At first glance, the December series, special and movie additions to streaming service Disney+ seem a little lightweight. Then you remember that a lot of the most high-profile new content dropped in the second half of November. This includes Disenchanted (the sequel to Amy Adams musical fantasy Enchanted), and, today, 30 November, fantasy series Willow (a follow-up to the 1998 film) premieres. Plus, you’re now in the position to binge the entire first season of Star Wars series, and Rogue One prequel, Andor.
As a side note, if you’re looking for classic Christmas fare, Disney+ has all the Home Alone movies as well as the full Die Hard series. Yippee ki-yay! And if you’re looking for animated entertainment in particular, check out Mickey Saves Christmas, a new stop-motion special (released already), and CGI-animated sequel Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules (out 2 December).
Amsterdam (Film)
Acclaimed but controversial filmmaker David O. Russell gives audiences something a little different over the holidays in the form of period comedy thriller Amsterdam. The story is based on the Business Plot, a 1933 American political conspiracy, and follows three friends—a doctor (Christian Bale), a nurse (Margot Robbie), and a lawyer (John David Washington) —who find themselves framed for the murder of a retired US general. The ensemble cast also includes Andrea Riseborough, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Taylor Swift, Timothy Olyphant, Zoe Saldaña, Rami Malek, and Robert De Niro. Amsterdam debuts on Disney+ on 7 December.
National Treasure: Edge of History (Series)
Star Nicolas Cage isn’t back, but series National Treasure: Edge of History acts as a continuation of the National Treasure adventure franchise, with Justin Bartha and Harvey Keitel reprising their big screen roles. They’re not the focus of Edge of History though; that’s Jess Valenzuela (Lisette Alexis), a young woman who’s life is turned upside down when she receives a clue to a centuries-old treasure that might be connected to her long-dead father. But can Jess, and her friends, outsmart a black-market antiquities dealer (Catherine Zeta-Jones) in a race to find the lost loot? National Treasure: Edge of History debuts with its first 2 episodes on 14 December, and weekly episode drops thereafter.
The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special (Special)
Of the various Christmas specials on Disney+, arguably the biggest new addition is The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special. Written and directed by James Gunn, who has helmed all of the MCU’s Guardians of the Galaxy films, and featuring stars Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper, the Holiday Special sees the Guardians head to earth in an attempt to cheer up leader Starlord (Pratt) by giving him the perfect Christmas. You can stream the 44-minute The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special right now, as it debuted on 25 November.