Sex Education's Emma Mackey reveals her "bananas" scenes with Hollywood legend and "magical" Simpsons icon in new political film
Mackey leads the cast of Ella McCay, the star-studded new film from veteran writer/director James L Brooks.
Since Sex Education wrapped up its final season in 2023, Emma Mackey has been building a pretty eclectic CV. In addition to landing big roles in Greta Gerwig's upcoming Narnia adaptation and an original JJ Abrams fantasy film, the former BAFTA Rising Star winner has been seen in three very different new movies this year. First there was enigmatic drama Hot Milk alongside Fiona Shaw and Vicky Krieps, then came a small part in French body horror flick Alpha from Raw auteur Julia Ducournau, and now she takes on the lead role in political comedy-drama Ella McCay (you'll be hard-pressed to find a film who's title so close matches the name of it's main star). The film is the first feature from veteran writer-director James L Brooks in 15 years, with Mackey starring as a political hopeful who becomes the governor of her (unnamed) state just as she's dealing with a number of small crises in her personal life. "I think I idealised her a lot in the beginning, when I first got the part," Mackey explained of the character during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com. "I sort of put her on this pedestal. And she is an idealist. She's someone who fights day in day out for things that she really believes in and cares about. There's something quite noble about that, I think, and simple." Mackey added that Ella also has "her flaws and her foibles" and "is stuck in patterns that she probably shouldn't be stuck in still" but that ultimately she was just "trying her best to navigate life." "She just has this great spirit and this great motivation to try and do something bigger than just herself," she continued. "She cares about something bigger than herself and that's a great mission to have in life. "So it was about finding the grounded-ness in that, and in her real job, and understanding where she comes from and how much she studied to get where she is, essentially, and all the experience that it takes. But also finding the levity and the humour and the clumsiness as well, in the moments of grief and sadness that seemed to happen quite a lot in her life." View Green Video on the source website One scene in the film – which appears in the trailer – sees Ella attempt to navigate one of these aforementioned moments of grief and sadness by screaming at the top of her lungs with her Aunt Helen, played by Hollywood legend Jamie Lee Curtis. It looks like a cathartic scene, and Mackey clearly enjoyed sharing such a "bananas" moment with the iconic Halloween star. "It was hilarious," she said. "It was a great thing. It wasn't planned originally. It wasn't scripted. It was something that was added later on in the process. And it just felt right. It felt like the scene or that moment in the story kind of warrants it. You need this release. "Because where does all of that go? Where does all of this tension go? She just absorbs so much this whole film, and what does she do? What is she gonna do with all this? So it was great. It was very cathartic. And it did dispel a lot of the bad juju that she went through. And so fun to do with Jamie, obviously, who's just pretty good at that stuff." Read more: Mila Kunis says that no one will be able to guess the ending of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Silent Night, Deadly Night star pushes the importance of seeing the new movie in cinemas Curtis is just one of many big names in the starry supporting cast of the film. The impressive ensemble also includes the likes of Slow Horses star Jack Lowden and The Bear's Ayo Edeberi, in addition to Woody Harrelson, Albert Brooks and Kumail Nanjiani. But one co-star whom Mackey particularly relished sharing scenes with was Julie Kavner, who plays Ella's secretary and also serves as the film's narrator. Kavner is best known as perhaps one of the most iconic voices in film and TV history – having played Marge Simpson for over 35 years – but she's seen relatively infrequently on-screen herself. "I love her so much, I'm so glad you brought her up," Mackey said. "She's just so wonderful. She's very charismatic and very funny, and sees you – like, really sees you. She one of those people [where] you're like, 'Oh my God, you're seeing into my soul.' "And just amazing. A great brain, and she's so sharp, and she's so witty and it was just a joy. And that voice! I mean, that voice, is really something. [It's] pretty magical to be around that voice!" Ella McCay is now showing in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Wallace & Gromit creator teases a potential return for Feathers McGraw – and reveals hilarious hidden Easter egg moments
Nick Park tells us what’s next for the evil bird after Vengeance Most Fowl.
Criminal mastermind Feathers McGraw, the penguin who cleverly disguises himself as a chicken, returned last Christmas in Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, much to the delight of fans. He first appeared in 1993’s Wallace & Gromit: The Wrong Trousers, where he stole the Blue Diamond. For his recent revenge, he escaped his prison (the zoo) and hacked Wallace’s smart gnome, Norbot, to create a whole army of evil minions to help reunite him with the precious gem. But he was once again thwarted by inventor Wallace and his loyal pooch Gromit, who swapped the diamond for a turnip. We last saw Feathers, outsmarted and deflated, escaping on the back of a train, but crucially, he was not caught by the police, which means he’s still at large, always a firm fixture on a “wanted” poster. Where exactly is he then, if not in prison? Talking exclusively to Radio Times, Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park reveals, “He’s somewhere in Yorkshire. Well, who knows where he is? He doesn't let us know these things or what his plans are. A lot of people ask about Feathers McGraw, and the response since last Christmas has been brilliant. We're still reeling from it to be honest.” Does that mean we can expect Feathers to return with another cunning plan? Park teases, “Watch this space... who knows? He’s unpredictable.” With lots of unfinished business with his enemies Wallace and Gromit, he might come out of hiding when the time is right. Until then, you can catch plenty of Easter eggs when rewatching Vengeance Most Fowl, a big part of any Aardman Animations film. Remember when Feathers actually made a very brief cameo at the end of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget?! Park, who directed Vengeance Most Fowl with Merlin Crossingham and co-created the story with Mark Burton, tells us some of his favourites. For instance, Feathers’s pet seal actually has a name. “No one would ever know this, because it was more of a joke we had among ourselves, but we called him Ronseal, which is, I guess, a very British joke. It's Ronseal that you paint your fences with.” Park, who’s from Preston, says the barge chase scene pays homage to his Lancashire roots. “My dad used to watch The African Queen on TV with Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn, and that was the name of the boat, so we called one of the barges The Accrington Queen. Some people get that.” Fans will notice that Gromit is an avid reader throughout all the films, and he’s often got his nose in a good book, with puns created from the titles or author names: Pup Fiction, The Dogfather, The Republic by Pluto, Crime and Punishment by Fido Dogstoyevsky. Park mentions that in Vengeance Most Fowl, he’s reading a magazine about gardening in the future called Gardens of the Galaxy by Alan Titchmarsh. “We had to call up Alan to get permission to use that,” he explains. “He was very happy and supportive of it.” Read our full interview with Nick Park, all about making our Christmas cover with Shaun the Sheep and Gromit, in our Christmas issue – in stores now. Read more: Wallace and Gromit creator reveals whether Aardman Animations will use AI in future – and what they won’t compromise on Wallace & Gromit creators reveals how they celebrated Oscar nomination Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl is available now on BBC iPlayer and Netflix. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Wake Up Dead Man ending explained: Who killed Monsignor Wicks?
Rian Johnson has returned with a third twisty entry in his popular Knives Out series – here's how it all ends...
**Warning: Contains spoilers for Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.** Few filmmakers working today have proven they know how to stage a murder mystery in quite so accomplished a fashion as Rian Johnson. And now the writer/director has returned with a third twisty entry in his popular Knives Out series. In Wake Up Dead Man, Daniel Craig's maverick private eye Benoit Blanc is tasked with applying his skills of deduction to his most difficult case yet. Indeed, this is a case so difficult to solve that he initially declares it to be an "impossible crime", with Johnson's script making reference to a number of "locked room" mysteries including John Dickson's Carr's novel The Hollow Man. The victim of the crime is Josh Brolin's Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), the parish priest of a small church in upstate New York who has built up an extremely devoted posse of congregants thanks to his somewhat domineering presence in the pulpit. To most observers, including the local police chief Geraldine Scott (Mila Kunis), the most obvious suspect is Reverend Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor). Jud is a younger clergyman and former boxer who had been sent to the parish as punishment for punching a deacon, and had immediately got off on the wrong foot with Wicks, thus giving him a seemingly clear motive. But Blanc is not so convinced. And after asking Jud to write down his own version of events, he slowly begins to get to the bottom of who was really responsible for Wicks's murder – and almost as importantly, just how it was accomplished. And the more that is revealed, the more additional questions are thrown up... Seen the film and need the final moments unpacked? Read on to have the Wake Up Dead Man ending explained, with the obvious warning that this is a spoiler-heavy zone from here onwards. Wake Up Dead Man ending explained: Who killed Monsignor Wicks? Although it is abundantly clear that this is an exceptionally tricky case pretty much from the off, things really take a turn one night when Jud sees something that seems especially impossible: Monsignor Wicks emerging from his resting place in the mausoleum to be greeted by the groundskeeper Samson (Thomas Haden Church). Naturally, Jud tries to get a closer look at this seemingly supernatural sight, but as he rushes towards the scene he is knocked out, and wakes up sometime later next to Samson, who has been killed. As he tries to make sense of this increasingly perplexing situation, he receives a call from the construction company he had previously been in touch with, who informs him that some time earlier – while he was still alive, of course – Wicks has ordered for the mausoleum to be opened. Meanwhile, Jud has a gap in his memory from when he was unconscious, and begins to believe that he must have killed Samson. However, his attempts to turn himself in to the authorities are instantly prevented by Blanc, who has himself made some progress in his investigations. Crucially, he had earlier noted that a devil ornament – which had been used as the murder weapon – had been missing from a local bar, but he now tells Jud that there had actually been two of these ornaments, and the second one had been stolen by one of Wicks's congregants, Doctor Nat Sharp (Jeremy Renner). But when Jud and Blanc then head to Nat's house to apprehend him, things take an even stranger turn. They find that Nat's body – very much dead – is dissolving in a tub alongside Wicks's. Upon seeing this, Blanc calls the police and the rest of the suspects to the church. With Jud still determined to hand himself in, assuming that he was somehow involved, the sleuth then begins to explain what's really been going on. He reveals that it was Nat who had been responsible for the Monsignor's murder, having indulged in some trickery involving swapping one of the devil ornaments for another. Beyond that, however, he says he is stumped, and allows the remaining congregants to leave. What does Martha confess in Wake Up Dead Man? Of course, things are far from over. With everyone else gone, the Monsignor's former right-hand woman Martha Delacroix (Glenn Close) arrives back in the church, and requests to make a confession to Jud. She tells him that, as a child, she had seen Wicks's grandfather – the former parish reverend – swallow a valuable diamond known as "Eve's Apple" before his death, determined that it should not be passed down to his daughter, Wicks's mother, Grace. Grace had then gone mad trying to look for the diamond, destroying the church in the process – an incident we had seen in flashback earlier in the film. When Martha believed the newly arrived Jud was doubting how committed she was to Wicks, she had then revealed the whereabouts of the diamond to the Monsignor, which explains why he had ordered the construction crew to dig up the mausoleum, where his grandfather was buried. But with Wicks going increasingly off the rails and promising to humiliate his congregation, she decided something needed to be done to stop him and ordered Nat to sort out the killing. She then got the trusty Samson to pose as Wicks's corpse and take his place in the mausoleum, the idea being that he would then emerge from the tomb after taking the diamond from the elder Wicks's corpse. The other aspect of the plan was that Samson, posing as Wicks, would then be caught on camera escaping the tomb, such that the world would believe Wicks had risen from the dead and disappeared. What no one had counted on was Jud stumbling upon the scene, which naturally complicated matters. Nor had Martha guessed that Nat would do what he did next: attempt to take the diamond for himself by killing Samson and framing Jud for his murder. In fact, Nat had even tried to go further by attempting to fatally poison Martha as well, but she had cottoned on to his plan and swapped their drinks just as he tried to put things into action, such that he perished instead. She had then placed his corpse in the acid alongside Wicks, which explains the sight Blanc and Jud had earlier walked in on. Furthermore, realising that Blanc was on to her, she had drunk the rest of the poison, and now reveals that – as she is making her final confession and begging for forgiveness – she is in fact breathing her last breaths. Of course, it also becomes clear that Blanc hadn't really been stumped at all – when is he ever stumped? – but had simply wanted to show grace to Martha by offering her the chance to confess herself and thus allowing her to seek forgiveness. What happened to the Eve's Apple diamond in Wake Up Dead Man? The film ends with a brief flash-forward one year into the future, with Wicks's former congregant Cy Draven (Daryl McCormack) still desperate to find the diamond. Jud insists he has no idea where it is, but in the very final shot – as he welcomes a new batch of parishioners to the church, we see that it is now hidden on a brand new crucifix, which has finally been replaced for the first time since Grace had trashed the church all those tears ago. Cue the end credits, accompanied by Tom Waits's Come On Up to the House. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is now streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Silent Night, Deadly Night ending explained: Rohan Campbell breaks down what happens to Billy and Pam
Forty years since the original quickly became a cult classic amongst horror fans, Silent Night, Deadly Night is getting a modern reimagining, with Halloween Ends star Rohan Campbell at the helm. As many fans of the 1984 classic will know, the movie centres around Billy, who after witnessing his parents' murder on Christmas Eve, grows up to become a Santa Claus-clad murderer. In this reimagining, Billy delivers an annual spree of holiday violence, but this year his mission collides with love, as he meets Pam (Ruby Modine) who challenges him to confront his darkness. "The beginning of my Silent Night, Deadly Night starts off in a similar way to the original: A boy, his mom and dad and Grandpa. 'Naughty boys get punished!' And then a tragedy on the roadside…" director Mike P. Nelson explained. He continued: "It's just enough to remind you what you're watching and then slowly but surely, we go off course into new territory. For me, that’s when things get interesting. We take a stroll with two characters destined to meet, Billy and Pam, both dealing with some really wicked inner demons. Then s**t gets nuts". With new twists at every turn, does Billy meet the same fate as he did in the original? Read on as Rohan Campbell delivers his verdict on the gory ending of Silent Night, Deadly Night. Silent Night, Deadly Night ending explained Pam reveals to Billy she wishes she could come face-to-face with the man who killed her father and "cut him into little pieces", before Billy reveals he can make her wish come true. Just like that his next mission is in motion: Kill Snatcher. The Snatcher had been a mysterious figure spoken about early on in the movie, notably that he "steals kids". Later, Billy confides in Pam about his childhood, sharing that his parents had been murdered in front of him by a man dressed as Santa, who turned out to be the janitor that worked in his grandfather's care home. And this is where things become slightly other-worldly. The movie continues as Billy touches the hand of the assailant and what appears to be electrical currents pass from him onto Billy, leaving him with a voice in his head. As he explains his murderous ways, Pam hardly bats an eyelid. "My favourite thing about it was how excited Billy is to share, because he's never had anyone to talk to about this except the voice in his head," Rohan told RadioTimes.com. "So it's like, what ends up happening in that scene is you just have this person that seems so insane getting really happy that he has someone to talk to, and the juxtaposition of her being like, not only content with what's being said, but how excited he is to tell her, is such a fun way to sort of explore that. "I think the term 'matched his freak' was used that day. It was just fun for her [Pam] to be in this place of like, just lost her dad, anger, frustration, [and] this whole other mystery that's happening underneath it all, and to set all that up so that he has a platform to excitedly share, and to have her take that and go with him and trust him, is such a such a fun way to take it." As Pam and Billy explore an abandoned building, they discover a ball pit which has a child's zip tied hands poking out, revealing the Snatcher's hideout. As they go to save the children under the ball pit, Pam is taken hostage and dragged further into the ball pit by the Snatcher. Billy is guided by Charlie, the voice in his head, to find exactly where Pam is and how best to strike. As Billy kills the Snatcher, he is also stabbed, leaving Pam to fend for herself and find help. What happens to Billy? Billy survives his confrontation with the Snatcher, but it's clear he is need of urgent medical help. Just as the voice in his head tells him they can make it, Billy comes face-to-face with Max, a police officer and Pam's ex-boyfriend, who shoots him dead. In his final moments, Billy grabs Pam's hand and much like when he was eight years old, he transfers an electrical current through to her, forcing her to pass out. What happens to Pam? Max rushes over to her, thinking she may have died, but as she wakes up, Pam gets flickers of Max's past and she proceeds to bite his nose off before picking up Billy's axe and killing him. Afterwards, Pam hears Billy say "hey", but he isn't alive and instead is the voice in her head, much like Charlie's was to him. "Are you ready for this?" Billy asks as Pam smiles, before the credits appear. When asked if this ending was to show Billy passing the torch to Pam, Campbell told RadioTimes.com: "I'm pretty positive that's what it is. I just can't think of like a more fun way to sort of set up a possible sequel than [that]. Imagine having your partner in your brain, hearing your thoughts and seeing what you're seeing. I think that's just the most fun way to set up another movie, if that happens. But yeah, what a crazy way to end it. I thought that was so fun." Speaking of reading that final scene, Campbell added: "I just remember laughing and being like, it's so funny. I think I picked up the phone immediately, called Mike, and I was like, 'This is so fun. What a way to finish it.' And I feel like, again, the whole voice in the head thing is such a fun way to sort of have this new, revitalised thing on the original and to hand that off to Ruby and to see what she did with it. I just had such a fun time." Silent Night, Deadly Night is released in UK cinemas on Friday 12th December 2025. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Mila Kunis says that no one will be able to guess the ending of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
The cast of Rian Johnson's murder mystery reckon any viewer who claims to have worked out the ending isn't to be trusted...
If you're a fan of murder mysteries, it's likely that one of the things you'll enjoy most about the experience is trying to solve along as you watch – seeing if you can figure out the culprit (or culprits) before everything is neatly laid out in the denouement. But if that's your hope when it comes to watching new Knives Out film Wake Up Dead Man, you might want to think again. At least, that's according to some of the films stars – with Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington and Cailee Spaeny predicting that no one will be able to get to the bottom of this case. Asked if she'd made her own stab at guessing the killer when she'd first got her hand on the script, Kunis replied: "Yes, and failed" while Washington revealed that she had to read the script several times before she'd truly pieced everything together. "I could barely even follow the story in its own right, never mind the murder mystery," she said. "It's so complicated in a wonderful way. But yes, I never in a million years would have seen this ending coming." For her part, Spaeny mentioned that she "can guarantee that no one's gonna guess" exactly where the mystery goes, to which Kunis added: "If they say they did, they're lying." Meanwhile, another member of the ensemble cast – Andrew Scott – revealed that he didn't even try to figure out the ending, explaining that he knew he "would fail at that task." "Rian's got a better mind for murder mystery than I do," he said. "You get the script, and you have to kind of concentrate. It's a really interesting and intricate movie to watch, so it makes it kind of a challenging read because you're trying to keep up with characters that you don't have a particularly strong recognition of. So yeah I didn't guess it." Daryl McCormack added that he tried his best to follow the "intricate" script, but, like Washington, he had to read it a couple of times. "It's the kind of genius of his writing as well," he said. "And I think that's the joy as well. Even as you're reading it, you can't really anticipate what will happen and who it will be." Read more: Wake Up Dead Man cast reveal Knives Out film's relevance to "scary times" we live in – and who has pitched a return for a sequel Daniel Craig reveals why he thinks the Knives Out films are not "whodunnits" at all The film is the third entry in Johnson's Knives Out series and sees Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc tasked with figuring out who was behind the extremely curious murder of Josh Brolin's intimidating priest Monsignor Jefferson Wicks. In addition to the aforementioned actors, other members of the incredibly starry ensemble cast include Josh O'Connor, Jeremy Renner and Glenn Close – with just about everyone falling under suspicion as Johnson slowly teases out the mystery. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is now streaming on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
What films are out in UK cinemas this week? Reviews from Silent Night Deadly Night to Goodbye June
Your weekly round-up of all the films currently showing in UK cinemas.
