for a quieter night in.

Guarding Stars

Release date: November 18, 2026 | Netflix

A holiday romance with a bodyguard premise gives Guarding Stars a slightly different angle on the genre. Leighton Meester stars as Hannah Brooks, an executive protection agent whose personal life is already complicated before she's drawn into a new assignment.

Jared Padalecki and Andie MacDowell also star in the film, which is based on Katherine Center's bestselling novel The Bodyguard. The adaptation brings together romance, celebrity, and the complications of protecting someone while trying not to get emotionally involved.

The bodyguard setup gives the movie a little more movement than the average holiday meet-cute, while the Christmas-season setting should still leave room for the warmth and romance viewers expect. With a recognizable cast and a popular book behind it, Guarding Stars is one of Netflix's more intriguing seasonal releases.

The Christmas Switch

Release date: November 12, 2026 | Netflix

Netflix is also bringing a Swedish holiday romantic comedy to the lineup with The Christmas Switch. The film follows two sisters whose lives take an unexpected turn when they switch places, setting up the kind of holiday confusion that can only get more complicated as Christmas approaches.

A mistaken-identity premise is a classic comedy device, and the Christmas setting gives it plenty of room for family misunderstandings, romance, and festive chaos. It's also a chance to add something a little different to the usual English-language streaming lineup.

For anyone who likes discovering holiday movies beyond the familiar American formula, The Christmas Switch is worth keeping in mind.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: The Getaway

Release date: December 4, 2026 | Disney+

Greg Heffley and his family are heading into another holiday adventure in Diary of a Wimpy Kid Christmas: The Getaway. Based on the twelfth book in Jeff Kinney's bestselling series, the story follows the Heffleys as they trade their usual Christmas plans for a tropical resort vacation.

Of course, a family getaway doesn't necessarily mean a relaxing one. The resort turns out to be less suited to a traditional family Christmas than the Heffleys expected, leaving plenty of room for the mishaps and comedy that have always been part of Greg's world.

The Diary of a Wimpy Kid series has a long history with younger readers, and a new animated Christmas story should make for an easy family pick. It's also a welcome option for anyone looking for something festive that isn't another romantic comedy.

2026 Has a Holiday Movie for Every Kind of Viewer

The best part of the holiday movie season is that there isn't just one way to enjoy it. Some of us want a comforting romantic comedy, others want a family adventure, and some would rather watch Santa take on a room full of bad guys.

The 2026 lineup seems ready to cover all of those moods. The Man with the Bag brings an unusual action-comedy spin to Santa, Ebenezer revisits a classic with a darker edge, and Violent Night 2 is ready to deliver another dose of Christmas chaos. Meanwhile, Netflix and Disney+ are filling out the season with romances, family stories, and animated adventures.

Release dates and streaming plans can change, but these are the titles we're keeping on our holiday watchlist. Now all that's left is to make some room on the couch, find the snacks, and decide which one gets watched first.