New On Netflix December: The Holiday Watch You Need Tonight

December Netflix Releases: One Title Will Define Your Season

Netflix's December 2025 lineup is headlined by the series finale of Stranger Things, arriving December 31 at 8 p.m. ET after a 2-hour-8-minute epic conclusion. The month also features George Clooney's award-buzz dramedy "Jay Kelly" (December 5), the third "Knives Out" mystery "Wake Up Dead Man" (December 12), Kurt Sutter's Western "The Abandons" (December 4), and the fantasy sequel "Troll 2" (December 1).

Top 10 Must-Watch Titles Arriving This December

These are the most anticipated releases based on cast, director pedigree, and pre-release buzz:

new on netflix december the holiday watch you need tonight

• Stranger Things 5: The Finale - December 31, 8 p.m. ET; the 128-minute series conclusion
• Jay Kelly - December 5; George Clooney and Adam Sandler in Noah Baumbach's Oscar-contending dramedy
• Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery - December 12; Daniel Craig returns with Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Andrew Scott
• The Abandons - December 4; Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey in Kurt Sutter's 1850s Western
• Troll 2 - December 1; sequel to Netflix's biggest non-English film of all time
• Emily in Paris Season 5 - December 18; Lily Collins moves to Rome for 10 new episodes
• Owning Manhattan Season 2 - December 5; Ryan Serhant's real estate drama returns
• Home for Christmas Season 3 - December 12; Norwegian rom-com returns after 5-year gap
• Stranger Things 5: Volume 2 - December 25; three episodes arrive Christmas Day
• The New Yorker at 100 - December 5; Academy Award-winning documentary on the magazine's century

Complete Release Calendar by Date

Here is the full schedule of major new movies and TV shows arriving on Netflix in December 2025, organized chronologically for easy planning:

Stranger Things 5: The Defining Title of December

The series finale of Stranger Things will define this December for millions of viewers worldwide. The final episode "Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up" runs 128 minutes (2 hours 8 minutes), making it the second-longest episode in the series' history.

1. Volume 1 premiered November 26, 2025 (4 episodes)
2. Volume 2 arrives December 25, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET (3 episodes on Christmas)
3. The Finale drops December 31, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

All volumes release at 5 p.m. PST globally, with UK viewers seeing content at 1 a.m. GMT due to synchronized rollout. The finale has already generated massive viewing numbers despite some pacing criticism from early reviewers.

Award Season Contenders: Jay Kelly and Wake Up Dead Man

Two major Oscar-buzz titles arrive mid-month. Jay Kelly features George Clooney as a world-famous actor journeying through Europe with his manager (Adam Sandler) in Noah Baumbach's comedy-drama. The film co-written with Emily Mortimer has generated significant award season momentum.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery brings Daniel Craig's detective Benoit Blanc back for his "most dangerous case yet" alongside Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, and Andrew Scott. After a limited theatrical run beginning November 26, it streams December 12 at 3 a.m. ET. Director Rian Johnson intensifies both drama and witty dialogue in what critics call the darkest Knives Out chapter.

Western Drama: The Abandons Debuts December 4

Kurt Sutter's Western series The Abandons premieres all seven episodes December 4, 2025, exclusively on Netflix. The show stars Gillian Anderson and Lena Headey as outlier families pursuing Manifest Destiny in 1850s Oregon when a corrupt power tries to force them off their land.

"These abandoned souls, the kind of lost souls living on the fringe of society, unite their tribes to form a family and fight back."

The series explores how "justice" stretches beyond legal boundaries in this bloody frontier battle. Executive producer Christopher Keyser helped develop the show before Sutter's unexpected departure from the project.

Holiday Content and Family Favorites

December brings extensive holiday-themed programming including "Joy for Christmas," "My Secret Santa," "The Night My Dad Saved Christmas 2," and "Elmo and Mark Rober's Merry Giftmas". Norwegian rom-com "Home for Christmas Season 3" returns December 12 with six episodes, resuming five years after Season 2.

Families can also enjoy "CoComelon Lane Season 6" (December 1), "PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie" (December 12), and all three "Kung Fu Panda" films added to the catalog.

Classic Films Added to Netflix December

Major classics entering the library include Pulp Fiction, Forrest Gump, Titanic, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Mean Girls (both 2004 and 2024 versions), A League of Their Own, The Wolf of Wall Street, and all seven seasons of The West Wing. Also arriving: "Babylon," "Cast Away," "Zero Dark Thirty," and "What Lies Beneath".

Why December 2025 Stands Out

This December delivers unusually high concentration of prestige content: an iconic series finale, two Oscar-contending films, a star-studded mystery, and a major Western debut. The strategic spacing-Troll 2 opens the month, Jay Kelly and Owning Manhattan mid-week, Knives Out before Christmas, Volume 2 on Christmas, and the finale on New Year's Eve-creates sustained engagement across the entire holiday period.

For viewers planning their holiday streaming, the Stranger Things finale at 8 p.m. ET December 31 represents the culminating event of Netflix's year-end lineup.

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