It's a pretty eclectic week when it comes to new movie releases in UK cinemas – with everything from a Christmas slasher reboot (Silent Night Deadly Night) to a political comedy drama from a veteran writer/director (Ella McCay). Meanwhile, today also marks the release date for the directorial debuts of not one but two of the biggest A-list actors in Hollywood. Scarlett Johansson's first film calling the shots is Eleanor the Great, while Kate Winslet takes her maiden voyage behind the camera with Goodbye June – a festive weepy written by her son Joe Anders. That's not all – there's also the release of new independent psychological thriller Lurker, and the period drama spoof Fackham Hall, so pretty much something for everyone. Unfortunately, we don't yet have a review for the latter film, but you can discover our verdicts on the other five aforementioned movies below, while you can also find our lowdown on the other major films released in UK cinemas in recent weeks, from Wicked: For Good and One Battle After Another to Bugonia and The Running Man. Read on for your weekly round-up of all the films currently showing in UK cinemas. What films are released in UK cinemas this week? 12th December – 18th December Lurker Like its hanger-on protagonist, this psychological thriller seems unassuming to begin with, but gradually gets creepier and creepier. The plot brings LA shop-worker Matthew (Théodore Pellerin) into the orbit of up-and-coming British popstar Oliver (Archie Madekwe). Charismatic but thoughtlessly cruel, Oliver treats his entourage like playthings to be picked up and discarded at will. Once Matthew insinuates his way into a job shooting behind-the-scenes footage, he refuses to be so easily dismissed, no matter how many indignities are piled on him. First-time writer/director Alex Russell worked on TV’s The Bear, so he knows how to turn up the tension to almost unbearable levels. Madekwe is excellent as the impulsive star-in-ascendence, but this is Pellerin’s time to shine. "I’m just happy to be here," Matthew claims, a dopey smile frozen on his face while his eyes tell a different, far darker story. With its shades of The Servant and Nightcrawler, the film excels at daring us to keep watching, even as Matthew’s actions become more and more repellent. – Matt Glasby Eleanor the Great A grandmother forms an unusual friendship with a student in this cosy story that marks the directorial debut of actor Scarlett Johansson. June Squibb (Nebraska) plays Eleanor, a 94-year-old convert to Judaism who one day stumbles upon a Holocaust Survivor’s Group. For reasons best known to herself, she claims she lived through the Holocaust – a lie that gets worse as she befriends journalism student Nina (Erin Kellyman). Scripted by Tory Kamen, the film largely spins on the likeable chemistry between Squibb and Kellyman in a story that gently prods themes of grief and loneliness. Squibb’s exquisite comic timing is present and correct, whether she’s berating a store clerk or embarrassing her daughter. Making a solid debut, Johansson directs in an unfussy manner, with a strong sense of place and character. The result is a charming crowd-pleaser, even if it’s not the most earth-shattering narrative you’ll ever see. – James Mottram Read our interview with Scarlett Johansson Read our full Eleanor the Great review Ella McCay Emma Mackey stars as an idealistic young politician juggling a dream job with the distractions of her family in a comedy drama that falls disappointingly short of its initial promise. As Ella’s career looks set to skyrocket with Barack Obama heading to the White House, she has to contend with a philandering father (Woody Harrelson), an overbearing aunt (Jamie Lee Curtis) and an imploding marriage to a not entirely supportive husband (Jack Lowden). Writer/director James L Brooks's first movie in 15 years comes across like a broad sitcom reworking of a West Wing episode, its tired screenplay and hammy performances a far cry from his high-water marks Broadcast News and As Good as It Gets. Mackey is a frustratingly one-dimensional heroine, while both Harrelson and Curtis portray near cartoon-like characters (only Julie Kavner as Ella’s sharp-tongued secretary and the film’s de facto narrator emerges unscathed). On paper, Brooks may have been aiming for pithy wit laced with liberal political savvy, but in practice he’s landed on misfiring pantomime. – Terry Staunton Goodbye June Kate Winslet makes her directorial debut with this tearjerking Yuletide-set drama, notably scripted by her 21-year-old son Joe Anders. The film tells the story of four siblings (Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Toni Collette and Johnny Flynn) who are forced to work through their differences when their terminally ill mother (Helen Mirren) takes a turn for the worse and seems unlikely to make it to Christmas. With a laboured opening act and a tendency to lean too far into schmaltz, there are times where the screenplay feels like the work of a novice, but there are also some genuinely moving touches that show an emotional maturity to Anders's work. The complicated family dynamics are well observed, even if this lacks the depth of another Netflix-released film about warring siblings thrust together to care for a dieing parent, Azazel Jacobs's His Three Daughters. Still, the idea of juggling the impending grief of losing a loved one with the unavoidable jollity of the festive season will no doubt resonate with a lot of viewers. – Patrick Cremona Read our full Goodbye June review Read our interview with Kate Winslet Silent Night, Deadly Night This reboot of a bygone festive slasher is considerably better than the creaky original. Rohan Campbell is the young drifter who, traumatised by seeing his parents slain by a Santa years earlier, answers the voices in his head by going on his own red-suited killing spree. Every victim is already on the naughty list, helping to keep his vigilante conscience clear, and soon the Yuletide righter of wrongs focuses on the mystery abductor of children in a small Midwestern town. Writer/director Mike P Nelson stays faithful to the narrative of the 1984 film, improving on it with a tighter script, sly humour, stronger performances and more convincing gore. A deliriously over-the-top slaughter in a Nazi night club is both horrific and hilarious, and the visual palette is an affectionate homage to the genre as a whole. With occasional nods to other 80s fright-fests, this is a film that knows its audience well, and treats it with a respect that guarantees it as a genuine crowd-pleaser. – Terry Staunton Read our interview with star Rohan Campbell Best of the rest still showing in UK cinemas Eternity Lovers of golden age Hollywood supernatural comedies will love this third feature by self-described 'little Irish indie filmmaker' David Freyne (Dating Amber), who seems right at home in the big league. Elizabeth Olsen plays the woman who dies and arrives in limbo, where she is met by the spirits of her husband and the love of her young life. Which of these two contenders is she going to sail into eternity alongside? Callum Turner and Miles Teller play the men – one died heroically in the Korean War, the other choked to death on a pretzel – and take turns aiming for Cary Grant screwball suavité. If they’re a touch interchangeable, that’s partly the point and it barely matters because Da’Vine Joy Randolph and John Early, as celestial Afterlife Co-ordinators, provide solid comedy back-up. The production design is another standout and provides a running gag that keeps on giving, as this limbo is a teeming marketplace of competing versions of the afterlife (such as Beach World, Capitalism World, and Man-Free World). – Steve Morrissey Read our interview with the Eternity cast It Was Just an Accident A chance encounter in modern-day Tehran sparks a cycle of violence in this cast-iron morality tale. Warehouse worker Vahid (Vahid Mobasseri) spies family man Eghbal (Ebrahim Azizi) and kidnaps him, fully intent on burying him alive. He’s convinced his captive is a state interrogator who tortured him in prison, but blindfolded during his ordeal, doubts creep in. Was this the man he heard? And so he gathers others – including photographer Shiva (Maryam Afshari) – who might be able to verify the prisoner’s identity. Winner of the Cannes festival's prestigious Palme d’Or, this tense, taut thriller comes from acclaimed filmmaker Jafar Panahi (No Bears). Like his characters, he’s been imprisoned by the Iranian authorities, as well as banned from filmmaking, and there’s no escaping the film's in-baked sense of righteous anger. But Panahi wisely seasons the film with black comedy: witness two security guards who take a bribe (with a handheld credit card terminal!) to look the other way when they hear a ruckus in Vahid’s van. A powerful, poignant meditation on the futility of vengeance. – James Mottram Cover-Up This eye-opening documentary is a sharp and sometimes knotty portrait of American investigative reporter Seymour Hersh. Blessed with a keen sense of distrust that’s vital in his business, Hersh is a combative and reluctant interviewee – co-director Laura Poitras first approached him 20 years prior to the film's release – as he sits in his home office recounting war stories. But you’re left to admire the tenacity of a journalist who has taken on government and military abuses of power, breaking stories that ranged from My Lai to Abu Ghraib. Joined here by co-director Mark Obenhaus, Poitras is no stranger to tackling those who take on authorities at the highest level – notably in Citizenfour, her timely 2014 look at whistle-blower Edward Snowden. Here, she meets her match in the 88-year-old Hersh, who continues to needle the great and the not-so-good. He frequently refuses to answer questions, guarding his anonymous sources, but the film never balks, even covering the scandal that engulfed him when penning his John F Kennedy memoir involving forged Marilyn Monroe letters. Thoroughly absorbing. – James Mottram Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery Having previously staged star-studded murder mysteries at a cosy mansion and a lavish private island, Rian Johnson's third Knives Out film unfolds against the backdrop of a small Catholic parish in upstate New York. This time, Daniel Craig's Southern sleuth Benoit Blanc is tasked with solving the murder of an intimidating priest (Josh Brolin), whose increasingly warped fire and brimstone sermons have seen him brush up against Josh O'Connor's younger clergyman. What makes the mystery so enticing is that it initially appears to be an impossible crime, with Johnson's script making several references to John Dickson Carr's classic locked room mystery novel The Hollow Man. The church setting allows the director to make cinematic use of religious iconography and deliver a pointed satire about the way contemporary right-wing figures have weaponised faith to their own ends. Meanwhile, the film gets a little darker, more unsettling, and weirder than the previous instalments – embracing elements of gothic horror – and although there are times where the case threatens to get a little too convoluted, it eventually leads to a hugely satisfying denouement. – Patrick Cremona Read our full Wake Up Dead Man review Read our interview with Daniel Craig Read our interview with Josh O'Connor Read our interview with the supporting cast Blue Moon Ethan Hawke stars as real-life lyricist Lorenz Hart in this melancholy, moving tale from director Richard Linklater (Boyhood). Set across one evening in New York restaurant Sardi’s, the film sees an embittered Hart arriving from the opening performance of Oklahoma!, written by hot new partnership Richard Rodgers (Andrew Scott) and Oscar Hammerstein (Simon Delaney). Hart and his one-time mentee Rodgers were celebrated for penning beloved standards My Funny Valentine and Blue Moon but Hart’s alcoholism has left their working relationship soured. With Hawke wearing an unconvincing bald wig and made to look shorter than his co-stars (Hart was under five foot), his appearance distracts. Thankfully, on his ninth collaboration with Linklater, the actor brings alive the dazzling, witty script, especially in his exchanges with an on-song Scott. Only Margaret Qualley is shortchanged as the demure Elizabeth, whom the tortured Hart is enamoured by. Still, this is a touching tribute to an artist whose contributions to popular culture deserve to be recognised. – James Mottram Read our full Blue Moon review Read our interview with Ethan Hawke and Richard Linklater Christy Sydney Sweeney delivers a powerhouse performance as real-life boxer Christy Martin, in a sports movie with a sting. During the 1990s, West Virginia native Christy is a fighter on the rise when she crosses paths with trainer James (Ben Foster), who soon proposes marriage, despite Christy's obvious interest in women. While her success brings wealth and fame – the way she fronts up to a rival fighter (Katy O’Brian) is telling – James’s increasingly controlling behaviour leads to a very dark final act. Directed by David Michôd (Animal Kingdom) and co-scripted with his partner Mirrah Foulkes, this is less a boxing movie and more a study of female resistance. Whether it’s in the ring in a male-dominated sport or facing up against domestic abuse, Martin is a remarkable figure, given her due by Sweeney, who pours her heart into this transformation. Unfortunately, whether it’s dealing with LGBTQ issues or the boxing world, it feels skin-deep at times – typified by the distracting wigs that both leads wear. – James Mottram Read our interview with Sydney Sweeney Read our interview with David Michôd Zootropolis 2 Brimming with rapid-fire sight gags and movie in-jokes, the sequel to Disney’s hit 2016 animation is a fast and funny combination of buddy cop comedy and conspiracy romp. It picks up where the original left off, with perky bunny Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) on police duty with her wily fox partner Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman). Despite their clashing methods, the duo stumble on a mystery involving Zootropolis’s 100-year anniversary and Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan), a rogue viper slithering amok in the supposedly reptile-free city. Predictable plot twists aside, the duo’s investigation nimbly spans genres and Disney tropes, with animal jokes, crime film influences and lightly handled messages about prejudice deftly interwoven. Old and fresh characters are breezily balanced, with series newcomers Quan, Fortune Feimster and Andy Samberg playfully nailing their voice roles. Featuring a winning lead pairing, pacey chase sequences and a richly realised world, the film builds on its predecessor’s appeal with charm, energy and the wittiest nod to The Shining in a kids’ movie yet. – Kevin Harley Pillion A nerdy young man finds his mojo in this racy, charming and hilariously funny British gem. Colin Smith (Harry Melling) is a parking attendant locked in a humdrum life until, one day, he’s picked up in a pub by enigmatic biker Ray (Alexander Skarsgård). After an unusual first date on Christmas Day, Colin is bewitched by this leather jacket-wearing hunk, and soon finds himself in an S&M relationship with the dominant, mysterious Ray. With its titular double meaning – slang in the niche world of BDSM-practising bikers, meaning those who take the submissive role – the film may prove a little too outré for certain viewers. However, British writer/director Harry Lighton finds humour and sweetness in the premise, leaning into the sexual dynamics on show without ever kink-shaming its participants. Melling and Skarsgård are wonderfully cast, especially Melling, who convincingly goes from dowdy and downtrodden to confident and cool. Seasoned with a dash of Mike Leigh-style suburban angst, Pillion will truly tickle your fancy. – James Mottram Wicked: For Good After last year’s Wicked: Part One, we’re back for some more Ozploitation. Jon M Chu’s two-part adaptation has already been a wild ride, tapping into the perennial enthusiasm for the long-running stage show by Stephen Schwartz and Winnie Holzman, which itself came inspired both by Gregory Maguire’s 1995 novel and, of course, Hollywood Golden Age musical The Wizard of Oz. Part One conjured a healthy $756 million global box office, followed by 10 Oscar nominations and two wins. There’s no reason to think Wicked: For Good won’t perform the same trick, or better it, with Chu bringing events to a rousing close. While he infuses enthusiasm into every frame, the same can be said for his leading ladies. Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are back in top, lung-busting form as, respectively, the pink-hued Glinda the Good and Elphaba, the green-skinned witch who has been cast out of Oz, thanks to the machinations of the Wizard (Jeff Goldblum, wickedly charming as ever), the ultimately carney-man. Now in exile, the demonised Elphaba’s name has been stained by the Wizard, in league with her one-time tutor, the former Dean of Sorcery at Shiz University, Madame Morrible (Michelle Yeoh, still wearing that delicious Mr Whippy ice-cream hair-do). The slightly vapid Glinda, meanwhile, thinks they need to be trademarking the word "good", while she’s also caught up in preparations for her impending wedding to Prince Fiyero (Jonathan Bailey), who has been charged with capturing Elphaba. – James Mottram Read our full Wicked: For Good review Read our interview with Wicked production designer Nathan Crowley The Running Man Glen Powell (Top Gun: Maverick) steps into Arnold Schwarzenegger’s shoes with this big-budget remake set in a dystopian United States where violent TV is the opium of the people. Director Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead) stays faithful to the original Stephen King story, as irascible, hard-up Everyman Ben Richards (Powell) volunteers for the lethal Running Man show to provide for his family. Avoid capture for 30 days and $1 billion is the reward. But contestants are also hunted relentlessly across the country by assassins, with the action televised to an audience willing to dob them in for reward, all under the auspices of Josh Brolin’s scheming network puppet-master. No stranger to delivering breakneck action with the likes of Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver, Wright produces plenty of nerve-jangling set-pieces, while the cross-country pursuit reveals an America riven by economic inequality and manipulated by a self-satisfied few. The episodic nature of the plot, with Richards donning a variety of disguises to lay low, occasionally leads to a lull in pace and tension. However, Powell is a hero to root for, and there are tasty cameos from William H Macy and Michael Cera, whose mercurial rebel lives in a booby-trapped bolt-hole worthy of Rambo. – Jeremy Aspinall Read our full The Running Man review Read our interview with star Glen Powell Now You See Me: Now You Don't Combining legacy characters with a new trio of younger illusionists, the third film in this action-comedy series is a busily disposable – if fitfully fun – combination of reunion gig and new-generation franchise spruce-up. Director Ruben Fleischer (Venom, Uncharted) replaces predecessors Louis Leterrier and Jon M Chu, stepping in to juggle the expected ingredients of a tangled heist, some tricksy set pieces, a couple of crowd-pleasing cameos and splashes of globe-trotting glitz. Yet as the crowded cast grapple with the script’s patchy supplies of sparkle and finesse, it can be hard to care which way the plot’s cards end up landing. The set pieces lift proceedings, with action sequences at a public diamond display and in a house of illusions showing flashes of pacy wit, levity and invention. However, the narrative linking them is frustratingly loose – even for a franchise that revels in the ridiculous. One or two twists prove inconsequential, while the script is rarely as clever as it thinks it is and hardly ever as fresh as it should be. – Kevin Harley Read our full Now You See Me: Now You Don't review Read our interview with star Rosamund Pike Nuremberg Russell Crowe is captivating as Hermann Göring in this compelling but somewhat muddled drama set against the Nuremberg trials. These events have been dramatised before – most notably in Stanley Kramer’s 1961 classic Judgement at Nuremberg – but writer/director James Vanderbilt finds a new way in by focusing on the conversations between Göring and military psychiatrist Douglas Kelley. Kelley had been assigned to investigate whether each Nazi defendant was fit to stand trial, but also hoped to find fame and fortune by diagnosing something new about the nature of evil – perhaps something unique to the German character. Although Vanderbilt doesn’t always land on the right tone, there’s an undeniable spark to the scenes between Kelley and Göring, while a late reveal about Kelley’s translator Sergeant Howie Triest (Leo Woodall) is profoundly moving. The many scenes devoted to explaining how the trials came about feel rather more perfunctory, while as an exploration of Nazi evils Nuremberg pales in comparison to Jonathan Glazer’s recent masterwork The Zone of Interest. But this is an engaging study of Kelley and Göring’s unusual dynamic. – Patrick Cremona Read our interview with the cast and director Die My Love Featuring the one-two punch of leads Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, Die, My Love is an absorbing and quietly devastating relationship drama. Lawrence plays Grace, a new mother living in a rural Montana backwater with husband Jackson (Pattinson). Gradually, as marital woes unfold between the two, Grace's mental health deteriorates. Is this a problem of nature or nurture? One flashback, to their wedding night, shows her inebriated and out of control. There’s a self-harming, self-destructive impulse buried in her DNA, but it’s clear she loves her baby more than life itself. Adapting from Ariana Harwicz’s 2017 novel, director Lynne Ramsay (You Were Never Really Here) is in supreme command of her craft, conjuring an atmospheric character piece that showcases Lawrence's great talents as she and Pattinson are pushed to their limits. Featuring acting legends Sissy Spacek and Nick Nolte in small but potent roles, the film also spins on brilliant cinematography from Seamus McGarvey, whose subtle work heightens the increasingly sombre mood. Scored with to-die-for tracks (Cream, David Bowie), this perfectly essays one woman's psychological journey and builds to a heartbreaking crescendo. – James Mottram Read our full Die My Love review Bugonia A ruthless CEO is kidnapped by two men who think she’s an alien in this pleasingly madcap comedy-drama. A remake of 2003 South Korean movie Save the Green Planet!, Emma Stone plays the power-dressing biomedical honcho Michelle Fuller, abducted by Jesse Plemons's greasy-looking conspiracy theorist Teddy and his slobby cousin (Aidan Delbis). Taken to Teddy’s mother’s basement, Michelle is tied up as her captors try and force her to confess that she’s an extraterrestrial out to obliterate our planet. Scripted by Will Tracy (TV's Succession), this marks the fourth film collaboration between Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos (The Favourite, Poor Things, Kinds of Kindness), and her sparring with the excellent Plemons lingers. Also featuring Alicia Silverstone in a key role, the film is unpredictable, even for those familiar with the Korean version. A prod at the way corporations have taken over our planet, maximising profits at the expense of all else, it smartly asks if we’re the masters of our own demise. Or whether, as Michelle says, 'Sometimes a species just winds down.' – James Mottram Read our full Bugonia review Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere Bruce Springsteen goes back to basics in an intimate biopic that explores the singer’s troubled past as he confronts questions about his future. Jeremy Allen White stars as The Boss, opening a can of analytical worms while writing and recording songs for the low-key 1982 album Nebraska, a far cry from the amped-up anthems of his previous LPs. As he delves deeper into the creative process, he’s reminded of an often unhappy childhood and difficult relationship with his father (Stephen Graham), while in the present day his manager and mentor (Jeremy Strong) strives to shield him from the hits-hungry demands of the music biz. Director Scott Cooper follows author Warren Zanes’s acclaimed book of the same title relatively closely, the film working best in its quieter, more subdued moments. Blessed by subtle performances from the leads (although White is less convincing when called upon to be Springsteen as a louder, strutting stage presence), it’s an eloquent, if occasionally flawed, film about self-examination and the power of music as a form of therapy. – Terry Staunton Read our full Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere review Read our interview with Scott Cooper Black Phone 2 Writer/director Scott Derrickson and co-writer C Robert Cargill have upped the supernatural ante for the sequel with ghoulish and gory aplomb by taking the original film’s characters (and cast) out of small-town suburbia and stranding them at an isolated, blizzard-hit Christian youth camp where boys had vanished mysteriously back in the 1950s. Horror fans will spot allusions to all sorts of fright flicks, whether it’s Freddy Krueger, Friday the 13th, Poltergeist or The Shining, but Derrickson is navigating his own creepy groove, sustained by stars Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw, who have literally grown into their roles and deliver emotionally compelling performances. The first Black Phone was a serial-killer horror with a side order of supernatural, but this gripping sequel embraces the paranormal and gruesomeness in all its gory glory, too. Meanwhile the dream sequences, seemingly shot on scratchy 70s film stock and recalling Derrickson’s 2012 spine-chiller Sinister, ooze unsettling menace and deliver some hearty jump-scares. – Jeremy Aspinall Read our full Black Phone 2 review One Battle After Another This terrific film from Paul Thomas Anderson is loosely based on Thomas Pynchon's 1990 novel Vineland. Rather than a straight adaptation, the auteur expertly borrows elements and crafts them into something his own, keeping the book's rebellious spirit, absurdist comic tone and thematic weight intact. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Bob Ferguson, a former member of resistance group the French 75, now completely sapped of his revolutionary spirit. But when his old nemesis (Sean Penn in sensationally odious form) re-emerges, Bob must rediscover his fight so he can protect his teenage daughter (Chase Infiniti, a revelation). The resulting chase is thrilling, uproarious and perfectly paced, with DiCaprio excelling as a frustrated layabout thrust back into the fold. Anderson stages the film's set pieces – including a mesmerising car chase – in unpredictable, inventive ways, with Jonny Greenwood's frantic, piano-led score the perfect complement. The film feels urgent and timely, tapping into contemporary themes from the USA's barbaric treatment of immigrants to the growing prevalence of extremist ideologies among people with influence, but there's also a dash of hope and poignancy. Anderson's choice to put a touching father/daughter relationship front and centre amid the thrills gives his masterful film undeniable emotional heft. – Patrick Cremona Read our full One Battle After Another review Read our interview with Leonardo DiCaprio Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Does Hugh Grant appear in Wake Up Dead Man?
All you need to know about whether Hugh Grant appears in Daniel Craig and Rian Johnson's whodunit Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
After his cameo in 2022's Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, fans of Benoit Blanc's adventures have been hoping for more of Hugh Grant's character. Introduced in 2019's Knives Out, Benoit Blanc is a southern US detective played by Daniel Craig. However, the first film didn't reveal much at all about Blanc's personal life. By the time the film's sequel, Glass Onion, arrived, audiences were given more of an insight into what Blanc does in his spare time - and writer/director Rian Johnson made use of some absolutely phenomenal cameos. In one scene, Blanc plays Among Us online with Stephen Sondheim and Angela Lansbury, for example. But the key appearance was when, after much speculation about Blanc's personal situation, it was revealed in Glass Onion that Blanc has a husband – Phillip, played by Hugh Grant. Fans immediately felt that this situation worked for Blanc, so have been hoping that Grant will also appear in this year's Benoit Blanc mystery, Wake Up Dead Man. Read on to find out if he does... Is Hugh Grant in Wake Up Dead Man? No, there is no appearance from Grant in the movie – not even a cameo. With an already star-studded cast including Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, and Jeffrey Wright – to name but a few – it would maybe have been too much to ask for Wake Up Dead Man to have a return of Phillip as well. However, all is not necessarily lost - while nothing is set in stone yet, there may be another Knives Out film on its way. Given the favourable response to Phillip, it would seem unlikely that Johnson doesn't want to bring him back at all. Whatever happens in the future, Phillip certainly doesn't appear in Wake Up Dead Man - but Benoit Blanc has got yet another signature look, and you can read our review of the brilliant new film here. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is streaming on Netflix from Friday 12th December 2025. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Knives Out 3 cast - Full list of confirmed actors for Wake Up Dead Man
Benoit Blanc is back with a new case, and the list of suspects is once again pretty star-studded.
