20 Films to See in December
The final month of 2022 brings the first sequel to the highest-grossing movie in history, potential Oscar contenders from Damien Chazelle, Sarah Polley, Sam Mendes, Darren Aronofsky, and Antoine Fuqua, arthouse fare from Hirokazu Kore-eda, Joanna Hogg, and Jafar Panahi, and more. In the gallery on this page our editors have selected the most interesting films debuting in North American theaters this month, listed in alphabetical order.
Additional content by Jason Dietz.
Drama/Action/Thriller | Directed by Antoine Fuqua
Opens in theaters December 2 and streams on Apple TV+ December 9
Watch trailer
Were it not for The Slap Heard 'Round the Auditorium, Emancipation would be a likely Oscar contender. It still might be—if it turns out to be good. Directed by Antoine Fuqua, Apple's true-story-inspired, action-filled 19th century drama focuses on a brutally tortured slave (Will Smith) who escapes from a Louisiana plantation and embarks on a perilous journey to the North, where he joins the Union Army. Could Smith's recent Oscar ceremony antics be a distraction? Perhaps, but Apple will be hungry to prove that its best picture win last year (for CODA) wasn't a fluke—and Emancipation looks like its best chance at cracking the field this year. In addition to streaming on Apple TV+ beginning on December 9, Emancipation will also get a theatrical release on December 2nd.