In both previous Knives Out films, Daniel Craig's Southern-accented detective Benoit Blanc has been joined by some pretty stellar ensembles. Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Toni Colette and Jamie Lee Curtis were among those to star in the first film back in 2019, before sequel Glass Onion saw the likes of Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Dave Bautista and Kate Hudson play key roles. It always seemed clear that the third film in the series – Wake Up Dead Man – would bring together a similarly starry supporting cast, and so it has proved. This time around, it's Josh O'Connor who follows on from de Armas and Monae in playing the character who ends up serving as Blanc's closest confidant, and he's joined by stars including eight-time Oscar nominee Glenn Close, popular star of Sherlock and Fleabag Andrew Scott, and rising star Cailee Spaeny. That's not all: there's also room for Jeremy Renner, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Kerry Washington and more – so Johnson has clearly pulled out all the stops when it comes to securing a top-notch batch of stars. Before the film's release, we chatted exclusively to some of the cast, who spoke of their joy at becoming part of the series, with Kerry Washington explaining that Craig's lead turn is "one of the most iconic performances of our time." Meanwhile, Andrew Scott also explained why this film's Catholic church setting was such a good fit for the whodunnit genre, and some of the stars shared their own favourite detectives – with answers ranging from Hercule Poirot to Jane Tennison. Read on for everything you need to know about the cast of Knives Out 3, which has now arrived on Netflix following it's theatrical release on 26th November. Knives Out 3 cast - who stars with Daniel Craig? The confirmed cast is as follows: Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc Josh O'Connor as Rev Jud Duplenticy Glenn Close as Martha Delacroix Josh Brolin as Msgr Jefferson Wicks Mila Kunis as Geraldine Scott Jeremy Renner as Dr Nat Sharp Kerry Washington as Vera Draven, Esq Andrew Scott as Lee Ross Cailee Spaeny as Simone Vivane Daryl McCormack as Cy Draven Thomas Haden Church as Samson Holt Jeffrey Wright as Langstrom Annie Hamilton as Grace Wicks James Faulkner as Reverend Prentice Wicks Bridget Everett as Louise Noah Segan as Nikolai Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a baseball announcer (cameo) Read on for more information about the actors and where you've seen them before. Daniel Craig plays Benoit Blanc Who is Benoit Blanc? Benoit Blanc is the eccentric world-famous, Southern-accented detective who drove Rian Johnson's two previous instalments in the franchise. Fans will remember that the second film confirmed that Benoit was married to a character played by Hugh Grant. But speaking to W in 2023, Craig said he hopes his character will remain as mysterious as possible in future instalments. "Even though we've now seen a bit of his home life, I do hope that Benoit remains something of a mystery," he said. "I like that he arrives from some glamorous place and then disappears to another glamorous place, only to reappear again. He has a dream life." Where have I seen Daniel Craig before? The actor remains best known for his role as James Bond in five films. He has also appeared in films such as The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Golden Compass, Layer Cake, Enduring Love and Queer. Josh O’Connor plays Rev Jud Duplenticy Who is Rev Jud Duplenticy? A young priest and former pro boxer, Jud is sent to a smaller parish as punishment for an incident which saw him punching a deacon – and soon finds himself a murder suspect. Where have I seen Josh O’Connor before? After previously starring in The Durrells, O'Connor rocketed to superstardom thanks to his role as the young Prince Charles in The Crown. He went on to star in films including Emma., starring Anya Taylor-Joy, Sky Original film Aisha and the romantic drama God’s Own Country. More recently, O’Connor has starred in Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, Alice Rohrwacher's La Chimera and Kelly Reichardt's The Mastermind, while he has lead roles in upcoming films from legendary directors Steven Spielberg and Joel Coen. Glenn Close plays Martha Delacroix Who is Martha Delacroix? A devout church lady who has been a parishioner since girlhood and is fiercely loyal to Monsignor Wicks. Where have I seen Glenn Close before? Close made her feature-length debut back in 1982 with The World According to Gary, before going on to star as Sarah Cooper in The Big Chill (1983) and Iris Gaines in The Natural (1984). The actress is also known for her roles in Fatal Attraction (1987), Dangerous Liaisons (1988), 101 Dalmatians (1996), Albert Hobbs (2011), The Wife (2017) and Hillbilly Elegy (2020) among many others. She also shares the record for the most acting Oscar nods without a win – having been nominated on eight occasions. Josh Brolin plays Msgr Jefferson Wicks Who is Jefferson Wicks? The a charismatic and domineering priest who has built up a small but devoted band of congregants – but who soon winds up murdered. Where have I seen Josh Brolin before? A Hollywood mainstay, Josh Brolin is best known for his roles in The Goonies, No Country For Old Men, Milk, True Grit, Vice, Everest, Sicario, and for his role as Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Infinity War, and Avengers: Endgame. More recently, he starred as Gurney Halleck in the Dune films, while his busy 2025 has also seen him star in Weapons and The Running Man. Mila Kunis plays Geraldine Scott Who is Geraldine Scott? The local police chief who is stumped by the murder and calls for Benoit Blanc's assistance. Where have I seen Mila Kunis before? Kunis rose to fame through her role as Jackie Burkhart in That '70s Show and went on to appear in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Black Swan, Friends with Benefits, Ted, Oz the Great and Powerful, and Bad Moms. She has also voiced Meg Griffin on Family Guy since 1999. More recently, she led the cast of Luckiest Girl Alive on Netflix. Jeremy Renner plays Dr Nat Sharp Who is Nat Sharp? The recently divorced town doctor who is one of Wicks's congregants. Where have I seen Jeremy Renner before? These days, Renner is perhaps best known for his role as Clint Barton/Hawkeye in the MCU, but he has a wealth of other film credits to his name including 28 Years Later, The Hurt Locker, The Town, The Bourne Legacy, the Mission: Impossible franchise, Amercian Hustle and Arrival. Meanwhile on the small screen, he also has the lead role in Paramount+ crime thriller series Mayor of Kingstown. Kerry Washington plays Vera Draven, Esq Who is Vera Draven? A tightly-wound lawyer who is another of Wicks's congregants. Where have I seen Kerry Washington before? Washington is known for her roles in ABC drama Scandal and Hulu miniseries Little Fires Everywhere, as well as films including Ray, Mr and Mrs Smith, The Last King of Scotland Django Unchained and most recently The Six Triple Eight. Andrew Scott plays Lee Ross Who is Lee Ross? A best-selling author who has left behind a more glamorous life in Hollywood and is now another of Wicks's congregants. Where have I seen Andrew Scott before? Scott is best known for his BAFTA-winning role as Moriarty in the BBC's Sherlock series, while Fleabag fans will also know him as the ‘Hot Priest’ and last year he had the title role in Netflix series Ripley. The actor has also appeared in Pride, the war film 1917, All of Us Strangers and the recently released Blue Moon. Meanwhile, Scott’s casting marks an exciting James Bond reunion, as the actor previously starred alongside Craig in Spectre. Cailee Spaeny plays Simone Vivane Who is Simone Vivane? A disabled former concert cellist who is also one of Wicks's congregants. Where have I seen Cailee Spaeny before? Spaeny previously appeared in the 2019 Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic, The Basis of Sex, as well as the TV shows Devs Mare of Easttown. Recently, she's had a string of major film roles including Civil War and Alien: Romulus, while her performance as Elvis Presley's ex-wife, Priscilla, in Sofia Coppola's 2023 biopic of the same name was especially acclaimed. She will next appear in the second season of Netflix series Beef. Daryl McCormack plays Cy Draven Who is Cy Draven? Vera's adoptive son, Cy is an aspiring politician who also dabbles in online conspiracy theories. Where have I seen Daryl McCormack before? After a small role in Peaky Blinders, McCormack has had a string of impressive credits, including a BAFTA-nominated turn in Good Luck to You, Leo Grande and a major part in Apple TV+ drama Bad Sisters. Other credits include Pixie, The Lesson, The Woman in the Wall and Twisters while he will next star in Netflix's upcoming adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. Thomas Haden Church plays Samson Holt Who is Samson Holt? The church's groundskeeper, who is close with Martha. Where have I seen Thomas Haden Church before? After early TV work on Wings and Ned and Stacey in the 90s, Church starred in a number of prominent films inckuding George of the Jungle, Sideways, Spider-Man 3 and Easy A. More recently, he's been seen on the small screen in Twisted Metal and Tires. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is now showing in UK cinemas and is coming to Netflix on 12th December. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
How to watch Wake Up Dead Man – when is Knives Out 3 on Netflix?
The third entry in Rian Johnson's popular whodunnit series gives Daniel Craig's sleuth Benoit Blanc his trickiest case yet.
It's Knives Out day on Netflix – with maverick detective Benoit Blanc back to solve his most difficult case yet. Having already provided two hugely entertaining modern updates on the murder mystery genre, writer/director Rian Johnson has gone three for three with his latest entry in the whodunnit series, which played at various film festivals – including in London – before its theatrical release a couple of weeks ago. Wake Up Dead Man once again sees Daniel Craig adopt a Southern drawl to play the sleuth, and the former James Bond star is joined by yet another starry ensemble cast which this time includes Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close and Andrew Scott, among many others. The case on this occasion is perhaps his most puzzling yet, and sees him tasked with solving the seemingly impossible murder of the charismatic but rather intimidating Monsignor (Josh Brolin) at a small Catholic Parish in upstate New York. The suspects include both a younger clerygman (O'Connor) and the Monsignor's band of devoted followers, but the question is not only who done it, but how they were able to. As with the last two instalments, reviews have been overwhelmingly positive – in fact, we suggested it could even be the best yet in our 4-star review. Meanwhile, just like the second film, Glass Onion, the new one has been produced as a Netflix original – hence it's arrival on the streamer so soon after theatrical release. Read on to find out how you'll be able to watch it from the comfort of your own home. When is Wake Up Dead Man released on Netflix? Good news! The wait for the film's Netflix release is now over, with the film having arrived on the streamer on Friday 12th December. The streaming launch comes just two weeks after the theatrical release on Friday 28th November – although it's worth noting that the film is still showing in some select UK cinemas, so it's not too late to watch it on the big screen if that remains your preferred option. Writer/director Rian Johnson had previously made clear that he hoped the film would still be playing in cinemas after the Netflix debut. "It can absolutely stay in theatres after the 12/12 Netflix drop if there’s demand — it’s up to the theatres to decide," he wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter). Johnson also expressed his annoyance that the film is receiving such a limited theatrical rollout, writing that he was "frustrated" that it would not be showing on the big screen in more locations. Still, the Netflix release just a couple of weeks before Christmas will no doubt make it a popular choice for cosy movie nights over the festive period – and it would certainly go down well with a mince pie and mulled wine. Wake Up Dead Man trailer If you've not decided whether to watch the film while it's playing in cinemas or to wait for streaming, watching the trailer below might help you to make up your mind: View oEmbed on the source website Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is released in cinemas on 26th November and is available to watch on Netflix right now. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Silent Night, Deadly Night star pushes the importance of seeing the new movie in cinemas
"It allows you to sort of sit back and enjoy that violence, without feeling too corrupted."
Rohan Campbell (Halloween Ends) is stepping into another cult classic, and this time round he's a killer Santa Claus, a twisted character he hopes audiences will go and watch in the cinema this festive season. A reimagining of the once controversial 1984 movie, Silent Night, Deadly Night follows Billy (Campbell), a serial killer who is driven to murder after witnessing his parents being slain by a man in a Santa costume. The new slasher veers slightly from the original, with the 2025 iteration of Billy being guided to kill by a voice in his head that leads him to choosing people with poor morals as his next victims. As described by director Mike P. Nelson, this movie has "something a bit sweeter than the trauma-filled original", which leading star Rohan Campbell has stressed is worth seeing in a movie theatre. "I think it's all about just focusing on what the spirit or energy of what that first movie does," Campbell exclusively told RadioTimes.com. "It's why it's so important to go see movies in theatres. [It's] the collective feeling you get and the communal energy that comes out of the film, I think, is what is at the core of that movie." With Nelson already a fan of the original source material, he was able to twist the original tale into "camp feelings, super random left turns, [and] hyper graphic kill scenes," providing a heap of "fun" for audiences. Campbell continued: "This movie [has] got such a beautiful tone to it visually that I think really puts you in that place as well. And I feel like we just sort of focused on how it feels to go see that [in the cinema]." Throughout the movie, audiences are taken on the wildest of rollercoasters as Billy finds himself committing murder, yet believing he is doing the right thing as they are bad people - and it's that inner conflict Rohan can't wait for fans to get stuck into. He told RadioTimes.com: "I think those are the most fun movies to watch, right? It's like, if you can have a hero that's doing things that are incomprehensible, but you can understand the root logic of it, that's a fun place to sit in the movie theatre and be like s**t, this is interactive. "You want to feel torn, you want to feel conflicted with these people. And I think with Billy, it's like even more than that. It's like this thing that he has to do, so if he's gonna do it, he's gonna do it the right way. And that's a fun thing, because it allows you to sort of sit back and enjoy that violence, without feeling too corrupted, or you get to ask yourself the question of, 'Well, what would I do?' in this safe space that's a movie theatre. It's a fun angle." Silent Night, Deadly Night is released in UK cinemas on Friday 12th December 2025. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Loved Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery? 6 locked-room mysteries to enjoy next
A list of the essential locked-room mysteries every crime fan should know.
With Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery now streaming on Netflix, here's a list of some of the seminal locked-room mysteries from literature. Some of the titles may even be familiar to viewers of the new movie, with a certain reading list playing a key part in Benoit Blanc's investigations... 1. The Hollow Man by John Dickson Carr A key influence on Wake Up Dead Man came from this 1935 novel by American author John Dickson Carr. Today, it’s renowned for both the ingenuity of its central locked-room mystery – whereby a murderous visitor seemingly disappears into thin air – and a fourth-wall-stretching speech by sleuth Dr Gideon Fell, who lays out the various methods often used by writers to explain such “impossible crimes”. Can I watch it? Unlike others on the list below, there are no major adaptations of this work outside of a few radio dramas – perhaps re-creating Carr’s solution is an impossible task in and of itself. 2. The Adventure of the Speckled Band by Arthur Conan Doyle Holmes and Watson tackle a fiendish criminal in this eerie 1892 short story, about a young woman who dies alone in her locked room a few days after hearing a low whistle. Soon, her surviving sister hears the same noise and understandably believes her time is up. But what could a house full of animals, an unconnected bell cord and a saucer of milk have to do with either murder attempt? Can I watch it? The Speckled Band features as an episode of the classic adaptation Sherlock Holmes, starring Jeremy Brett as Holmes, and is available to stream on ITVX. View Green Video on the source website 3. The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie The Queen of Crime didn’t often go in for “classic” locked-room murder mysteries of the sort laid out by Dickson Carr. Still, this influential 1926 novel does provide what could be considered the Christie take on the idea, when the titular wealthy landowner apparently perishes just moments after being left alone in his study. Can I watch it? The obligatory ITV adaptation starring David Suchet’s Poirot perhaps doesn’t quite do the story justice, due to a missing key ingredient from the written version – but for a better onscreen locked-room Poirot, try Hercule Poirot’s Christmas, broadcast in 1994. Both are episodes of Agatha Christie’s Poirot, available on ITVX. 4 Have His Carcase by Dorothy L Sayers Dorothy L Sayers’ 1932 work stars her regular sleuths Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane, the latter of whom stumbles on a body while out hiking. With the victim found dead on a sandy beach with no footsteps nearby, his blood still warm, it appears a clear suicide – but there’s more to this crime than meets the eye. Can I watch it? The 1980s TV adaptation of this mystery – a three-part episode of the A Dorothy L Sayers Mystery series starring Harriet Walter and Edward Petherbridge – is available now on YouTube. A 1981 radio adaptation starring Ian Carmichael and Maria Aitken also returned to BBC Radio 4 (and BBC Sounds) this month. 5. The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe Poe’s short story was published in 1841 and has been described as the “first modern detective story”. Certainly, it’s one of the earliest locked-room mysteries, exploring a baffling double murder in a fourth-floor room that was locked from the inside. The only clues as to how a mother and daughter were brutally killed are a bloody razor, some tufts of grey hair and two bags of gold coins... Can I watch it? Several adaptations of the story have been attempted. A 1971 version by director Gordon Hessler – which takes a number of liberties with the story – is available on Amazon Prime Video, where you can also rent a 1932 adaptation starring Bela Lugosi. Most recently, a very loose version of the story was included in episode three of Netflix’s The Fall of the House of Usher. 6. The Mystery of the Yellow Room by Gaston Leroux The prototypical locked-room/impossible crime story comes from French author Leroux, published in his 1908 novel (serialised a year earlier). Providing the reader with precise diagrams and floorplans, Leroux invites us to also try and solve the mystery of how a criminal disappeared from a sealed yellow room — and how he then repeated the trick twice more. Can I watch it? Despite adaptations in 1913, 1919, 1930, 1947, 1949, 1965 and 2003, it’s hard to track down a version of it. However, a BBC radio adaptation is available online for free on the Internet Archive, and the story also inspired an episode of Jonathan Creek in 2014 — The Letters of Septimus Noone (available on iPlayer). Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025 The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is available now on Netflix. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Scarlett Johansson on becoming more comfortable with herself and why it would be "reductive" to politicise her directorial debut
The A-list actor has stepped behind the camera for new film Eleanor the Great which stars June Squibb as a 94-year-old Jewish widow who does something terrible.
At this year’s Cannes Film Festival, in the Un Certain Regard strand, three major actors made their directorial debuts. While Kristen Stewart and Britain’s Harris Dickinson went full arthouse with their films – respectively, addiction drama The Chronology of Water and homeless study Urchin – Scarlett Johansson took another path. Eleanor the Great is a comedy-drama about a 94-year-old Jewish widow who does something terrible. It’s funny, poignant and stars the wonderful June Squibb, whose late-career blossoming since films like Nebraska and Thelma has been a sheer delight. “This film appeared to me to have a commerciality to it, which is important,” says Johansson, and she should know. Since she started acting three decades ago, her films have accumulated more than $15 billion at the box office. While this is chiefly down to her role as Black Widow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in multiple films from Iron Man 2 to Avengers: Infinity War, this year saw her help relaunch Universal’s prestige dinosaur franchise with Jurassic World: Rebirth, grossing $868 million at the box office. Johansson knows a hit when she sees one. Curiously, she’s been wanting to direct almost as long as she’s been acting. “When I was a teenager, I thought that I would direct and probably not act,” she tells me. “I mean, because I think I didn’t have an insane passion for acting when I was a teenager.” It’s an interesting answer to the question ‘How long have you wanted to direct?’ Most actors build their way gradually towards going behind the camera. But the precocious Johansson has always harboured those dreams, even as an adolescent growing up in New York. It’s also intriguing to hear that acting was not her cultural North Star back then, despite making her debut opposite Bruce Willis in the 1994 comedy North and rising to prominence alongside Robert Redford in The Horse Whisperer four years later, when she was 13. “I did [have a passion to act] when I was really young,” she continues, “and then it was so hard to find projects that were engaging, I was not as engaged in the process. I mean, I would find some projects here and there, but it was hard. Now there’s a lot more opportunity for young people to play very interesting roles. But it wasn’t the trend as much when I was a teenager.” By the time she was in her teens, she established herself as an actress with indie credentials, thanks to films like the Coen Brothers’ The Man Who Wasn’t There and Terry Zwigoff’s cult teen tale Ghost World. “I would find little things here and there,” she adds, “but I thought, ‘Well, I probably will end up directing.’ And then, when I got to be in my twenties, I became more interested in understanding my job as an actor better, and I was very focused on challenging myself in different kinds of ways.” Long after establishing herself as an A-List star, in 2017, Johansson started her own production company, These Pictures, which she co-founded with partners Keenan Flynn and Jonathan Lia. Even then, the idea of stepping behind the camera to call the shots didn’t exactly thrill her. “I was like, ‘I definitely would never want to direct’ because that job is only problem solving, and it feels like a nightmare! But I think I just assumed at some point I could potentially direct. It was just hard...some projects at some point or another were compelling but weren’t [right].” Then along came the script for Eleanor the Great, written by Tory Kamen, who was inspired by her own Jewish grandmother. With Squibb already attached, Johansson was immediately struck by this story of Eleanor Morgenstein, a shrewd and spiky nonagenarian who is living in Florida when the story starts. “I actually called my producing partners...I think I can actually direct this. And then we had to scramble to put it together. The scramble to put it together was very, very stressful. It was crazy.” Of course it meant raising finances with her producer’s hat on. She’s produced before, notably the 2024 astronaut romance Fly Me To The Moon in which she starred with Channing Tatum. But now she was putting herself on the line as the number one creative. “When you’re making a film, you have to ask people to give you a lot of money. And even if it’s a small film, it’s still going to be a lot of money. It’s millions of dollars. It’s maybe not hundreds of millions of dollars, but it’s an important amount of money.” To help, Johansson gathered an impressive cast around her, including British actors Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Erin Kellyman (Raised By Wolves), who play a father and daughter who encounter Squibb’s Eleanor when she moves to New York to be near her family after bestie Bessie passes away in Florida. The crux – that terrible thing that Eleanor does – comes when she visits a Jewish Community Centre and stumbles upon a Holocaust Survivor’s Group. A convert to Judaism herself, Eleanor passes off the late Bessie’s history as her own, pretending she too survived the Holocaust. Johansson identifies as Jewish (her mother is of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, with family origins in both Poland and Russia) and calls Eleanor’s moment of madness “unforgivable” but she understands “this urgency to share the story that will disappear with this person”. The script has a deeper resonance, ensuring that – like Bessie’s story – those that survived the worst atrocity in the history of mankind are not forgotten. “So you can forgive it, hopefully. I mean, that’s the goal anyway, and I think that’s actually really important.” While forgiveness and tolerance are two major themes of the film, Johansson doesn’t want it to be yanked into conversations around the Israel-Palestine conflict, at a time when anti-Semitism is on the rise. “I mean, it’s such a complicated question. And I think it would be reductive to politicise this film,” she says. Her French-born cinematographer Hélène Louvart (The Lost Daughter) was in Israel at the time of the October 7th attacks, as she was preparing to shoot another movie, just as Johansson convinced her to join the project. Johansson is particularly fond of Louvart, and the intimate relationship they fostered on set. “Hélène and I spent a lot of time breaking the script down before we shot it...that’s when our work together really began. We understood we were talking, seeing the same thing, and she’s just amazing. She’s really the most observant woman. She’s always watching everything, and it just feels like she’s just observing the entire world around her all the time. She’s so present when you’re talking to her. She’s extraordinary.” Although Johansson may be best known for her action heroine in the MCU, along the way, she’s worked with some of the most innovative filmmakers around, including Jonathan Glazer (Under the Skin), Spike Jonze (Her) and Christopher Nolan (The Prestige). Was she influenced by any of her past collaborators when making Eleanor the Great? “Maybe inadvertently. I think sometimes directors have great references. And I’ve worked with directors that have great references. They’re making their version of an Antonioni film. Or it’s a Bergman moment. I didn’t have that as much.” That’s Johansson’s commercial instincts speaking again; Bergman moments don’t tend to fly with the masses anymore. Instead, like her former collaborator Woody Allen, she ploughed a furrow of Jewish humour. “The script was very funny,” she adds. “I think the film’s hilarious! I hope that other people also find it funny.” She even found herself guffawing at Squibb’s performance in the cutting room, alongside editor Harry Jierjian, who previously cut Fly Me To The Moon. “I laughed so much…the whole room was laughing,” says Johansson, praising Squibb’s impeccable comic timing. With Johansson now in the director’s chair, making artistic choices, it puts her in a position of strength that she maybe didn’t have as an actress. But Johansson has always been one of the Hollywood stars who was unafraid to speak her mind. In the past, she’s criticised the media’s obsession with body image and with objectifying her when she was younger. She’s also been an advocate for women issues, with everything from equal pay to reproductive rights. Now, as a 41 year-old mother-of-two, has it been easy to continue to speak up in this way? “I think I usually speak in my own voice,” she says. “I’m pretty comfortable being myself and continue to become more comfortable with being myself as I get older. It’s great. It’s maybe the best thing about getting older. There’s other things that suck and continue to suck more, but that part’s great.” The question remains, where does Johansson go next? This week, reports have circulated that she is close to signing on for an unspecified role in Matt Reeves’ blockbuster The Batman: Part II, opposite Robert Pattinson, which will only increase her box office clout. But what about directing? Could she ever see herself making a bigger film than Eleanor the Great? “As long as I felt like it was a film that had a good shot of people going to see it…that’s important.” Spoken like someone who truly understands the movie industry. Eleanor the Great is out now in UK cinemas. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Best vintage Christmas movies to watch now – 11 festive classics and where to watch them
From It's a Wonderful Life to The Apartment, here's our list of the very best Christmas films from yesteryear.
Christmas movies have perhaps never been in greater supply, with Netflix and its streaming competitors now in the habit of releasing a glut of brand new festive films every single year. But while there have been some great new additions to the canon in recent times – none more so than Alexander Payne's terrific Oscar-nominated The Holdovers – you have to go back decades to find some of the best ever examples of the genre. Of course, It's A Wonderful Life tends to be the most cited vintage classic, and with good reason, but there are plenty of other options from yesteryear if you're looking for something traditional as we count down the days to 25th December. To help you out, we've put together a list of 11 great Christmas movies released between 1934 and 1960, including everything from a Laurel and Hardy favourite to a revered adaptation of A Christmas Carol and a couple of delightful movie musicals. Read on to see our list – and details on how you can watch them. 1. It's a Wonderful Life (1946) This masterpiece from Frank Capra is a film with much more to it than festive feel-good sentimentality and still has a lot to say about community spirit. As the suicidal man who is shown the value of his life by his guardian angel, central character George Bailey is Mr Deeds, John Doe and Mr Smith rolled into one, and only James Stewart could have so successfully lent him the self-doubt that gnaws away at his essential decency. As with all good morality tales, the villain has to be exceptional, too, and Lionel Barrymore is at the peak of his powers as the evil Potter. The term Capra-esque is too often misapplied: forget the imitations and revel in the genuine article. – David Parkinson Where to watch: ITVX, Prime Video and NOW 2. The Shop Around the Corner (1940) This wonderful romantic comedy drama, about pen pals who fall in love without realising they work together, contains delightful performances by Margaret Sullavan (full of grace and warmth) and the young James Stewart (a portrait of perfection). The plot is paper-thin, but under the deft direction of the great Ernst Lubitsch the film (based on Nikolaus Laszlo's play Parfumerie) has charm in abundance. It was remade in 1998 as You've Got Mail, with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. – Tony Sloman Where to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube from £3.49. 3. White Christmas (1954) This partial remake of the 1942 film Holiday Inn – the Bing Crosby movie that gave the world the Irving Berlin song White Christmas – provided Paramount with an opportunity to introduce its new screen process Vistavision. Crosby's Holiday Inn partner Fred Astaire wasn't available, and Donald O'Connor pulled out, so Danny Kaye reluctantly agreed to second billing to co-star with Crosby, in what proved to be a fortuitous move. The story, as if you need reminding, is about a song-and-dance team who travel up to Vermont to help their former army commander save his inn from foreclosure. Kaye is superb, especially in his knockout dance routine with Vera-Ellen, and the direction from veteran Michael Curtiz rightly embraces the sentiment rather than keeping it at bay. – Tony Sloman Where to watch: NOW 4. Babes in Toyland (1934) Fairy-tale whimsy with Laurel and Hardy! What could be better for children of all ages? Victor Herbert's light operetta is adapted to the extent there's nothing left of the original, with Stan and Ollie as incompetent assistants to Santa Claus. They make 100 six-foot wooden soldiers instead of 600 foot-tall ones, but the outsize toys come in handy when miser Silas Barnaby parts Tom-Tom from his beloved Bo-Peep and tries to take over Mother Goose's nurseryland. Simple-minded joy. – Tom Hutchinson Where to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube from £3.49. 5. Remember the Night (1940) Barbara Stanwyck and Fred MacMurray, both at the top of their form and perfect foils for one another, co-star in this romantic comedy, written by Preston Sturges and directed by Mitchell Leisen. The action concerns a shoplifter (Stanwyck) whose trial is delayed by the Christmas holiday, leaving her somewhat adrift. Sympathetic, assistant district attorney MacMurray takes pity on her and brings her home to his family’s snowbound country home for Christmas. An absolute delight, combining warmth and charm with a little sentimentality and humour, woven together with stylish ease by all concerned. – Robyn Karney Where to watch: Not currently streaming, but available to buy on Blu-ray 6. Miracle on 34th Street (1947) This isn’t the benign remake with Richard Attenborough, but the marvellous original first shown in the UK as The Big Heart. Natalie Wood plays a jaded youngster who knows there's no such thing as Father Christmas because her mother, Maureen O'Hara, organises a New York department store's yearly parade, and Wood has always seen Santa played by drunken old men. Then along comes Kris Kringle (Edmund Gwenn) to work some Christmas magic. The great plot was rightly awarded Oscars for best screenplay and original story, while Gwenn also won as best supporting actor. Indeed, Gwenn became so identified with this role that every holiday he found himself hired to hand out presents at the houses of such Hollywood notables as Louis B Mayer. Children may prefer the newer, more obvious version, but parents will warm to this utterly beguiling original. – Tony Sloman Where to watch: Disney+ 7. Scrooge (1951) Released in the US under Dickens's original title, A Christmas Carol, this is easily the best screen version of the much-loved yuletide tale. The ever-versatile Alastair Sim is impeccable as the miser who comes to see the error of his ways through the promptings of the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future. Michael Hordern makes a splendid Jacob Marley and Mervyn Johns a humble Bob Cratchit, while George Cole does well as the younger, carefree Scrooge. Beautifully designed by Ralph Brinton and directed with unexpected finesse by Brian Desmond Hurst, this is not to be missed. – David Parkinson Where to watch: Tubi 8. Meet Me in St Louis (1944) This portrayal of a perfect American family – including Mary Astor as the mom and Judy Garland as one of four daughters – was too sugary for some critical tastes at the time, but it can be viewed today as a vintage MGM musical. Whatever the film’s minor flaws, they are more than made up for by some dazzling musical numbers – including Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, The Trolley Song and Skip to My Lou – enhanced by the masterly direction of Vincente Minnelli at the top of his game. Providing a romanticised but still uplifting depiction of life in St Louis at the beginning of the 20th century, this may be a tale that only works against the backdrop of a more innocent age, but it’s delightful, and too good to miss. – Peter Freedman Where to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube from £3.49 9. Holiday Affair (1949) In this absolutely charming yet little-known RKO Christmas movie, Janet Leigh plays a widowed single mother torn between Robert Mitchum and Wendell Corey (that's a contest?) and, not surprisingly, drawn to the one her son prefers. There's a sweet opening sequence and a nice sense of New York at Christmas time that's a touch reminiscent of Miracle on 34th Street. Mitchum reveals what a subtle actor he could be and Leigh proves yet again that she was one of the most delectable of cinematic charmers. Cynics should steer well clear, but if you're in the right mood this is delightful seasonal entertainment. – Tony Sloman Where to watch: BBC iPlayer 10. Christmas in Connecticut (1945) A corny little piece, and the hokum is hopelessly dated now, but it is still enjoyable, nevertheless. Barbara Stanwyck almost convinces as the oh-so-chic journalist whose column extols the virtues of home cooking and country living, who, as a promotional stunt, is forced to look after a navy hero (Dennis Morgan) for Christmas except, of course, she lives in the city, can't cook and has to rent a cottage in Connecticut. The idea is sound enough, but it becomes awfully sentimental under Peter Godfrey's uninspired direction. Still, Sydney Greenstreet is splendid as Stanwyck's boss, and, although lacking in true wit (one wonders what Billy Wilder or Preston Sturges would have made of it), it's a good deal better than the 1992 TV remake, directed by no less than Arnold Schwarzenegger, with Dyan Cannon in the Stanwyck role.– Tony Sloman Where to watch: Rent or buy on Prime Video, Google Play and YouTube from £3.49. 11. The Apartment (1960) This classic from Billy Wilder sees Jack Lemmon's put-upon, snuffling insurance clerk CC Baxter basically offer his apartment to his superiors so that they can indulge in extramarital trysts. That he does it in return for promotions that never come makes Buddy Boy Baxter a sad case indeed. But Wilder cleverly veils the plot's darker side and operates the movie as a light romantic comedy. He is helped immensely by Lemmon's skilled performance, which instantly earns our sympathy, and his character's redemption comes when Shirley MacLaine's elevator girl – mistress of unscrupulous boss Fred MacMurray – gets in a fix and he comes to her aid. From such potentially edgy material Wilder and co-writer IAL Diamond sculpt an unforgettable romance that won five Oscars, including best picture, direction and screenplay. – Andrew Collins Where to watch: ITVX Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025 Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Elf screenwriter on its lasting legacy: "It's something that's rare and special"
Back in 2022, David Berenbaum spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com about writing the script for one of the most enduring Christmas films of the 21st century.
Since its release more than two decades ago, Elf has secured its place as a bonafide Christmas classic. The image of Will Ferrell cheerfully gallivanting around Manhattan in his yellow tights has become iconic, as has the declaration that the "best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear". Given its incredible success, you wouldn't necessarily think it was all the idea of a novice screenwriter – but that was very much the case. The film's origins trace back to the mid-1990s, when young writer David Berenbaum had just moved to LA from America's East Coast. Back in 2022, he spoke exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the film and its lasting legacy. "I was kind of really missing East Coast winters," he recalled over the phone. "I was not used to LA winters at all. I sort of missed the family and everything like that and so I essentially surrounded myself with all sorts of Christmas movies. And then I started writing one." Interestingly, the initial idea he had for a Christmas movie was not Elf but an entirely separate film titled Christmas in New Jersey – a romcom that never went on to be produced. But although that script didn't go anywhere itself, it did open all sorts of doors that would later make Elf possible. "It got me in the door with all sorts of people and they said, 'What's next?'," he explained. "And then I thought of the idea for Elf because I was surrounded by all this Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Rankin/Bass stuff. And I sort of thought it would be amusing to put a human into that sort of environment. "Buddy is sort of a misfit, he doesn't fit in – Rudolph is sort of a misfit, he doesn't fit in. And they both go off on quests. So that was sort of the beginning of that – Rudolph mixed with a healthy dose of Big, the Tom Hanks movie." It was Big which ended up serving as "a bit of a template" for Elf's script in the early stages of development, with Berenbaum using Hanks's character Josh Baskin as a "guidepost" for the character of Buddy the Elf, well before Will Ferrell first got involved. Indeed, in those first days of putting pen to paper, Ferrell was hardly on Berenbaum's radar at all – he was only just getting started on Saturday Night Live – but fast forward a few years and it was the star himself who played a key role in getting the film the green light following a number of false starts. As Berenbaum explained: "It had gone out and was optioned once, and they put an actor on it and were looking at directors, and nothing sort of materialised from that. And then right after that the option expired, it was picked up by another company for another year and went down a development road, and nothing happened with that." It was then that Bernabaum's manager had the idea that Ferrell would be perfect for the lead role, and after he'd attached himself things quickly began to gather pace – with Jon Favreau signing on as director and working on a couple of rewrites with Berenbaum (including a change to the ending that brought in the famous Christmas cheer scene). avreau himself has previously stated that he initially wasn't interested in the script, explaining in a 2020 interview with Rolling Stone that the original version was "much darker" – but this isn't how Berenbaum remembers it. "I think it was always sort of lighter in tone," he said. "I don't know about that. It was always sort of light on its feet – it was very much something that Disney was considering making for a while because I was employed at Disney at the time. So it was, I thought, always a very sweet story." Regardless of what the original version of the film might have looked like, it can't be denied that Ferrell put his own distinctive stamp on the script as soon as he got his hands on it. Berenbaum was kept involved by the producers throughout the process – spending a couple of weeks on set – and watching the star take his script and run with it was something he got a great deal of enjoyment out of. "I can't quite frankly think of another actor who would be better playing the role than Will," he said. "I mean, realistically the movie doesn't work at all without Will Ferrell as Buddy the Elf. So to see him inhabit that role and really bring it to life was amazing, I mean he would do an ad lib and he would go here and there – he would take it in unexpected directions and he has such an infectious energy that really just brought the entire thing to life." Of course, Ferrell wasn't the only big name in the cast, and Berenbaum was especially delighted about another actor who was brought in to play a key supporting role: the late James Caan, who plays Buddy's biological father Walter. "When I heard that James Caan was going to be playing Walter I thought that was a stroke of genius," he explained. "To have Sonny Corleone playing against this sweet, innocent Elf, I just thought would be incredible. I had grown up watching The Godfather, and to think that James Caan was going to be in this movie was kind of insane to me. And, you know, it could not have worked better!" And there were other actors that he was equally happy to see bringing his characters to life. "I just thought that literally every casting decision was spectacular," he continued. "Bob Newhart as Papa Elf, Ed Asner as a sort of a grumpy but sweet, crusty Santa, and then Zooey Deschanel – it just sort of went straight down the line. And they had character actors filling out the universe of this movie, real sort of independent actors. It made it feel real, these actors really grounded the movie in a way that let Will just kind of run wild. And I think that was sort of the secret sauce that made the movie work." Berenbaum was already "over the moon" when he found out the movie was getting made, and watching the process of it being put together was something he was deeply proud of too – but it wasn't until he watched it in front of an audience for the first time that he realised quite how big a hit he had on his hands. "I mean, clearly, there was an energy and electricity there that you can feel," he recalled. "And you know going through all that was Will's performance and Favreau's direction. It retained its heart – people could really feel the movie from the beginning." From that point onwards, the film hasn't looked back: it's watched more times every December than just about any other 21st-century film, and previously finished fourth in our RadioTimes.com poll to crown the greatest Christmas film ever made. So how often does Berenbaum revisit it? "When it played in theatres out here for the years, I would take my kids to go see it and that was fun to share with them," he responded. "And, you know, as we're decorating the tree, we'll sort of put it on and it's a great thing to have Buddy come back into your life every year, this time of year. It's really quite amazing." The film has also taken on a life of its own when it comes to reimaginings and parodies – from a 2022 Asda Christmas advert to a musical theatre version that opened on Broadway in 2010 – and Berenbaum is very happy to see the film's legacy live on in this way. He's less sure, however, when it comes to talk of a potential sequel. There were reports at one point that Ferrell had turned down a huge offer to reprise the title role in a follow-up, and for now, Berenbaum feels that might just have been the correct decision. "I mean, there have been discussions over the years," he said. "I think Buddy's story had a good beginning, middle and end and I think there are other ways to look into that world and that universe and see if there are other things that can spring out of it. "But I'm very satisfied with the way it is and the way that people have embraced it into their homes – that is something that's rare and special. And I don't know if Will getting back into the tights would be perhaps the best idea at this point!" Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Wake Up Dead Man cast reveal their favourite detectives and whether they’d make good murderers
Daniel Craig and the Wake Up Dead Man cast talk perfect murders, imperfect detectives and everything in between.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. “I am hoping to get out of Narnia in time for Christmas,” says Daniel Craig. We’re supposed to be talking about the former James Bond star’s performance as Benoit Blanc, the mannered, sometimes manic, private detective from the Deep South of the US in Rian Johnson’s Netflix Knives Out mysteries. The new film, Wake Up Dead Man, is set in and around a neo-Gothic church in upstate New York where Benoit enlists the help of Josh O’Connor’s Catholic priest Father Jud Duplenticy to solve “a classic impossible crime”. But Craig’s mind is already a movie ahead of me. He’s presently filming The Magician’s Nephew, Greta Gerwig’s take on CS Lewis’s Narnia novel, in which he plays the eponymous magician, Uncle Andrew. It’s a role as un-Bond-like, in its way, as the unhinged gay author he played in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer last year (based on William Burroughs). Or, for that matter, Blanc, the driving intellectual and dramatic force of Johnson’s three Knives Out films. “I suppose I started freeing myself up from any convention,” says the 57-year-old Craig. “I’m not saying no to things that I might have been a little bit wary about before. When the Bond thing was going on in my life, the juxtaposition between that and another role would sometimes feel self-conscious. I’m working harder than I ever have, but I’m also just enjoying it more than I ever have. I get to do really interesting, different stuff.” No Time to Die was in 2021. That’s four years away from Bond now; has it made him happy? “I love my job but does it make me happy? Not always,” he muses. “It’s very complicated. It’s an incredibly tough job. It’s kept me away from my family over the years, and that has its downsides.” View Green Video on the source website Craig is married to the actor Rachel Weisz. They have a daughter, Grace, born in 2018 (Craig has another daughter, 33-year-old actor Ella Loudon, from his previous marriage to actor Fiona Loudon) and homes in north London and New York. Craig likes nothing better, he says, than “watching Strictly with the kids – it’s a joy” and, if he is out of Narnia in time, will be celebrating Christmas with them. “Not in a religious way,” he says, “but celebrating the fact that it’s a family get-together. Much in a way like the Americans have Thanksgiving, Christmas is an English kind of thanksgiving. And saying thanks for having family is really what it’s about.” Ironically, after escaping a character that defined him in the public eye over five films and 15 years, starting with Casino Royale in 2006, Craig is now the centre of another franchise, Knives Out, playing a character who walks the narrow line between convincing characterisation and camp. “But that’s the fun bit, isn’t it?’ he says. “Walking the line.” Three films in, Benoit Blanc feels like he has a lot of mileage left… perhaps more than the five films Craig made as Bond? “As soon as we’re on the red carpet, Rian and I get asked, ‘Are you going to make another one?’ And we both go, ‘Hang on a second! Let’s get this one out first.’ But, of course, I would love to continue working with him. As long as Rian keeps inventing it the way he does, then I’m in.” Not that playing Benoit Blanc is easy. “I still have to work hard at this,” he says. “He’s not uncomplicated to play. I don’t turn up on day one and go, ‘I know how to do this.’ That would be just terrible. I work on it and work on it.” With that level of commitment, does Craig feel he’s now getting the hang of investigating? For example, if I were to be clubbed to death or poisoned, could he work out whodunnit? “No! It’s like asking me, ‘Do you think playing James Bond made you better at being a spy?’ ” Craig exclaims. “It’s not going to happen; I wouldn’t be very good in that situation. You need a brain. “I suppose what I like about Benoit is that he’s not aggressive, his way of doing things is to try and disarm people. He often pays compliments, and I think that’s an interesting way of getting what you want in life. You know, he’s a charmer.” His co-star O’Connor told RT that, because he’d been brought up thinking of Craig as Bond, he was surprised to encounter an actor whose “sweetness, insecurity, and funniness were such a pleasure to work with”. Does Craig recognise himself in that description? “Well, all actors are insecure,” he says. “We may appear to be confident, but we’re just ducks; looking good on top but the legs are going crazy underneath. I’m making it up as I go along.” Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025 Andrew Scott plays Lee Ross Could you get away with the perfect murder? ANDREW: I don’t think I would be very good at murder – I suppose I’m the type, but I just don’t like blood. I have many faults, but I think I’m going to get away in this life with not murdering anybody. That’s the way it’s looking, anyway. Do you have a favourite detective… Sherlock Holmes, perhaps? ANDREW: Actually, it’s Hercule Poirot. One of the films that had a real influence on me was Evil under the Sun with Peter Ustinov as Poirot, made in the 1980s. I remember watching him, Diana Rigg and Maggie Smith and thinking, “Wow!” I’d never seen a film like that. Glenn Close plays Martha Delacroix Do you have a favourite detective? GLENN: I loved Agatha Christie’s books and I was in Christie’s Crooked House in 2017. It had never been filmed because it has a very strange, disturbing ending. I also loved Prime Suspect. Helen Mirren was so good in that. Do you believe in good and evil? GLENN: Oh, very much so, although I think we’re a complicated species. It’s a pretty deep question. I think there are very few people who are born evil, but there are some. It’s usually a malfunction in our very complex brains, and I think a lot of it is how you’re brought up. Josh O’Connor plays Father Jud Duplenticy Could you imagine yourself planning the perfect murder? JOSH: No. Absolutely not. I’m too anxious. Most of the time, even if I make a plan to go and meet someone for dinner, I have second thoughts. I don’t think I’d ever make it out of the door. What about solving a murder, Josh? JOSH: Again, I’d be useless. Crime-solving requires an incredible level of organisation. You’d have to be very directed in your thoughts. And I’m so doubtful of everything and anything and everyone. My answer to most things is, “I don’t know!” As a detective, you’d have to have a little more conviction. You don’t seem very confident in your abilities… JOSH: I have low self-esteem and a big ego. You put those together and it’s chaotic. But it is perfect for an actor – most of us have low self-esteem. That’s why we need to be told that we’re good. But we also have a big ego and we want to be seen. It’s a strange one. Who was your favourite detective growing up? JOSH: I used to love turning on ITV and watching Midsomer Murders on a Sunday afternoon with my family. We’d all sit there and predict who the murderer was. We loved it. Mila Kunis plays police chief Geraldine Scott Did you grow up watching murder mysteries? MILA: I grew up in Russia, and Sherlock Holmes was definitely around when I was seven or eight. Then, when I moved to the States, I loved murder mysteries. Clue is one of my favourite movies of all time. Would you make a good murderer? MILA: I couldn’t do it. I’m not a very aggressive person and I don’t think I’m very calculated. I’d also need to be so much more organised… Actually, hold on, that’s not true. If my life or my family’s lives were at stake, I’d have no problem doing something extreme – and a woman who’s juggling a job and a family and kids can do a lot of things. Of course, you’re on the other side of the fence in the movie — would you make a good investigator in real life? MILA: I’d make a great investigator. I have no problems asking questions and I’m also pretty observant. However, I’m not good at identifying people – in a line-up I’m not your gal. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is coming to Netflix on 12th December. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Best movies on Amazon Prime Video to watch now
No-one wants to scroll endlessly, so we've picked the best movies on Prime Video for you.
If you’re lining up your next movie night, Amazon Prime Video has plenty to dive into – including Locked, a horror-thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. The film follows a gripping hostage situation in a car, where every decision counts and the clock is ticking – will they make it? Featuring Bill Skarsgård, whose talent for chilling performances is unmistakable following It and Nosferatu, the tension and suspense are dialled up even higher. If you’re looking for something a tad more whimsical, Prime Video has you covered with the magical, fan-favourite film Wicked. With acclaimed performances from Academy Award nominees Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande, it brings the epic world of Oz straight to your screen. Could the pair go one step further and bag an Oscar for Wicked: For Good? For something more grounded though, Hot Milk starring Sex Education’s Emma Mackey offers an intimate drama about a mother and daughter working through life’s complications and unexpected discoveries. And for pure silliness, White Chicks is there with its over-the-top early-2000s humour, following two FBI agents who go undercover as socialites – worth it for *that* A Thousand Miles scene alone. Prime Video has also developed a great habit of picking up some of the best cinema releases of recent years for its streaming library – and one film that fits squarely into the category is Small Things like These, an emotionally devastating drama set in 1980s Ireland starring Cillian Murphy. It sits alongside several other great recent movies on the platform, including Oscar-nominated fare such as Nickel Boys and The Zone of Interest. And the platform also features original films, such as Saltburn, Chris Pine's Poolman, Anne Hathaway romcom The Idea of You and Jake Gyllenhaal's recent take on Road House, meaning there is plenty for any film fan to choose from. For instance, those looking for horror fare can turns to movies including Longlegs and Heretic, while those looking for classics can enjoys the likes of The Long Good Friday – so you'll never be left lacking something to watch on the platform. If you're looking for the best movies to watch right now, then look no further. Every movie on the list below has been hand-picked by RadioTimes.com's team of experts, so you will know exactly which films you should dive into when you next log on to the streamer. Our Prime Video pages (including best Amazon series) are updated regularly, so keep this page bookmarked as we'll have fresh recommendations you absolutely don't want to miss. For those wanting something a bit different, we’ve also created shortlists of the best Netflix movies and the best Netflix series, as well as your guide to Disney Plus. Sign up for a 30-day free trial of Prime Video and pay £8.99 a month after that.
Goodbye June review: Kate Winslet's directorial debut is schmaltzy but affecting
The Titanic star's first foray behind the camera is elevated by a stellar cast.
It's been a big year for famous movie stars making their first forays into feature directing. Throughout 2025, Harris Dickinson (Urchin), Kristen Stewart (The Chronology of Water) and Scarlett Johansson (Eleanor the Great) have all stepped behind the camera for the first time, and now it's the turn of Kate Winslet to prove her directing chops. The Oscar-winner's debut film is Goodbye June, a tearjerking Yuletide-set drama which is getting a brief theatrical release this week ahead of arriving on Netflix on Christmas Eve. Unsurprisingly given her standing in the industry, Winslet has assembled a stellar cast of talented actors to bring the film to life, with key parts for Helen Mirren, Timothy Spall, Toni Collette, Andrea Riseborough and Johnny Flynn, while she's also saved a meaty role for herself. The drama's script was notably written by Winslet's 21-year-old son Joe Anders, who was just 19 when he penned the first draft on a screenwriting course. Accusations of nepotism are inevitable (and perhaps not unfounded) and there are undoubtedly times where the screenplay does feel somewhat like the work of a novice, with a rather laboured opening act and a tendency to lean too far into schmaltz. However, there are also a number of genuinely moving touches that show an emotional maturity to Anders's work, especially in the film's latter stages. It helps that the subject matter is inherently emotional. The film tells the story of four semi-estranged siblings (played by Winslet, Riseborough, Collette and Flynn) who are brought together and forced to work through their differences as they prepare to say goodbye to their terminally ill mother (Mirren) who has taken a turn for the worse and seems unlikely to make it to Christmas. The idea of juggling the impending grief of losing a loved one with the unavoidable jollity of the festive season is something that will no doubt resonate with a lot of viewers, and for the most part this is handled sensitively by both Anders and Winslet. However the film's mournful tone does make it's aforementioned Netflix release date a tad curious; sure, the film is shot through with Christmas spirit and there are plenty of comic moments, but the overall sadness of the material might make it an odd choice for Christmas Eve itself. Still, as a portrait of a complicated family dynamic, the film mostly works. The complex relationships the siblings share with each other and their emotionally distant father (Spall) are well observed, even if this film doesn't quite have the depth of another recent Netflix-released film about warring siblings thrust together to care for a dieing parent, Azazel Jacobs's His Three Daughters. There are also some slight missteps, especially when it comes to the film's more overtly comedic beats – with Winslet and Anders not always landing on the right balance between the emotional and humorous tones. This is especially evident when it comes to Collette's character, a broadly-sketched hippie type with a penchant for interpretative dance who feels a little like she's waltzed in from another film entirely, although a small part for Steven Merchant as a hapless but well-meaning husband works better as comic relief. But for the most part this is an effective weepy, and the A-list cast elevate the material beyond its occasionally formulaic approach. Mirren is unsurprisingly peerless as the title character, imbuing her with both an optimism (at one point we hear her pressing ahead with making plans for after the Christmas period) and acceptance of her fate, but also with a sense of regret and the feeling of unfinished business. So while perhaps this doesn't quite announce Winslet as a major new directorial voice – her approach is more functional than eye-catching – Goodbye June is still a worthwhile film with some impressive moments, and seems likely to leave many a viewer with a tear in their eye. Goodbye June will be released in select UK cinemas on 12th December and on Netflix on Wednesday 24th December. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson set to return to the Hunger Games franchise in 2026
Sunrise on the Reaping is coming to cinemas in late 2026.
The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping might be a prequel, but that won’t stop two fan-favourites from the original films appearing. Jennifer Lawrence will reprise her role as Katniss Everdeen while Josh Hutcherson will return as her love interest, Peeta Mellark, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor’s last appearance in the franchise came in Mockingjay Part 2 (2015), which concluded with Katniss and Peeta tying the knot and raising a family together. No details about their returns have been confirmed but, given that Sunrise on the Reaping is set 24 years before the events of the first film, it’s being speculated that the pair will return in a flash-forward sequence. The prequel, which has been adapted from Suzanne Collins's novel of the same name, follows Katniss’s mentor, Haymitch Abernathy, as he is selected as one of the four tributes from District 12 to compete in the 50th Annual Hunger Games. A star-studded cast has been lined up for the movie, with Elle Fanning taking on the role of Effie Trinket and Ralph Fiennes playing the movie’s main antagonist, President Coriolanus Snow. The roster also includes Kieran Culkin as Caesar Flickerman and Jesse Plemons as Plutarch Heavensbee, parts memorably played by Stanley Tucci and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in the original films. Other stars joining the world of Panem include Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak and Kelvin Harrison Jr. Meanwhile, Francis Lawrence, who has helmed every Hunger Games film to date excluding the first, will take on directing duties, while Captain Phillips screenwriter Billy Ray will pen the script. The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping is scheduled for a cinema release in November 2026. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast. Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025.
50 best movies to watch on Netflix right now
Some of the best movies on Netflix right now include The Lesson, Priscilla and Jaws. Updated weekly.
We might be knee-deep in the festive season, but that doesn't mean everything you watch needs to be Christmas-related – and fortunately, Netflix has plenty of alternatives to keep us busy in the weeks ahead. Following the reveal of the Golden Globe nominations, it's a great time to catch up on this year's potential awards contenders, which include A House of Dynamite, Frankenstein, Jay Kelly and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. And of course, alongside all the brand new films, Netflix never fails to add to its platform with a range of options from years gone by, with The Godfather, Vera Drake and Inside Llewyn Davis among the recent additions to the ever-changing library. Read on for our latest picks of the best films on the streaming service right now – updated weekly – or head over to our guides to the best series on Netflix and best comedies on Netflix. Alternatively, check out our helpful list of Netflix secret codes, which can help you unlock hidden movies and TV shows. Updated: 11th December 2025 Best movies to watch on Netflix right now Love Lies Bleeding (2024) If the schmaltz and sentiment of Christmas films like Love Actually is getting a bit much at this time of year, you'd be hard pushed to find a more feel-bad movie than Love Lies Bleeding to cleanse your palate. The gritty feature whisks us away to the late '80s in New Mexico, where gym manager Lou (Kristen Stewart) meets bodybuilder Jackie (Katy O'Brian) – and the two of them quickly fall in love. So far so good. Alas, their fleeting peace comes under attack by dangerous elements, including Lou's abusive brother-in-law JJ (Dave Franco), an FBI investigation into her criminal father, and Jackie's growing dependency on steroids. What follows is a tale that is unashamedly grim and nasty; not in a gore sense (although there are some bloody scenes), but more so in tone and atmosphere, with every character seemingly capable of anything to survive another day. Love Lies Bleeding is directed by Rose Glass, who previously helmed acclaimed horror flick Saint Maud (starring The Rings of Power actor Morfydd Clark); she co-wrote the script too, alongside Baby Reindeer's Weronika Tofilska. Love Actually (2003) There can be few films from the 21st century that have been rewatched as much as Richard Curtis's romcom, which has become a staple of festive viewing in millions of houses around the country. Of course, the film includes one of the best casts of British talent ever assembled – with memorable roles for the likes of Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Kiera Knightley, Colin Firth and Hugh Grant – and tells numerous intersecting love stories in the run up to Christmas. Although it isn't unanimously loved – and perhaps some aspects of it have aged rather poorly – there's no denying it's impact and influence, and if you're one of it's countless fans there are probably few films better at getting you in the festive spirit. If nothing else, the scene of Thompson's character breaking down in tears to Joni Mitchell is one for the ages. The Holdovers (2023) In recent years, it's become common to ask when the last truly great new Christmas film was released – and now we have a definitive answer to that question. Although Alexander Payne's The Holdovers actually arrived in UK cinemas after Christmas, in January 2024, it's about as close to a festive classic as you could possibly get. Not only is it set over the festive period with a sprinkling of beloved carols on the soundtrack, but it also embraces all the themes we've come to associate with Christmas movies, including redemption, renewal and the power of generosity. Set in the 1970s, the film stars Paul Giamatti as a grumpy teacher at a New England boarding school who is charged with looking after the students who have nowhere to go over the holidays. Gradually, he forms an unexpected bond with troublemaking student Angus (Dominic Sessa) and the school's head cook (Da'Vine Joy Randolph) as the trio learn there is more to each other than they had initially thought. Randolph deservedly took home the Best Supporting Actress prize at that year's Oscars, while Giamatti was only stopped from winning the Best Actor gong by Cillian Murphy's generational turn in Oppenheimer. Little Women (2019) Approaching beloved, classic literary material for any new adaptation can be tricky, with some fans of the source always ready to be hyper-critical. It's therefore somewhat astonishing that Greta Gerwig managed to pull off what she did, which is an almost universally beloved take on Louisa May Alcott's Little Women. The film, which received a whole host of awards and nominations upon its release in 2019, was considered both faithful to the original text, yet still adding its own flourishes that made it an enjoyable watch for existing devotees and newcomers alike. The film is certainly helped by having an absolutely stellar cast, including Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Bob Odenkirk and James Norton – I could go on, but we'd be here all day. With gorgeous visuals, a ton of heart and an evocative sense of time and place, it's a truly impressive piece of work that's always worth revisiting. Eileen (2023) The script for this bleak but alluring noir thriller was adapted by author Ottessa Moshfegh (and her husband Luke Goebel) from her 2015 novel, and the feel of the book translates impeccably to the screen. Thomasin McKenzie stars as Eileen, a repressed young woman in 1960s Massachusetts who works as a secretary at a boy's prison. Her dull life is given an unexpected jolt by the arrival of new psychologist Rebecca (a superb Anne Hathaway), and Eileen finds herself immediately entranced. Director William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth) uses period stylings and Richard Reed Parry's terrific score to craft a richly atmospheric mood, resulting in a film that becomes something of a twisted delight – especially when an ingenious third-act rug-pull nudges the film into far darker territory. That late twist may divide audiences, but those who stay with it will be deeply rewarded. Frankenstein (2025) Guillermo del Toro has long been considered among the finest genre filmmakers currently working, and for almost his entire life there's been one particular story he's been desperate to tell: his own version of Mary Shelley's iconic gothic novel, Frankenstein. After years in development, that dream has now come true – with the film having premiered to some rave reviews at the Venice Film Festival earlier in the year. This adaptation includes all the grandiose set design and sweeping narrative scope we've come to expect from the Mexican director, while the score from composer Alexandre Desplat – his third collaboration with del Toro – is also sublime. Oscar Isaac takes on the lead role of Victor Frankenstein, the eccentric scientist who tries to play God by fashioning a creature from the body parts of corpses and bringing it to life. Meanwhile, the Creature itself is played in an first-rate performance by Jacob Elordi, who provides plenty of heart and sensitivity to the apparently monstrous creation. As ever with this story, the film asks who the real monster is – before answering that question with tremendous visual panache. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013) If you were entranced by Oscar Isaac's performance in Frankenstein, you might want to check out – or revisit – arguably his finest big screen role in this 2013 Coen brothers gem. Isaac stars as the titular Llewyn Davis, a folk-singer trying to make a living in the Greenwich Village scene of the 1960 while also struggling with the recent loss of his former musical partner. Partly inspired by the autobiography of folk singer Dave Van Ronk, it's a melancholic tale that follows one week in the central character's life as he moves from apartment to apartment and encounters various acquaintances, including his former lover Jean (played by Carey Mulligan) and eccentric jazz musician Roland Turner (John Goodman). The Coen's expertly capture the look and feel of '60s New York, while the soundtrack – consisting mostly of existing folk songs and standards – is tremendous. And if all that wasn't reason enough to watch it, the film also includes one of cinema's finest cats. It's a wonderful film. Vera Drake (2004) In his decades-long career, Mike Leigh has well and truly earned his place in the pantheon of great British directors, and this 2004 effort is up there with his best. Imelda Staunton won a BAFTA for her performance as the title character – a working-class housewife and cleaning lady in the 1950s who has been performing illegal abortions for women with unwanted pregnancies. When this sideline is discovered, she is reproached by both the law and her own family, and her world begins to fall apart around her. Although Vera Drake is not a real historical figure, Leigh drew on the accounts of backdoor abortionists to create a film that explored a very true – and perhaps overlooked – aspect of British history. Although the tone of the piece is rather dour, Leigh's storytelling instinct is as empathetic and sensitive as always, and Staunton's central performance is strong enough on its own to warrant giving it a watch. A House of Dynamite (2025) Following a limited release in cinemas, this high-stakes political thriller is now streaming on Netflix, marking the welcome return of filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow (Zero Dark Thirty) after an eight-year absence. Film buffs will know she became the first female winner of Best Director at the Academy Awards for her 2008 drama The Hurt Locker. The question now is: can Bigelow become the first woman to win it twice? That's certainly looking plausible right now, with A House of Dynamite earning rave reviews from critics and even ruffling some feathers in the Pentagon. The fictional thriller takes you deep inside the national security infrastructure of the United States, as a nuclear missile is fired at the country from an unknown source. It triggers a pulse-pounding race against time to identify the culprit of the launch and determine how exactly to respond, with Idris Elba's unnamed US President and Rebecca Ferguson's Captain Olivia Walker being key players in the unfolding crisis. Claustrophobic, intense and terrifying in an unnervingly grounded sense, A House of Dynamite is tipped to be a major contender at this year's awards season – check it out now to find out what all the fuss is about. Priscilla (2023) <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/01/httpscdn.sanity.ioimagesxq1bjtf4productiona1e7757dec904304ff641bf4819fa4b01dedcce6-8256x5504-5ec5216.jpg" width="8192" height="5461" alt="Cailee Spaney as Priscilla Presley and Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley pose for wedding photos in Priscilla." title="https___cdn.sanity.io_images_xq1bjtf4_production_a1e7757dec904304ff641bf4819fa4b01dedcce6-8256x5504" /> Just a year after Baz Luhrmann's show-stopping Elvis biopic was released to much fanfare in the summer of 2022, Sofia Coppola explored the King of Rock'n'Roll from a very different angle in this excellent, understated drama. As the title suggests, the film unfolds entirely from the perspective of Elvis's wife Priscilla, beginning from their first meeting when she was just 14 years old. Although reckoning with some uncomfortable truths about the Elvis mythology, including his possessive nature and propensity for violent outbursts, Coppola handles the material with a typically delicate touch – exploring both the highs and lows of the pair's often-toxic relationship with great sensitivity. The film's production design is also a marvel, while the piece is anchored by a truly terrific performance from Cailee Spaeny, who won a well-deserved acting award at the Venice Film Festival for her portrayal. It's a fascinating counterpoint to the more theatrical thrills of the aforementioned Elvis, and the films make for an ideal double bill. Steve (2025) Even before his Oscar-winning turn in Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy's presence alone helped to make a film must-see viewing, and that is certainly true here, with Steve proving to be a wonderful showcase for the actor's immense talents. However, it is also more than that. The film, which follows a day in the life of Murphy's Steve, the headteacher at a Reform School for troubled teenagers, is a powerful, propulsive, often chaotic watch, with a sense of realism that few other school-based dramas achieve – even if this is right at the edge of challenging establishments. Beyond this, it also has a real heart to it, not only put across by Murphy's central character, but also by Jay Lycurgo as Shy, a bright young student whose day goes from bad to worse. Lycurgo is just as captivating as Murphy here, a seriously impressive feat. In its stylistic choices and its intense disorder, Steve won't be for everyone, but for those who get on its wavelength, there's something seriously unique and impressive here. The Godfather (1972) In the history of cinema, few films have been lavished with as much praise as Francis Ford Coppola's first two Godfather films – and the entire trilogy of epic gangster movies has recently been added to the Netflix library. The first entry, based on Mario Puzo's novel of the same name, introduced audiences to Marlon Brando's Vito Corleone and his son Michael (Al Pacino) – who's best intentions to not get involved with the family business were always doomed to fail. A landmark of 1970s cinemas and a major box office sensation, the film includes more iconic lines and moments than it's possible to count – from making offers that can't be refused to gruesome incidents involving a horse's head – and looks incredible throughout. Meanwhile the performances, from Brando, Pacino, Robert Duval, John Cazale, James Caan, Tallia Shire, Diane Keaton and more, are all superb. Hugely entertaining, emotionally involving, rivetingly told, visually stunning and thematically rich – there's a reason why this is regarded as one of the finest movies ever made. The Royal Hotel (2023) Julia Garner has had a very busy summer – appearing in both superhero behemoth The Fantastic Four and hugely acclaimed horror hit Weapons – so now's a good chance to check out an underrated entry from her filmography that has recently landed on Netflix: The Royal Hotel. Originally released back in 2023, the film saw Garner reunite with Australian filmmaker Kitty Green – who had previously directed her in The Assistant – for this impressively tense Outback-set thriller. Garner and Jessica Henwick star as Hanna and Liv, American backpackers in Australia who find employment at a remote pub after they run out of money. They soon find that the raucous locals – many of whom appear to be violent, misogynistic men – are not easy customers to deal with, although the pair respond in different ways to the threat. Over the next few days, the toxic situation gradually worsens, with Green expertly crafting a pressure cooker atmosphere that eventually explodes in a memorable finale. It's a taut, engaging film that will perhaps make some viewers think twice about venturing into the Outback. The Running Man (1987) This year, popular writer/director Edgar Wright returned with his latest film – a new adaptation of Stephen King's novel The Running Man, which the prolific author published under his pseudonym Richard Bachman in 1982. With that recent release in mind, it's a perfect time to revisit the previous film version of the novel as a primer, and luckily enough Paul Michael Glaser's movie has recently been added to the Netflix library. The film – released in 1987 – saw legendary action hero Arnold Schwarzenegger take on the lead role of Captain Ben Richards, a policeman living in a dystopian USA who is arrested after refusing to comply with barbaric commands from his superiors. Although he initially makes a couple of successful escape attempts, he soon finds himself recruited for the nation's preeminent reality show – The Running Man – which sees convicts forced to battle for their freedom by running from bloodthirsty killers. A dystopian sci-fi with a satirical edge, some fun action sequences and entertaining performances, it's rarely mentioned on lists of the very best King adaptations – but it's still worth a watch, even if just to see how it measures up to Wright's remake. Knives Out (2019) Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, the latest film in Rian Johnson's Benoit Blanc series, is on the way later this year. In anticipation of its arrival, the first movie in the franchise, Knives Out, has now been added back to Netflix. Glass Onion may have been a worthy follow-up, but this original film is still the strongest, with a phenomenal cast including Ana de Armas, Chris Evans and Toni Collette bringing their all to some meaty roles. It also features a fittingly twisty narrative with an unconventional beat in the middle, one that automatically made viewers realise they were in for something special. However, it's really Daniel Craig who was the key piece in the puzzle here, as Johnson clearly picked up given the future direction of the franchise. His Benoit Blanc, Southern accent and all, is so broad as to almost be preposterous – yet somehow, not only does it work, but it absolutely pulls the whole thing together. The Thursday Murder Club (2025) This cosy whodunnit has arrived on Netflix with a huge amount of hype and anticipation. After all, not only does it feature a legendary cast, led by Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie, but it is also based on Richard Osman's mega-hit best-selling novel of the same name. The film follows the titular quartet, a group of retirees who spend their time solving cold case murders for fun. They soon find themselves wrapped up in a case which is very current indeed, however, as an unexplained death occurs on their own doorstep. The film doesn't quite reach the heights of the book's charm, and it might not be doing anything hugely innovative, but director Chris Columbus provides a steady hand, the cast are delightful together on-screen, and the whole thing makes for the perfect easy watch if you're looking for some light escapism. ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) Choosing the best Steven Spielberg film is a nearly impossible task – but it's hard to have the conversation without giving some serious consideration to this beloved family sci-fi film. Released in 1982, just one year after his equally exemplary Raiders of the Lost Ark, the emotional tale of an alien left behind on Earth was the highest-grossing film of all time for 11 years until it was eventually surpassed by another Spielberg classic, Jurassic Park, in 1993. The film follows 10-year-old Elliot (Henry Thomas), a young boy who takes in and befriends the titular creature, with the pair forming a special bond that helps both stave off loneliness. A magical adventure filled with warmth and heart – but not without its moments of genuine fear – it's hard to think of a better film on the subject of childhood. Meanwhile, Spielberg's legendary directing skills are utilised to great effect – the film is a technical marvel as well as an emotional one. The Iron Claw (2023) <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2024/02/httpscdn.sanity.ioimagesxq1bjtf4production61dab35179cc5e013f2fef728efbc697c91cfabb-8283x5395-e172807.jpg" width="8192" height="5336" alt="As still from the film The Iron Claw showing Zac Efron as Kevin, Holt McCallany as Fritz, Harris Dickinson as David and Jeremy Allen White as Kerry playing American football on some grass" title="Zac Efron as Kevin, Holt McCallany as Fritz, Harris Dickinson as David and Jeremy Allen White as Kerry in The Iron Claw" /> Without a doubt one of the most emotional films of recent years, this true story drama from writer/director Sean Durkin told the tragic tale of the Von Erich family, who dominated the world of pro wrestling in the 1980s before a series of devastating deaths ripped the family apart – and led some to believe a curse had been placed on them. Durkin called on a tremendous all-star cast to bring the story to life, with Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Stanley Simons playing the four brothers. In real life, the story had actually been even more tragic – with one of the brothers left out of the film as Durkin believed that his death was "one more tragedy that the film couldn't withstand". The film is tremendously acted throughout, with a first act that shows the brothers in happier times before everything goes wrong, while the wrestling scenes are also brought together with great verve. But it's the powerful way in which Durkin explores the family's losses that will make this film truly stay with you. Jaws (1975) There are some films that don't need much of an introduction, and it's safe to say that Steven Spielberg's iconic Jaws fits squarely into that category. Not only did the film practically invent the modern blockbuster – and somewhat unfairly alter public perception of sharks – but it remains no less effective a thriller today. The film recently celebrated it's landmark 50th anniversary with a brief cinematic re-release and has now been re-added to Netflix, so now you're able to rewatch – or even watch for the first time if you've somehow never seen it – in the comfort of your own home. Of course, the film features superb turns from Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw as three very different men tasked with hunting and killing the shark that has been terrorising beachgoers on Amity Island. John Williams's legendary score, Spielberg's superbly suspenseful direction and some truly terrific character moments between that trio all combine to make this one of cinema's finest ever productions. The Lesson (2023) This 2023 psychological thriller comes from director Alice Troughton, known for her TV work, including on Doctor Who. It stars Daryl McCormack as Liam, an aspiring writer who gets a job tutoring the son of his idol, JM Sinclair, played by Richard E Grant. The film also stars Julie Delpy, Stephen McMillan and Crispin Letts, but that's the totality of its small cast, with a keen focus on the core characters and devising a sense of claustrophobia around the Sinclair estate. The performances are, as you'd expect from this cast, outstanding, and the narrative keeps you on your toes and guessing throughout. It may not quite stick the landing in the most satisfying manner, but the journey to get there is still well worth it, with the film providing gorgeous visuals, some fantastically knotty plotting and an incredibly tense atmosphere. Oppenheimer (2023) It's been two years ago since Oppenheimer and Barbie were released on the same day, in what proved to be one of the most savvy programming moves in recent memory. While Barbie unsurprisingly had the higher gross of the two, Christopher Nolan's film still managed to amass hugely impressive box office sales, raking in almost a billion dollars. Not bad for a talky, three-hour biographical epic of the father of the nuclear bomb! Of course, aside from it's commercial success, Oppenheimer also proved to be something of a critical darling, met with a glut of rave reviews and going on to win seven Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Nolan and Best Actor for star Cillian Murphy. It's easy to see why it was on the receiving end of so much praise: the film is a consistently captivating character study stuffed to the brim with memorable performances from famous faces, with Nolan applying a typically non-linear approach that worked a treat. And two years on, the film's devastating final act hasn't lost any of its power. Talk to Me (2023) You know you're always in for an interesting ride with an A24 horror film, but 2023's Talk To Me proved to be a real unexpected thrill ride. The supernatural horror comes from YouTubers turned directors Danny and Michael Philippou, and follows Mia, a young woman who gets involved with a group of friends who have found a mystical ceramic hand, which can grant spirits access to your body. It's an already chilling premise which is only heightened by extremely successful execution. Some of the sequences are so terror inducing and stressful that you'll need a long lie down afterwards, but for those looking for some properly thrilling horror then look no further. Sophie Wilde is hugely impressive in the central role, while the supporting cast all do stellar work. The film's thematic storytelling also hits home come the end, as it explores topics around grief and addiction more successfully than many a drama. Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024) After first airing on BBC One on Christmas Day, the latest Wallace & Gromit adventure, a full-length film, is now available to watch on Netflix. The film, which for the first time stars Ben Whitehead as the voice of Wallace following the death of Peter Sallis, also features the return of fan-favourite villain Feathers McGraw, as he takes control of Wallace's latest invention, Norbot, an automated robot gnome. The jokes come just as thick and fast as usual, with the franchise keeping up its astounding hit rate. While this outing may not have quite the same impact or staying power as the absolute best (particularly The Wrong Trousers), it is still a phenomenally fun watch for the whole family, with a surprising dose of emotional moments baked in. Prisoners (2013) With fans highly anticipating Denis Villeneuve's third Dune film – and now also his take on the Bond franchise – now could be the perfect time to revisit the director's first English-language film, Prisoners. A dark, gritty and taut thriller, Prisoners stars Hugh Jackman as the father of an abducted girl who becomes convinced that Alex Jones, a man with diminished IQ played by Paul Dano, is behind it. Meanwhile, Jack Gyllenhaal plays Detective Loki, the officer heading up the police investigation. All three lead performers are on top form here, in a film which is at times hard to watch, but always rewarding. At a time where you might believe you have seen every formulation of a crime thriller, Prisoners takes a different approach, while also demonstrating the technical skill that Villeneuve and his frequent collaborator, cinematographer Roger Deakins, have now repeatedly shown. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) The idea of a sequel to Blade Runner always seemed like a risky one. The 1982 film hadn't been a smash hit upon its release, but it had gained a great deal of critical appreciation is subsequent years and amassed a cult following. Thankfully, Blade Runner 2049, released in 2017, didn't disappoint - in fact, it could actually be argued that it exceeded the original. Arguably one of director Denis Villeneuve's finest films, 2049 is a visually gorgeous sci-fi, with compelling themes, a slow yet purposeful and thoughtful pace and excellent world-building. It's all helped along by stellar performances from Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas and a returning Harrison Ford, as well as a clear dedication behind the scenes to tell a new story in this world, rather than simply rehashing the original - a trap far too many legacy sequels have fallen into. Barbarian (2022) Director Zach Cregger's new film Weapons will shortly be in cinemas, meaning now could be the perfect time to catch up with or rewatch his solo directorial debut, Barbarian. A truly original piece of work, Barbarian shakes off an expectations the audience may have time and time again, providing an experience which is wholly unpredictable. It stars Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård and Justin Long, and follows a woman who books an Air BnB, only to find there is another man already staying there. To reveal anymore would be to spoil the film's many surprises, but it's fair to say that it's an eerie, tense, often gnarly watch, with some phenomenal central performances and a real sense of style. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022) The comedy murder-mystery has been enjoying something of a moment in recent years – thanks to everything from British flick See How They Run to hit TV series Only Murders in the Building. But arguably no one has done it better than Rian Johnson, whose two star-studded Knives Out mysteries have both been huge hits, with a third confirmed to follow. The second film is streaming on Netflix and sees Daniel Craig’s heavily accented sleuth Benoit Blanc attempt to unravel another mysterious case – this time a puzzling death on a private island owned by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Craig is on terrific form throughout, and the film is as humorous as it is exciting, packed with intriguing twists that keep the audience guessing until the end. Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio (2022) Guillermo Del Toro’s first foray into stop-motion animation – alongside co-director Mark Gustafson – is one of many new takes on the tale of the wooden boy to have been released in recent years. It also happens to be, by some margin, the best of the bunch, ingeniously transposing Carlo Collodi’s classic tale to Benito Mussolini’s Italy. Many of the story beats are, of course, familiar: Geppetto makes a puppet that comes to life, with the pair then getting tangled up in adventures alongside a talking cricket. But, this new version also laces its narrative with profound meditations on grief, death, religion, and authoritarianism, adding up to a truly beautiful and visually sumptuous piece of work. The Karate Kid (1984) If you're a Cobra Kai fan itching to get your hands on the three-part final season, consider going back to where the martial arts saga began with this bona fide classic of the 1980s – now streaming on Netflix. A young Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, currently starring in the streaming revival, are the stars of the show, playing teen rivals Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence respectively. Meanwhile, Pat Morita earned an Academy Award nomination as the former's mentor, Mr Miyagi, a war veteran who teaches him karate to ward off bullies and compete in a high-profile tournament. The film remains popular decades on from its release, telling a classic underdog story in an earnest and heartwarming way. It's hardly unpredictable viewing – particularly if you've seen Cobra Kai – but there's still lots of fun to be had from this family flick. Y tu mamá también (2001) Long before he became known to the world as Cassian Andor, Diego Luna starred alongside his fellow Mexcian actor Gael García Bernal in this terrific coming-of-age road trip movie from director Alfonso Cuaron – who would go on to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men and Gravity. Luna and Bernal star as best friends Julio and Tenoch, who have recently graduated high school and boast to the glamorous wife of the latter's older cousin that they intend to embark on a long trek to a fictional beach known as Heaven's Mouth. When she unexpectedly takes them up on their invite to accompany them, they are forced to hurriedly plan a route. What follows is a colourful, occasionally outrageous journey – by turns hedonistic and tender – which slowly morphs into something more profound as the best pals gain new perspectives on friendship, sex and life. It's beautifully performed and expertly directed, with numerous memorable scenes along the route. Manchester by the Sea (2016) Casey Affleck won a deserved Best Actor Oscar for his superb central turn in this intimate, occasionally funny and frequently emotionally devastating drama written and directed by playwright and acclaimed indie filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan. He plays Lee, a janitor living alone in a Boston suburb whose life is unexpectedly transformed after his brother suffers a heart attack and he finds himself caring for his teenage nephew, excellently played by Lucas Hedges. What starts as a somewhat spiky, frosty dynamic slowly but surely becomes tender as the pair spend more time together. Meanwhile we also peel back the layers on Lee's past life before he became the withdrawn shell of a man we first meet in the film, leading up to an extraordinary encounter with his ex-wife, heartbreakingly played by Michelle Williams. Paddington in Peru (2024) Although the general consensus was that this third entry in the Paddington franchise was a slight downgrade on the previous two outings – and especially from the superlative Paddington 2 – this was nonetheless another delightful adventure for the nation's favourite bear. This time around, he and the Brown clan headed back to his homeland of deepest, darkest Peru after getting word that his beloved Aunt Lucy had vanished from the Home for Retired Bears, setting in motion a bold, colourful journey featuring plenty of charm, whimsy and copious quantities of marmalade – as well as scenery-chewing turns from Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas. The extra good news is that both previous films are also still streaming on Netflix, so if you're after an especially wholesome triple bill to make you feel warm and fuzzy, there's no better place to look! Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019) Tarantino's most recent film Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was notable for teaming up two of the world's biggest movie stars, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, while also starring Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate, and telling an alternate history version of what, in real life, were the film star's final days. The writer-director's love for the period exudes from the screen and is truly infectious – while there's little in the way of plot here, it's a joy simply to hang out in this world with these characters. Meanwhile, the finale is one of the goriest, but also funniest and most cathartic climaxes Tarantino has ever put on screen. Okja (2017) This South Korean/Hollywood co-production comes from acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho, and follows the story of a young South Korean girl who has raised and become best friends with a genetically modified super pig called Okja. When Okja is kidnapped and taken to be used by a meat industry corporation in the US, she tries to track her down and save her. Featuring a winning central performance from young actor Ahn Seo-hyun, along with some heightened turns from the likes of Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal, it's a consistently engaging film, even if it can be tonally bumpy at times. However, the best sequences come at the start of the movie, in the smaller-scale set-up, and the end, when the emotional heft of the film really hits home. It would be hard for anyone to watch the final sequences of Okja and not feel moved, as the series turns its attention to the mistreatment and slaughter of animals, as well as the meat industry, not in a particularly subtle way, but in a manner which is effective just the same. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018) There have been so many big-screen Spider-Man adaptations now it can be hard to keep track, but this 2018 animated version is arguably the finest of them all. Coming from producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film explores the origin story of a different Spider-Man than the one most fans know, Peter Parker, instead focusing on Miles Morales. However, that's not to say Peter is left out in the cold – in fact, the film explores multiversal storytelling before it became the norm for superhero films, and does so with the greatest effect of any so far. The heartfelt, funny storytelling is matched by the beautiful, unique animation style, which managed to break through the standard Disney-style template which had ruled in Hollywood for so long. It was followed up by another strong entry in the franchise, 2023's Across the Spider-Verse, which is also available to stream on Netflix now, but this remains the height of cinematic web-slinger content. Pig (2021) Although the idea of Nicolas Cage going after the mystery assailants who stole his beloved truffle pig might sound like the basis of a crazed action flick or an absurdist comic romp, this film from 2021 is actually something a little different. Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski – who would go on to make A Quiet Place: Day One –Pig is a rather sombre piece of work that deals fairly profoundly with loss, grief and meaning. Cage's performance is far more still, considered and restrained than some of his iconic madcap turns, rarely indulging in the kind of showboating with which he’s often associated, and yet still delivering a very memorable performance. Meanwhile, the confrontation scenes that regularly punctuate the action rarely play out as you’d expect them, serving as chances for the characters to have discussions about topics deeper than just the location of the missing animal. It all adds up to a very touching, but undoubtedly rather gloomy film, that certainly makes for a very rewarding watch. His Three Daughters (2024) One of the best new films released as a Netflix original in 2024, this low-key drama originally premiered at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival before being acquired by the streamer. It stars a terrific trio of Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen and Natasha Lyonne, all of whom are in fine form as they play bickering sisters reunited in their family home in New York to care for their terminally ill father. It's a beautiful, painstakingly performed portrait of a family in crisis, as the three sisters struggle to process their grief and hold their tempers while questioning what their connection will be once their father is gone. Writer/director Azazel Jacobs has created something plausible and insightful, taking an approach to confrontation and confessions reminiscent of the work of John Cassavetes – before a late flight of fancy takes the film in a slightly different but no less rewarding direction. The Boy and the Heron (2023) For the last few years, Netflix has been home to the vast majority of the Studio Ghibli catalogue, and now the latest film from the hugely acclaimed and widely beloved Japanese animation studio has been added to the library. The Boy and the Heron saw the legendary Hayao Miyazaki come out of retirement, and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature after having praise heaped upon it by critics. The film opens in Tokyo during the Second World War, and follows a boy named Mahito (voiced by Soma Santoki) who loses his mother in a fire and subsequently moves with his father to the countryside. There, a creepy talking heron (Masaki Suda) lures the grieving boy into a surreal underworld where he embarks on a bizarre adventure and meets a variety of unusual creatures. Miyazaki's gorgeous hand-painted animation is present and correct, alongside the requisite fearless little girls and cute sprites, while there is also plenty of Princess Mononoke-style blood and guts, plus parakeet soldiers, murderous pelicans and musings on the nature of reality. It's not one to be missed! Rebel Ridge (2024) This crime thriller from Blue Ruin and Green Room writer/director Jeremy Saulnier is one of the best Netflix originals of the year – attracting both impressive viewership numbers and near universally positive reviews from critics. Starring Aaron Pierre as a former Marine who discovers a major cop corruption operation while attempting to post bail for his cousin, it delivers some excellent action choreography and a pointed commentary on policing. Slow-burning but rife with tension, it's a riveting watch that works in large part due to Pierre's excellent presence in the lead role, as his character Terry works firmly but calmly to retrieve his money – using both the skills and philosophy he learned as a close combat expert. There are plenty of impressive supporting turns, too, with Don Johnson excelling as a slimy police chief. It all adds up to an intriguing thriller that carefully builds up to a well-crafted, high-octane finale. Hit Man (2024) The latest film from acclaimed director Richard Linklater, Hit Man is loosely based on the incredible true story of a man named Gary Johnson– a Houston-native who, over a 10 year spell, was hired to kill more than 60 people while posing as a hitman. Little did his prospective clients know, he was working undercover for the police, and their arrests were secured soon after they had handed over cash. A version of Johnson is played by Glen Powell – who also co-wrote the script with Linklater – with the film using the real tale as a jumping off point to tell a fictional love story that ponders what might have happened if he had become romantically involved with one of the clients. The result is a romcom that sees Gary continue to adopt the fake hitman guise he had used on his first encounter with love interest Maddy (Adria Arjona) – which, unsurprisingly, leads to a couple of issues later down the line. Equal parts farcical screwball comedy and philosophical musing on the nature of identity, the film asks fascinating questions about the capacity of a person to change while never being anything less than brilliantly entertaining. The chemistry between Powell and Arjona is palpable and there are some superbly executed set pieces, leading up to an enjoyably twisted conclusion. Godzilla Minus One (2023) If the increasingly silly tone of Hollywood's monster franchise isn't your cup of tea, then consider trying out this distinct and unrelated Japanese version, which earned acclaim upon release last year. Far from the Saturday morning cartoon-style fisticuffs of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, this feature is an altogether more sombre affair. Taking place after the end of the Second World War, when Japan was still in a state of shock and grief from the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the country is dealt another devastating blow when Godzilla emerges just off the coast. The story unfolds primarily from the perspective of deserter pilot Kōichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki), who is grappling with PTSD and a desperate desire for redemption. Not an easy, popcorn-munching watch by any means, but if you like your sci-fi with a philosophical and emotional edge, Godzilla Minus One is for you. The film also looks utterly dazzling, which is why it took home the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 2024 ceremony. Maestro (2023) Bradley Cooper announced himself as a major new directorial voice with his Oscar-nominated remake of A Star Is Born five years ago, and his second feature Maestro proves that was no fluke. Focusing on one of the most iconic American musicians of the 20th century in Leonard Bernstein (played by Cooper himself), the film shines a light on his sometimes volatile relationship with wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). Filmed in both black and white and colour, it is a consistently gorgeous film to look at and also includes a brilliant soundtrack full of some of Bernstein's finest work. Meanwhile, the performances are superb – with both Cooper and Mulligan correctly emerging as possible frontrunners for major awards attention. The film runs the full gamut of emotions and there are several standout scenes: from a joyous dance sequence during a rehearsal for On the Town and a breathtaking six-minute scene of Bernstein conducting Gustav Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony, to a blistering argument between Bernstein and Montealegre at their New York apartment and several heartbreaking moments when the latter falls ill. It's well worth a watch. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023) More than twenty years after the first film became an instant claymation classic, Ginger, Rocky and the rest of the flock return in this joyous sequel, where we find them on a utopian island paradise following their audacious escape from the evil Mrs Tweedy. But when Ginger (voiced by Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky (Zachary Levi) discover that their intrepid daughter Molly (Bella Ramsey) has set off on her own adventure, old enemies rear their heads and only an expertly orchestrated heist can avert a calamity. The increased scale compared to the original offers director Sam Fell plenty of opportunities to showcase a number of highly innovative and intricately designed set pieces. And, as ever with Aardman, there's also a terrific assortment of verbal and visual gags to delight audiences, while the film crucially retains the handcrafted, eccentric charm that has become synonymous with the studio. Nimona (2023) This animated adventure started its life at Blue Sky Studios only to be shelved following Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2021, eventually being picked up by Netflix for release in 2023. And it's a good job it was rescued: it's a rollicking, inventive, and amusing fairytale that deftly touches on LGBTQ+ themes, with some impressive voice performances from the likes of Chloë Grace Moretz and Riz Ahmed. The film tells the story of Knight Ballister Boldheart (Ahmed) who has to turn to the titular shape-shifting teen (Moretz) for help when he is falsely accused of murdering the Queen. Nimona is the only person willing to help him prove his innocence, but things are somewhat confused by the fact she is also the monster he has sworn to kill. Cue an enjoyable adventure that features all sorts of havoc and makes for top-tier entertainment for the whole family. RRR (2022) The latest work from legendary Telegu filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli, RRR became a major international hit upon its release – enrapturing viewers all around the globe. It’s not difficult to see why it resonated so much – across its epic three-hour running time the film packs in all manner of superbly executed action scenes (sometimes involving CGI animals) and splendidly choreographed dance scenes, including one to Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu. Set against the backdrop of the brutal British Raj, RRR is a thrilling tale of revenge. The film chronicles a charming fictional friendship between real-life revolutionaries Komaram Bheem (NT Rama Rao Jr) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) as they seek to rid the nation of British rule. Marriage Story (2019) Writer/director Noah Baumbach has teamed up with Adam Driver on a number of occasions, but this divorce drama is arguably the peak of their collaboration. The film earned six nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards – winning one – and proved every bit as popular with audiences as it did with critics. Based in part on Baumbach’s own divorce, Driver and Scarlett Johansson star as a director and actor couple whose marriage has reached its end, but things only get more bitter when lawyers are called in to begin divorce proceedings. By turns funny and tear-jerking, this film is a real winner – worth it for a scene that sees Driver singing Stephen Sondheim’s Being Alive alone. The Irishman (2019) There was a time a few years ago when Netflix was gladly giving a number of acclaimed big-name auteurs big budgets and free rein to make their passion projects, and the greatest result of that era was Martin Scorsese’s superb gangster epic. Of course, the great director has famously dabbled in the gangster genre many times before, but what marks The Irishman out from the likes of Goodfellas and Casino is the more sombre, elegiac tone. The film follows Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran (Robert De Niro), as he recalls his involvement in the disappearance of his longtime friend Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), whilst also reflecting on a number of relationships, including that with his daughter, Peggy (Anna Paquin). 13th (2016) The title of Ava DuVernay’s searing documentary refers to the 13th Amendment in the US Constitution, which declares: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.” The film goes on to draw parallels between slavery and the major flaws in America’s modern-day criminal judgment system, examining the prison-industrial complex and the ways in which the system disproportionately affects Black Americans and other minority communities. The film won huge acclaim on release and secured Netflix its first BAFTA – while it found an audience again following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. Uncut Gems (2020) Most of the Adam Sandler films you’ll find on Netflix are of rather dubious quality, but every so often the actor picks a project that shows just how good he can be – and there’s never been a better example of that than Uncut Gems. This unbearably tense, blackly comic offering from the Safdie Brothers was a huge critical hit when it debuted in 2020, with many feeling that Sandler was unfortunate not to nab an Oscar nomination. He stars as a New York City jeweller with a gambling problem, who must risk everything to banish his debts and escape the collectors after him – whilst also balancing his role as a father, a crumbling marriage with his soon-to-be-ex-wife (Idina Menzel) and an affair with an employee (Julia Fox). My Neighbour Totoro (1988) Pretty much the whole Studio Ghibli oeuvre is available to stream on Netflix, giving subscribers a huge range of wonderful animated flicks to enjoy including Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Whisper of the Heart. And there can be no doubt that this delightfully charming little film – just their third feature – is one of the greatest. It follows two girls who move with their father to the countryside while their mother is ill, where they find themselves having a number of magical encounters with the titular friendly monster and other surreal beings. The story itself is fairly minimalist, but the gorgeous animation and the way the film captures a youthful sense of wonderment make it a must-watch. Streaming services we think you might like... From the best TV like Westworld and Game of Thrones to the latest movies including Spider-Man: Far from Home and Yesterday Start your 7-day free NOW TV trial now Want the very best of Disney, Pixar, Star Wars, Marvel and National Geographic - plus 30 seasons of The Simpsons all in one place? Try Disney Plus for £5.99 a month The Office USA, The Grand Tour, Outlander, The Man in the High Castle, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and much more... Try Amazon Prime Video Free for 30 days Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Looking for something else to watch? Check out our best series on Netflix, best Netflix comedies and best Netflix horror movies. Want to see what's on the other streaming sites? Take a look at our best Disney Plus shows guide or best Disney Plus movies. Slow broadband letting you down? Up your streaming game with the best broadband deals. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Stranger Things favourite joins James Bond contender in all-star romantic comedy
Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro lead the cast.
Universal Pictures’ One Night Only has expanded its cast, with Maya Hawke among the new additions. Alongside Hawke, who's best known for playing Robin Buckley in the Netflix sci-fi hit Stranger Things, other newcomers to the cast include Julia Fox (Uncut Gems), King Princess (Nine Perfect Strangers), Ziwe (Succession) and Este Haim (Licorice Pizza), according to Deadline. While details of their parts remain under wraps, they’re all set to star in supporting roles, according to the publication. They join previously announced cast members Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), Molly Ringwald (Riverdale), LeVar Burton (Picard) and James Bond contender Callum Turner (The Capture). Directed by Will Gluck, the movie is based on his rewrite of Travis Braun’s Black List script, which follows two strangers (Barbaro and Turner) who attempt to find someone to sleep with on the one night that premarital sex is legal. Details of Gluck’s version remain under wraps, and it’s unclear whether it will stay true to the original premise. Jacqueline Monetta, VP at Olive Bridge Entertainment, will oversee and produce with Gluck. Read more: Eternity stars reveal they're already living in their idea of hell in the afterlife: "America right now" What films are out in UK cinemas this week? Reviews from Eternity to Five Nights at Freddy's 2 One Night Only will premiere 7th August 2026. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Best Christmas films on Disney Plus in 2025 – from Home Alone to The Muppet Christmas Carol
The streamer's collection of festive fare includes both beloved classics and underseen gems.
While Netflix are undoubtedly the most productive of the major streamers when it comes to releasing brand new Christmas films every year, it's arguably Disney Plus which has the best selection of proper Yuletide classics. The library includes such beloved gems as Home Alone, The Muppet Christmas Carol and two versions of Miracle on 34th Street, alongside a couple of films that are known to start debates as to whether they can truly qualify for Christmas status: Die Hard and The Nightmare Before Christmas. But that's not all. You can also find a number of other seasonal films on the platform, including some great options for younger viewers and even an Oscar-nominated short film from acclaimed Italian director Alice Rohrwacher. Check out our list of recommendations below – and also make sure to take a look at our lists for Netflix Christmas films and Prime Video Christmas films too. Home Alone More than 30 years on from the film's release, Macaulay Culkin's turn as Kevin McAllister remains one of the most revered child performances of all time. As you'll no doubt be aware, the film sees 8-year-old Kevin – who has inadvertently been left behind when his family go off on holiday – laying all manner of violent booby traps in a bid to stave off the threat of two opportunistic burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) on Christmas Eve. The film has spawned a number of sequels over the years, which are also all available to view on Disney Plus, although in our opinion only the most immediate of those follow-ups, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York, is especially worth your time. Die Hard While not everyone considers this classic 1988 action flick to be a Christmas movie – it had its original release in July, after all – it's undoubtedly become a seasonal staple for millions of film fans around the world, thanks to its Christmas Eve setting, festive soundtrack and perhaps the best use of Ho Ho Ho ever seen on film. Of course, the film stars Bruce Willis as John McClane, a New York detective who unexpectedly finds himself up against an army of terrorists while visiting his wife's Christmas Eve party in an LA skyscraper. Willis's central performance – which includes a string of memorable lines – has gone down in action movie history, while few villains are more iconic than Alan Rickman's Hans Gruber. The Muppet Christmas Carol There have been countless adaptations of Charles Dickens's classic Yuletide yarn over the years, and yet few of them can boast anything like the fandom of this delightful version starring The Muppets. Narrated by Gonzo (as Dickens himself) and Rizzo the Rat, it finds key roles for the majority of the beloved characters, while Michael Caine is on superb form as Ebenezer Scrooge – playing it completely straight against his non-human co-stars. This fresh, brilliantly chaotic take on the iconic tale coupled with an assortment of terrific original songs – including Thankful Heart and It Feels Like Christmas – make this perhaps the definitive film version of the novella, a movie that can't fail to put you in a great festive mood. A Christmas Carol If the Muppets aren't for you (what is wrong with you??), then you might be more at home with this 2009 adaptation of the tale. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and originally designed to be watched in 3D, it saw the filmmaker use the same motion-capture animation techniques he'd used in his earlier Christmas film Polar Express – which gives the film a rather unique visual style. Jim Carrey stars in multiple roles as Ebenezer Scrooge and all three of the visiting spirits, while there are also key roles for Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins and Robin Wright, among others. How much it works for you will largely depend on how keen you are on the technology used, but the story itself is performed well and told faithfully. The Nightmare Before Christmas Is Tim Burton and Henry Selick's macabre animated feature a Christmas film or a Halloween one? That's a question thats invariably asked every year, and perhaps the most appropriate answer is that it's actually both at once. The stop-motion musical fantasy tells of Jack Skellington, the disillusioned Pumpkin King of Halloween Town, who one day stumbles upon a portal to Christmas Town and becomes devoted to bringing Yuletide to his own home, even kidnapping Santa Claus (or Sandy Claws). Although it leans into its Halloweeny themes, there are more than enough Christmassy images and ideas to qualify it for a festive watch. Mickey's Once Upon A Christmas This animated anthology starring Mickey and his pals was released straight to video back in 1999 and is a great option for younger viewers looking for a bit of festive fun, It consists of three short films – Donald Duck: Stuck on Christmas, A Very Goofy Christmas and Mickey and Minnie's Gift of the Magi – and if that's not enough for you, you can find a further five stories in the 2004 follow-up Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas. The Santa Clause This Christmas comedy from 1994 sees Tim Allen – in his first leading film role – playing a divorced and somewhat curmudgeonly father who finds himself unexpectedly landing a gig as the next Santa Claus after he inadvertently kills the previous Saint Nick. Although initially startled at the prospect, he slowly grows into his new role and rediscovers a Christmas spirt that he'd long been missing. It was followed by two sequels – The Santa Clause 2 and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause – in 2002 and 2006, which are also both streaming on Disney Plus. How the Grinch Stole Christmas After Scrooge, there's no doubting the second most famous Christmas-hater – Dr Seuss's infamous green creation The Grinch. Although there was a more recent animated movie adaptation in 2018, this 2000 film starring Jim Carrey is undoubtedly the definitive movie version. It follows the infamous grouch as he does his worst to ruin the festive period for the Christmas-loving residents of Whoville, who he despises. However he is soon befriended by a 6-year-old local girl named Cindy Lou (Taylor Momsen ) who tries to get him to change course. Miracle on 34th Street Another classic Christmas story, there are actually two versions of this film available on Disney Plus. The 1947 original stars Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle, with Richard Attenborough playing the same role in the popular 1994 remake – which also features Matilda child star Mara Wilson. Both films are set in New York City and see Kris Kringle – who had been working as a department store Santa – put on trial due after doubts are raised as to whether he could possibly be the real Santa Claus, much to the distress of the young girl he has befriended. Noelle This 2019 Disney Plus original stars Anna Kendrick as Santa Claus's daughter Noelle, who is forced to take over the family business when her father decides that the time has come to retire and her older brother goes mysteriously missing. The starry supporting cast also includes Bill Hader, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Billy Eichner, Julie Hagerty and Shirley MacLaine. The Family Stone The late Diane Keaton leads an ensemble cast that also includes the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker, Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams and more. The film follows Parker's Meredith, who has grown up with conservative values, discovering that she's a bit of a misfit at her boyfriend's family's Christmas celebrations. While their relationship seems to be going swimmingly when in the city, when they visit family in a small New England town, that's when things start to go awry. Le pupille This Oscar-nominated Italian short film from La Chimera director Alice Rohrwacher is an under-the-radar gem in Disney Plus's Christmas library – and is well worth a watch if you're after something a little different from the usual festive fare. Set at Christmastime during the Second World War, it follows Serafina, a young outcast at a strict Catholic orphanage who is always getting in trouble, and is soon excited by the delivery of a large cake. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Pierce Brosnan stars in gripping first look trailer for "remarkable" boxing true story film
The film stars El-Masry as 1990s sporting icon Prince Naseem "Naz" Hamed.
A trailer has been released for upcoming sports biopic Giant, which tells the real-life story of boxing icon Prince Naseem "Naz" Hamed. The film, which stars El-Masry (Wolf Hall) as the British Yemeni boxer and Pierce Brosnan as his trainer Brendan Ingle, follows the highs and lows of Naz’s career, charting his journey from humble beginnings to becoming one of Britain’s most famous Muslim sporting stars in the 1990s. The trailer shows Brendan taking Naz under his wing, as he tells the young boxer: “100 wannabe fighters have walked through that door. You’ve got what they haven’t." In another scene, Brendan tells him: “They hate you because you’re different. Embrace it”. Giant also explores Naz’s turbulent relationship with Brendan, which starts to unravel as Naz finds fame. “You shouldn’t take credit for my success”, Naz tells Brendan in the footage, to which Brendan responds: "You’re selfish and arrogant." Brendan retorts: "You nurtured that arrogance." Alongside El-Masry and Brosnan, the cast is rounded out by Katherine Dow Blyton as Alma Ingle, Olivia Barrowclough as Vicki Quinn, Elika Ashoori as Caira Hamed, Austin Haynes as Trev, and Rocco Haynes as Mikey. Giant has been written by Rowan Athale, who is best-known for his work on Gangs of London, while Sylvester Stallone (Rocky) serves as the film’s executive producer. The official synopsis promises a plot "based on the remarkable real-life story of legendary British-Yemeni boxing champion Prince Naseem "Naz" Hamed". It continues: "Charting his inspiring rags-to-riches underdog tale from his humble beginnings in Sheffield to becoming champion of the world and a global sporting icon in the 1990s, the film explores the unlikely and tender relationship between Naz and his Irish boxing trainer Brendan Ingle; and the instrumental role that Ingle played on his road to success." Giant is coming to UK cinemas on 9th January 2026. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Harry Potter TV series star Johnny Flynn on how his new film role compares to playing Lucius Malfoy
The Goodbye June star has a very different role lined up next.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. On the day we meet, Johnny Flynn confesses to feelings of anxiety about the prospect of his family attending the premiere of Goodbye June, in which the 42-year-old turns in a quietly devastating performance as youngest brother Connor, who simply cannot cope with his mother’s terminal illness. As Flynn sees it, “This is somebody who doesn’t have a mask to put on in those situations. His mum is his guiding star, whereas his sisters have their kids and families.” Which brings us back to Flynn’s anxieties about the premiere. In attendance will be his own mother — “and for anyone of that generation, you know this is something that not far away”. This feels like new territory for Flynn, perhaps best known for his roles as Ian Fleming in Operation Mincemeat and Mr Knightley in the 2020 adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, as well as his parallel career as an acclaimed singer/songwriter who’s made six albums. And as he felt his way into the role, he inevitably ended up drawing on memories of the passing of his own father when he was 18. “It totally brought back memories of waiting in hospital corridors and that hushed atmosphere that a family comes to around the death of a loved one. There was also a lot of me in moments when I’m thinking I haven’t got my s**t together. Like many people in my profession, I grapple with imposter syndrome.” And what did starring in a film alongside Kate Winslet, Helen Mirren, Andrea Riseborough, Timothy Spall and Toni Collette do for his imposter syndrome? “Well, it went through the roof, of course,” he says with a sheepish smile. “This is literally a bunch of names who would all be in my top ten favourite actors. But what can you do? You just have to go, ‘If this is it and I mess this up and this is the only chance I get to be with these wonderful people, then so be it.’” All of which couldn’t be more different to the job he’s just finished, playing Lucius Malfoy in the first instalment of the new Harry Potter TV series. “It’s a world away,” he laughs. “With Connor… well, I’m someone who is very familiar with panic attacks and stuff like that. So you’re going from that to Malfoy, trying to sound like the guy with the biggest balls in the room. That’s much more of a stretch for me!” The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Goodbye June will be released in select UK cinemas on 12th December and on Netflix on Wednesday 24th December. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Kate Winslet reveals why her film Goodbye June is so personal for her "brilliant, clever" screenwriting son
How Kate Winslet turned her son’s script into a moving family drama – and found a new creative calling.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. “I promise you, I didn’t plan it this way,” exclaims Kate Winslet, and for a second, her slightly brisk response leads me to wonder if she has taken umbrage at my suggestion that, as Christmas approaches, she seems to have achieved full omnipresence. As we speak, a TikTok trend to land her the coveted Christmas number one spot is well under way, thanks to hundreds of clips of millennial Winslet fans miming to What If, the ballad featured on the soundtrack of her 2001 animated film Christmas Carol: the Movie. Another milestone from her past that looms large at this time of year is her 2006 romcom The Holiday, whose wholesome succour has turned it into something of a cult classic. Meanwhile, in cinemas from 19 December, you can catch her in the long-awaited third instalment of the Avatar franchise, Fire and Ash. Oh, and if you tune in to Radio 4 as you wrap your presents on 21 December, you can hear her selections on Desert Island Discs. But the reason she’s set aside a chunk of her afternoon to speak with Radio Times is a project that’s clearly closer to her heart. The film Goodbye June marks two significant firsts for Winslet and her family. The script was written by her 22- year-old son Joe Anders. And, as well as producing the film and starring in it, the movie also marks her directorial debut. If you’ve never found yourself blubbing at a film trailer, it might also mark a first for you. The sight of a dying Helen Mirren in a hospital bed, with her screen family – Winslet, Andrea Riseborough, Timothy Spall, Johnny Flynn and Toni Collette – all trying to come to terms with their imminent loss should just about do it. Winslet brightens at such an outcome. She’s fine with all of it, of course – even the revival of What If, which her husband, Edward Abel Smith, sometimes plays “for a laugh when we’re on family holidays and I least want him to do it.” She beams. “I’m lucky that I got to be across all of these things.” She insists that directing was never an itch she felt the need to scratch. By 2015, she had already won an Oscar for her role in The Reader as well as sundry Golden Globes and Baftas along the way – but it was on the set of Danny Boyle’s eponymous biopic of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs that the notion of directing was seeded in her. In a complex, multi-actor action shot that hit a sudden glitch – even as the cameras had to keep rolling – Winslet was able to see the exact point to which everyone would have to re-set. “I said, ‘Oh actually, if you come back here, we can cut around it.’ I was making sure it was usable. Danny just turned around to me and went, ‘Actors don’t do that,’ and I was like, ‘Oh, well I do!’ Since then film crew members, and some other actors, have also said to me, ‘You know, you should do it.’” So why now? Why this? Winslet, who recently celebrated her 50th birthday, talks about “a story that felt so important and personal to me, that when it was ready to send out to directors, I just couldn’t let it go.” Of course, part of the reason the story felt so personal is that it was literally so close to home. She’s aware of the optics here. Goodbye June – and Anders’s involvement in it – will be scrutinised far more closely as a result of the fact that Winslet is his mother. At the same time, anyone who has found themselves feeling helpless in a hospital waiting room as they prepare to see a loved one, perhaps for the final time, will recognise much in this big-hearted story about a family coming to the realisation that their mother’s final Christmas may have to take place around her hospital bed. Tiny details are painfully well observed – and you can’t help wondering if Flynn’s stunning portrayal of Mirren’s struggling son Connor is perhaps the one that cleaves closest to Anders’s own experience. View Green Video on the source website Speaking about “this brilliant, clever young boy of mine”, Winslet (who has three children – actor Mia Threapleton, Joe, and 12-year-old Bear) talks about his response to the death of his grandmother – Winslet’s mother, Sally – in 2017, when he was still only 13. “It was the most significant thing that’s happened to Joe in his limited years and he remembers how everyone from our big family – nieces, nephews, siblings – came together, and just how almost geographically unusual that was.” Unsure of “where to place himself in the world” as Covid hit during his A-levels, Anders won a place on an intensive screenwriting course at the National Film and Television School as a result of a short film he had submitted. When he showed his mother his screenplay, her first instinct was to reach out to Riseborough, with whom she has been firm friends ever since they first spoke via FaceTime in advance of Riseborough’s involvement in Winslet’s Lee, her biopic of the photographer Lee Miller. Of that first meeting, Riseborough recalls, “It was a moment in my career and my life that was very important.” Speaking on the phone from London en route to a fitting, Riseborough talks about taking receipt of Anders’s screenplay from Winslet: “I read it and I immediately said, ‘Oh my goodness, let’s do this.’” Did it seem surprising to her that someone with relatively little life experience should have delivered such an emotionally intelligent story? “Certainly, in one sense,” she says, “but in another, no. I’ve known Joe for some years, I’ve seen him grow up, and I think he just has a huge amount of humility. He’s very permeable, in the most glorious way.” In Goodbye June, Riseborough’s uptight, unhappy Molly, stuck at home with her kids, envies Julia (Winslet) for somehow managing to juggle her high-powered job with motherhood. The longer Winslet talks about this dynamic as it plays out in the story, the harder it is to tell where Julia ends and Winslet begins: “It doesn’t matter how well-oiled the machine of our life is, there are things I have missed. Not long ago, my youngest son did a piano performance of a song that he had created himself from scratch –and having to watch that over FaceTime from another country, you know, it’s hard. “On social media, we’re constantly seeing people apparently pulling off this impossible balancing act. I wanted to punch through that and to show these two women, whose relationship has been completely misfiring for a bunch of reasons that neither can actually really remember.” For Riseborough, this was where the heart of the film lay. “You have this unbelievably tense relationship between Julia and Molly – and to show that with somebody I love so much was a bit of an honour. Because we tackled it with such care and gentleness and softness in the in-between moments – even though we had to get through some quite volatile and aggressive scenes.” Having worked with so many big-name directors – James Cameron, Woody Allen, Peter Jackson and Anders’s father Sam Mendes, to name a few – it’s perhaps surprising to note that the director Winslet cites as the biggest influence on Goodbye June was Mike Leigh – whom she has “never met or even had a conversation with. “For me there was something about the tone of Goodbye June that landed somewhere in that sweet spot between Secrets and Lies and Four Weddings and a Funeral.” And as with so many of Leigh’s films, Winslet encouraged improvisation – something necessary in a story that involved so many children. Look out, in particular, for the unscripted exchange between Winslet and Flynn, during which her on-screen son – played by five-year-old Benjamin Shortland – lay fast asleep in her arms. One might suppose that after three decades of landing lead roles, Winslet had her plum pick of supporting actors when casting for Goodbye June. In the event, she seems to perceive an unintended insinuation in the idea that she should (as I clumsily phrase it) “call upon” anyone to star alongside her. “You know, it’s not about ‘calling upon’ people, it’s really about establishing a degree of respect… and being in a position to make direct approaches.” Nevertheless, I wonder whether – having initially explained to Winslet that she makes it a rule never to play people who have cancer – Mirren would have been curious enough to take a look at the script if a lesser-known person had sent it to her. Winslet smiles as she recalls the follow-up call from Mirren: “She said, ‘I will break my rule, I do want to support you in doing this.’ When she said yes, I just couldn’t believe it.” Her delight was echoed by Riseborough, who remembers just what a steadying, supportive presence Mirren was, back in 2010, when she took on her first ever lead role in Brighton Rock. “I was very young and she was so encouraging. And she has continued to be incredibly supportive over the years, and is a champion of good writing. She has fantastic taste.” Winslet would rather that Goodbye June be seen as a movie that takes place over Christmas, as opposed to a Christmas movie. The charmed afterlife of The Holiday serves as a reminder that not all Christmas classics assume that status upon their arrival in the world. If that’s how it has to be, says Winslet, then fine – “but we just want people to see it now and watch it when it comes out. When I say ‘we’, I mean me and Joe – we really just hope that people see something of themselves in this story.” Back in Sussex at the Winslet homestead, an altogether more well-established seasonal tale is set to receive its traditional airing. “We always watch The Snowman at some point on Christmas Eve,” she says. As for the responsibility of making Christmas dinner, well, that’s one that she visibly relishes – even down to the lentil and walnut Wellington she makes for her vegan husband. “He can usually get about three days out of it, so he’s always delighted and very covetous.” This is a ritual clearly finessed over several years. “Well, there’s really nothing I don’t love about Christmas. The letters from Santa. The chaos of it and people going crazy. Pulling things out from underneath the tree.” All spoken with the zeal of someone who thrives on being in charge. When it comes to Christmas dinner, the director and star turn get to be one and the same. It’s a role to which Kate Winslet is singularly suited. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Goodbye June will be released in select UK cinemas on 12th December and on Netflix on Wednesday 24th December. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Daniel Craig reveals love of Strictly Come Dancing and why he's hoping to leave Narnia before Christmas
Craig was speaking in the 2025 Christmas issue of Radio Times magazine.
While some Knives Out fans will have seen the latest film in the murder mystery franchise starring Daniel Craig, Wake Up Dead Man will be available for many more to watch when it arrives on Netflix this week. That no doubt means that plenty of viewers will be watching the movie over the Christmas period – but it turns out that Craig himself will be sitting down to watch something else on 25th December. Speaking in a wider conversation for the Christmas issue of Radio Times magazine, which is out now, Craig said he likes nothing better than "watching Strictly [Come Dancing] with the kids – it’s a joy". On celebrating Christmas with his family, Craig clarified that it's "not in a religious way, but celebrating the fact that it’s a family get-together". He continued: "Much in a way like the Americans have Thanksgiving, Christmas is an English kind of thanksgiving. And saying thanks for having family is really what it’s about." Craig is currently filming Greta Gerwig's version of The Magician’s Nephew, the CS Lewis Narnia novel, in which he played the eponymous magician, Uncle Andrew. His Strictly watching and festive celebrations therefore depend on his scheduling for that film, but he said that he is "hoping to get out of Narnia in time for Christmas". On taking on new roles stretching himself far away from James Bond, such as Knives Out's Benoit Blanc or The Magician's Nephew's Andrew, Craig said: "I suppose I started freeing myself up from any convention. I’m not saying no to things that I might have been a little bit wary about before. "When the Bond thing was going on in my life, the juxtaposition between that and another role would sometimes feel self-conscious. I’m working harder than I ever have, but I’m also just enjoying it more than I ever have. I get to do really interesting, different stuff." In Wake Up Dead Man, Benoit Blanc takes on his most dangerous case yet, when investigating the seemingly impossible murder of a priest. The Christmas issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is out now in cinemas. It will arrive on Netflix on 12th December. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Knives Out 3's Andrew Scott explains why Catholic Church is the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery
The cast of Wake Up Dead man speak exclusively to RadioTimes.com about the ways in which faith intersects with the whodunnit genre.
After his previous murder mysteries took viewers inside a cosy mansion and onto a lavish private island, Rian Johnson's latest Knives Out film Wake Up Dead Man opts for a rather different backdrop: a Catholic church. The film finds Daniel Craig's sleuth Benoit Blanc called in to solve the killing of the foreboding Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin), with the rather more modern clergyman Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor) serving as the maverick detective's closest confidant. Of course, Johnson has always peppered a dash of social commentary into his whodunnits, and that's no different this time around. Throughout the film, he makes interesting points about modern interpretations of faith – and the way it has sometimes been weaponised for political ends – while also making cinematic use of religious imagery and iconography. This made starring in the film an especially tantalising prospect for many of the cast, with Andrew Scott explaining during an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com why he felt that murder mysteries and Catholicism make for such a perfect match. "It's a great premise for a film," he explained. "Because there's a murder mystery, but there's also mysteries [of the church] that we recognise. Both [me and co-star Daryl McCormack] come from Catholic Ireland, so it's something I think we're familiar with." He continued that being on set was "incredibly beautiful", adding that something about religious iconography and the questions it throws up are "just innately dramatic". "[The] question of what happens to us when we're no longer on the earth... it's the thing that faith is based on and so there's just an innate, well, mystery is the best word for it," he said. "And that marries with the subject matter of a whodunnit really beautifully.” McCormack – who plays aspiring politician turned internet conspiracy theorist Cy Draven in the film – added that he loved "how personal" the film was for Johnson, and the way in which it explored "the different iterations of faith". "My character is someone who has really politicised his faith, and even begs you to ask whether he has a genuine faith," he added. "[He's] very much driven by a kind of fear and power and greed and all these things that tend to be un-Christ-like ironically. So I thought it was a beautiful kind of composition to explore. "I just love that faith – which is almost like the unanswerable question in itself – is also part of the mix in this third film." Scott and McCormack weren't the only stars who were intrigued by the religious angle. For example, while Mila Kunis – who stars as local police chief Geraldine Scott – would have been keen to star in a Knives Out film whatever the topic, this particular setting especially captivated her. "When Rian and I met for breakfast, before I knew what this movie was about, I sat down, and I was like, 'Listen, I'll just do it,'" she recalled. "And he's like, 'You should really read the script!' "But I was like, 'Can you just... give me a little bit, give me the setting, the world, anything.' And he goes, 'Well, it's gonna be about the Catholic Church.' And I went, 'I'm so in! Whatever it is...' I was, like, double down on how in I am. I thought it was fascinating." Read more: Wake Up Dead Man cast reveal Knives Out film's relevance to "scary times" we live in – and who has pitched a return for a sequel Daniel Craig reveals why he thinks the Knives Out films are not "whodunnits" at all Meanwhile, Cailee Spaeny explained it was very easy to understand how her character – the former concert cellist Simone Vivane – had chosen to turn to God and more specifically to the fire and brimstone version of Christianity served up by Monsignor Wicks. "It was a very easy thing to fall into for me," she said. "Growing up religious, I had a similar path as Rian, and so I just knew her. I understood her conflicts and why she joined this congregation, what she was getting from it, and her doubts, and it all made sense. "And I just thought how impressive that Rian Johnson is gonna make another murder mystery and drop something like this right in the middle of it. I just think it's so Rian, and there's so much heart and humanity. "I think this movie really is about grace and sort of hearing one another and connecting, which I think is really refreshing." Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is currently showing in select UK cinemas and comes to Netflix on 12th December. Sign up for Netflix from £5.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
What does Netflix acquiring Warner Bros Discovery mean for viewers like you? Streaming giant confirms acquisition plans
What could the deal mean for the price of your Netflix subscription increase and the future of cinema-going?
One of the biggest shifts in the entertainment industry for decades is about to occur, as Netflix has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Warner Bros Discovery, including its film and television studios, HBO Max and HBO. The development comes after a drawn-out bidding war for the WBD's assets between Netflix and rivals Paramount and Comcast. The deal is worth nearly $83 billion and is expected to close in 2026. The streamer said the cash and stock transaction is valued at $27.75 per WBD share, with a total enterprise value of approximately $82.7 billion (equity value of $72.0 billion). The deal is expected to close in the second half of 2026 after Warner Bros completes its planned separation of its studio and streaming assets under Warner Bros from its linear television business under Discovery Global, with Netflix getting its hands on the Warner Bros side. However, there could be big roadblocks ahead for the deal, which is yet to be approved by competition authorities. US President Donald Trump has flagged potential competition concerns over Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros, saying at an event in Washington DC that it “could be a problem” because a combined Netflix-Warner Bros would “have a very big market share”. He also said he will be involved in the process of approving the acquisition. To complicate matters further, Paramount Skydance – which has been trying to acquire Warner Bros for some time now – said on Monday that it has made another offer to buy Warner Bros Discovery. Paramount, which is backed by the Ellison family, said it was making a direct offer to shareholders of $30 per share to take the entire company, including its traditional TV networks which are excluded from the Netflix deal. It said it is proposing a “superior” alternative to the Netflix deal, and argued that it had a greater prospect of approval by regulators. But if Netflix's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros does go ahead, what would it mean for Netflix subscribers? And how could ownership from a streaming giant change things for Warner Bros which is, at its heart, a movie studio? Read on for everything we know so far. What does Netflix acquiring Warner Bros Discovery mean for viewers like you? It’s not a done deal yet, and you’re not going to instantly have access to a host of new titles on Netflix, but eventually it will mean that the streamer will gain access to the vast library of Warner Bros' content, which includes the Harry Potter and DC Comics franchises. Netflix will also get hold of all HBO shows, which include Succession and Game of Thrones. The streamer will also take control of an extensive TV archive that includes Friends and The Big Bang Theory, both of which are scheduled to be removed from Netflix at the end of the year, and classic movies such as Casablanca and Citizen Kane. In a statement shared on Friday, Ted Sarandos, the co-chief executive of Netflix, said "Our mission has always been to entertain the world. "By combining Warner Bros' incredible library of shows and movies – from timeless classics like Casablanca and Citizen Kane to modern favourites like Harry Potter and Friends – with our culture-defining titles like Stranger Things, KPop Demon Hunters and Squid Game, we'll be able to do that even better. "Together, we can give audiences more of what they love and help define the next century of storytelling." David Zaslav, president and CEO of Warner Bros Discovery, said: "Today's announcement combines two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world to bring to even more people the entertainment they love to watch the most.” Will Warner Bros continue releasing movies in cinemas? In the acquisition announcement on Friday, Netflix said it "expects to maintain Warner Bros' current operations and build on its strengths, including theatrical releases for films". In a similar vein, Sarandos said on a conference call with investors and press that Netflix will “continue to support” a “life cycle that starts in the movie theatre” for Warner Bros films, but added that he doesn’t think “long exclusive windows” are consumer-friendly. He noted that Netflix has released 30 films in cinemas in 2025, though most of those movies had a shorter theatrical run than those from a typical studio. Netflix's cinema releases in 2025 have included Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein and Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite. Could the price of Netflix subscriptions increase? Naturally, another question on many viewers’ lips is whether the acquisition will affect their monthly subscription cost. At present, the answer to this is unknown, but it seems rather likely that Netflix will hike prices in order to offset acquisition costs. Currently, Netflix's lowest price tier is the Standard with Ads-tier for £5.99 a month, and after that it's £12.99 a month for Standard and £18.99 for Premium. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
How to watch Fackham Hall – is it streaming?
The parody film has been written by Jimmy Carr, Patrick Carr and The Dawson Brothers.
New period drama parody film Fackham Hall features an all-star cast and an impressive writing team, so there's no wonder that viewers are desperate to see it. The film, with both stars and was co-written by Jimmy Carr, also stars the likes of Damian Lewis, Katherine Waterston and Anna Maxwell Martin. But is the movie currently available to watch at home or to stream on any platforms? And if not, how and when can viewers watch it? Read on for everything you need to know about how to watch Fackham Hall. How to watch Fackham Hall - can you stream it? Fackham Hall is not available to stream, and likely won't be for some time. Instead, the film is coming to cinemas in the UK on Friday 12th December. Viewers will be able to watch the film there, or can wait until it eventually becomes available to watch at home. Will Fackham Hall be available on Netflix, Prime Video or Disney+? We don't yet know whether Fackham Hall be available on Netflix, Prime Video or Disney+. It seems reasonable to suspect that the film will come to a streaming service at some point in future, although which one and when is yet to be determined. What is Fackham Hall about? Directed by Jim O'Hanlon (Your Christmas or Mine?) and written by Steve Dawson, Andrew Dawson, Tim Inman, Jimmy Carr and Patrick Carr, the film has been described as "a spoof that crosses Downton Abbey with Airplane! and Monty Python". The synopsis for the film says: "Fackham Hall follows lovable pick-pocket Eric Noone as he lands a job at a unique English manor house. He quickly rises through the ranks, and a forbidden romance with lady-of-the-house Rose Davenport blossoms. "But when an unexpected murder occurs, Eric gets framed - leaving Rose and her family’s future perilously uncertain." Who stars in Fackham Hall? Fackham Hall features a seriously starry cast, including the likes of Thomasin McKenzie (The Testament of Ann Lee), Damian Lewis (Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light), Katherine Waterston (The Agency), Emma Laird (28 Years Later) and Tom Felton (Harry Potter). Tom Goodman-Hill (Baby Reindeer), Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland), Sue Johnston (Riot Women) and Jimmy Carr (Last One Laughing) also star, amongst many others. The full cast of the film is as follows: Thomasin McKenzie as Rose Davenport Ben Radcliffe as Eric Noone Damian Lewis as Humphrey, Lord Davenport Katherine Waterston as Prudence, Lady Davenport Emma Laird as Poppy Davenport Lizzie Hopley as Phyllis Davenport Tom Felton as Archibald Davenport Tom Goodman-Hill as Inspector Watt Anna Maxwell Martin as Mrs McAllister Sue Johnston as Great Aunt Bonaparte Jimmy Carr as Vicar Lily Knight as Fifi Valentine Magdalena Sverlander as Miss Rose Seller Tim McMullan as Cyril Laurie Ogden as Patricia Paula Wharton as Mrs. Kitchen Gemma Wardle as Gladys Is there a trailer for Fackham Hall? There is. You can watch the trailer for Fackham Hall right here now. View oEmbed on the source website Fackham Hall will be released in UK cinemas on Friday 12th December. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Best Christmas films on Prime Video in 2025 – from It's a Wonderful Life to Merry Little Batman
There's a decent selection of festive themed films on the streamer, here's our pick of the bunch.
We're now more than a week into December, and there's every chance you've already cycled through many of your favourite Christmas movies as you attempt to get into the festive spirit. If you're looking for some new recommendations, you might be interested in checking out Prime Video's selection of festive themed films, which includes everything from beloved classic It's A Wonderful Life to the under-the-radar animated gem Merry Little Batman. With that in mind you, we've assembled a list of 12 options that we reckon are worth your time – encompassing a vast array of films from family favourites to festive slashers, and one inclusion that you might not even have considered a Christmas film of all. It's worth noting that Prime Video has also started releasing its own original festive films – with Michelle Pfeiffer leading the star-studded cast of new release Oh. What. Fun. – while last year's Christmas blockbuster Red One starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans is also now available on the platform (although we'd recommend probably skipping that one.) Read on for our picks. It's a Wonderful Life A popular choice for the best Christmas film of all time – and simply one of the greatest films ever made full stop – Frank Capra's tremendous festive fable will reduce just about anyone who watches it to tears. The film stars Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey, a frustrated businessman who is rescued from his suicidal state by a guardian angel, who shows him just how many people his life has touched and just how valued he is, despite his own thwarted ambitions for his life and career. Although the film was considered something of a bomb on its original release, it gradually built up a devoted following when it began airing regularly on TV and is now rightly regarded as a true masterpiece: a heartwarming Christmas tale about the importance of family, friendship and community that avoids falling into overtly cheesy sentimentality. Scrooge Few tales have been adapted for the screen on more occasions than Charles Dickens's yuletide yarn A Christmas Carol – from the landmark 1951 film starring Alasdair Sim to the beloved Muppet version to this year's intriguing new take Christmas Karma – and this version from 1970 is currently streaming on Prime. A musical version starring Albert Finney in the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge – with Alec Guinness and Roy Kinnear among the other big names in the cast – its reviews are perhaps fairly middling compared to some of the very best adaptations of this story, but it's still well worth watching if you're looking for another take on the source material. Love Actually More than 20 years on from its release back in 2003, Love Actually remains a must-watch for many at this time of the year. With an all-star cast that includes Emma Thompson, Keira Knightley, Alan Rickman, Hugh Grant, Colin Firth and more, the film follows eight couples from all walks of life in the days leading up to Christmas. There's heartbreak, blossoming romance and plenty of festive feels – but we'd expect no less from the mind of Richard Curtis, who is otherwise known for Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and the more recent That Christmas. The Bishop's Wife Cary Grant and David Niven star in this festive-themed fantasy romcom from 1947, which is adapted from a novel of the same name It sees an angel named Dudley (Grant) visit a bishop (Niven) who is suffering from a number of problems in the run up to Christmas – including both in his family life and trying to find funds to build a new cathedral. Interestingly, there was a remake of the film in 1996 titled The Preacher's Wife, with Denzel Washington in the role of Dudley and parts for Courtney B Vance and Whitney Houston as the preacher and his wife. The Holiday Love Actually is probably still the most beloved star-studded mid-2000s Christmas romcom – but Nancy Meyers's 2006 film can give it a good run for its money, and is now firmly established as a festive favourite. The film sees Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz star as two women living in England and the US respectively who swap homes for the festive period in a bid to cast aside their relationship woes – only to each find themselves falling for local guys played by Jack Black and Jude Law. The Amazing Mr Blunden This film from Lionel Jeffries – which came two years after his classic family favourite The Railway Children – is adapted from a 1969 novel by Antonia Barber (titled The Ghosts) and follows two young children after they move with their mother to a new mansion and soon encounter a series of unusual goings on. They soon realise that the wealthy benefactor who had allowed them to move to this property – the titular Mr Blunden (Laurence Naismith) – has actually been dead for decades, and afterwards find themselves introduced to two friendly ghost children who enlist them on a mission that requires them to travel back in time. It's a classic Christmas ghost story that's suitable for the whole family. The Man Who Invented Christmas As mentioned above, A Christmas Carol has been adapted for the screen on countless occasions, but this film from 2017 is to date the only major release to tell the story of how the classic tale came about. It stars Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens, following the then-struggling novelist as he sets about writing the story while being inspired by Victorian London and his own painful past. Rather than serving as a no-nonsense biopic, the film also has an element of fantasy to it as Dickens interacts with imagined versions of his new creations, with Christopher Plummer starring as Scrooge and even some appearances from the various ghosts. Silent Night, Deadly Night This 1980s slasher is getting a brand new remake this year – so it's a good time to check out the original. Highly controversial upon its release, the film follows a young boy who is scarred by a traumatic encounter that involves a man wearing a Santa costume brutally murdering his parents. Following that horrifying incident, he is sent to be raised by nuns – including an extremely strict Mother Superior – in an orphanage, and experiences more traumatic experiences around the festive period which ultimately lead him to don a Santa suit and embark on a murderous rampage. If you're looking for something with a little less festive cheer and goodwill than your average Christmas film, this could be the one for you. Small Things Like These This great 2024 movie might not automatically seem like a Christmas movie – but it definitely has a claim to belonging to the genre, and not just because of its festive setting. Based on Claire Keegan's novella of the same name, it's built around a superb performance from Cillian Murphy as Bill Furlong, a kind but taciturn coal merchant in County Wexford who is faced with a tough choice in the run up to Christmas after he encounters a traumatised young girl locked in the coal shed at a local convent. The film has a Dickensian quality to it, and its focus on themes of redemption, generosity and family – combined with the wintry backdrop – make it undeniably worthy of Christmas film status. A Christmas Story A Christmas classic in the US that has never quite managed to become a seasonal staple on this side of the Atlantic, this 1983 film follows Ralphie, a nine-year-old boy who becomes obsessed with the idea of being gifted a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas – and desperately tries to convince his parents that he should get it. Very different in tone from director Bob Clark's other Christmas movie – the festive slasher Black Christmas – the somewhat episodic narrative includes many images that have become iconic for American viewers, including Ralphie's tongue getting stuck to a frozen flagpole. Merry Little Batman This feature-length animation was released to little fanfare in 2023, but is a fun option if you're looking for an alternative to the usual festive fare. It follows Bruce Wayne's son Damian (voiced by Yonas Kibreab) when he's left home alone on Christmas Eve and takes it upon himself to become 'Little Batman'' in order to protect Gotham City from a bunch of supervillains – including the Joker – who are intent on ruining the Christmas spirit. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
It's been more than 15 years since the popular kids film debuted.
It's been over 15 years since Nativity! arrived in UK cinemas – and began a franchise which would go on to include a further three films and a stage musical. Of course, each of the films has had a different star playing the main teacher – with Martin Freeman, David Tennant and Martin Clunes taking it in turns to appear in the first three movies – and there have been plenty of other recognisable faces to appear instead. Jason Watkins appeared in all of the first three films, while the first entry in the series also included the likes of Shetland star Ashley Jensen, legendary The Royle Family star Ricky Tomlinson and popular stand-up comedian Alan Carr. But of course, the real stars of the films were Marc Wootton as lovable but chaotic classroom assistant Desmond Poppy, and the children themselves. With that in mind, you might be wondering what has become of those young stars who appeared in the first film a decade and a half ago... did they continue to act? Read on for everything you need to know. Marc Wootton played Mr Poppy Before we move on to the kids themselves, lets start with Mr Poppy – a hugely popular presence in the film played by Marc Wootton. Although this series of films is arguably still what he's best known for, he's had a steady acting career, with credits including the first ever episode of Inside No. 9, the Take That inspired film Greatest Days and the Channel 4 sitcom High and Dry, which he also wrote and directed. Most recently, he had a key role in the Noel Fielding Apple TV+ series The Completely Made-Up Adventures of Dick Turpin, while in 2024 he played the role of Marek in a National Theatre production of Till the Stars Come Down. Earlier this year, he co-wrote, produced, and starred in short film The Art of the Lie, which you can watch here: ﻿ Jake Pratt played Alfie Alfie was one of the big stars of the nativity play in the film – playing Joseph – and was played by Jake Pratt, who was one of the few kids in the film who was already somewhat well known, having appeared in the first season of Britain's Got Talent in 2007 and reaching the semi-finals. He also starred on the West End in Billy Elliot the Musical, and has gone on to appear on a number of CBBC programmes, with his most recent screen credit seeing him voice various animals in the mockumentary The Zoo. Off-screen, he has appeared in pantomimes and other stage shows. Sydney Isitt-Ager played Sadie Another star who continued acting, Isitt-Ager played Sadie in the films – a child who was too nervous to take part in the nativity in the first movie. Just two years ago, after a role in the Nativity! stage musical, she had a small role in the Netflix Christmas film Christmas on Mistletoe farm, while she's recently been touring the UK with I Should Be So Lucky – The Musical. Ben Wilby played Bob Bob was a real fan favourite character and was played by Ben Wilby – who has picked up a couple of TV credits since on episodes of Father Brown in 2014 and Cuckoo in 2019. On his Instagram page – which is set to private – he still describes himself as an actor and he has trained at the Emil Dane Academy, but it's not clear what roles he might have had recently. Krista Hyatt played Becky Hyatt played Becky – who attended rival school Oakmoor – and was another cast member who had previously appeared on Britain's Got Talent, as part of the dance duo Cheeky Monkeys in season 2. Although she has no further acting credits to her name, she has amassed a decent following on TikTok, where she has over 18,000 followers. Maeve Dolan played Sam The character of Sam – whose finest moment was her rendition of Wheatus hit Teenage Dirtbag – was played by Maeve Dolan, who also appeared in the sequel. She had a role in a 2023 short film titled Nothing Happened and is currently studying at the London College of Music, where she has starred in several musicals. She also regularly posts on TikTok, where she has just over 4,000 followers. Bernard Mensah played TJ The role of TJ – Angel Gabriel himself – was played by Bernard Mensah, who went on to play the role of Young Simba in the West End production of The Lion King. Although he attended acting school, it's not clear what he's up to now. Tom McGarrity played Zack Zack was responsible for a memorable performance during the nativity auditions in the film and was played by Tom McGarrity, who now works as a performer on cruise ships. Last year, he announced on Instagram that he had a new role as a Cruise Director and that he was "still sailing and entertaining". Cadi Mullane played Crystal Crystal played a star in the nativity and was portrayed in the film by Cadi Mullane – who has continued her career in the performing arts. She is a recent graduate of Royal Welsh Musical Theatre and is now looking to pursue acting work. Bessie Cursons played Christy Another cast member who had previous on Britain's Got Talent, Cursons also reached the final of the first series of the ITV talent show in 2007. She went on to pick up a few other stage and screen credits – most recently a 2016 episode of Casualty – while she is also qualified as a dancing coach and offers classes through The Bessie Cursons Theatre & Dance Academy. Nativity! is currently streaming on Netflix – Sign up for Netflix from £4.99 a month. Netflix is also available on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream. Check out more of our Film coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.