Stay in the know with our staff's top picks for the movies and series people will be talking about.

IMDb Staff Picks

[q]Skeleton Crew[/q] wants to remind us of the early, kid-focused days of the Star Wars saga. The story finds four young people trying to get back to their home planet after stumbling upon a buried Jedi temple, then getting whisked away into the galaxy. Fans are trying to figure out how Jude Law's character Jod will factor into the story since he's not canon, but he appears to be Force-sensitive in the first trailer. We might feel like we're hanging over a precipice if it turns out to be one-and-done for the series.

Star Wars: Skeleton Crew

James Gunn steers this seven-episode animated series that is pretty much [i]Suicide Squad[/i], but this time Director Amanda Waller turns a group of actual-real monsters from prisoners into a black ops team who are dispatched on missions deemed too dangerous for humans. Gunn has championed the project since he took over at DC, and the series will officially kick off his DC Universe.

Creature Commandos

Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw team up for a London-set spy series from the creator of “Girl/Haji” that reads like it could live in the same universe as “The Diplomat.” We’re talking secret affairs, assassinations, and a nasty global conspiracy so daunting, Netflix renewed the series for Season 2 already.

Black Doves

It’s a return of the king in director Uberto Pasolini’s latest, but this reunion is far from triumphant. This retelling of Homer’s [q]The Odyssey[/q] starts near the end of the epic tale as King Odysseus (Ralph Fiennes) washes up on the shores of Ithaca after waging a 10-year war against Troy and spending as many years lost at sea. As the now-unrecognizable king attempts to reunite with his wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche) and son Telemachus (Charlie Plummer), standing in his way is a horde of power-hungry suitors who hope to marry Penelope and assume the throne. Speaking of reunions, this is the third time Fiennes and Binoche have shared the screen, first in 1992’s [i]Wuthering Heights[/i], and then in [i]The English Patient[/i], which earned Binoche an Oscar for Best Actress and Fiennes a nomination for Best Actor.

The Return

[link=/name/nm3324982/]Kyle Mooney[/link]'s take on what Y2K could have been like comes in the form of this sci-fi comedy backed by A24, and the results are absolutely ridiculous. Mooney, the [q]SNL[/q] vet who co-wrote and starred in [i][link=/title/tt5805752/]Brigsby Bear[/link][/i], shows no hesitation in throwing everything at the screen at once, and the jokes come fast in Evan Winter's script, stuffed with ‘90s jokes. And let’s be direct about this: There has never been enough [link=/name/nm5421877/]Julian Dennison[/link] in a movie since [i][link=/title/tt4698684/]Hunt for the Wilderpeople[/link][/i]. Hollywood, please find this man the starring role he deserves.

Blinky and the other Pac-Man ghosts will become carnivorous monsters in this animated anthology series comprised of 15 episodes, each an original story set within the world of a legendary video game. Mega Man, D&D, and the iconic miniature game Warhammer 40,000 will have dedicated episodes too. Picture what went went into securing rights from multiple video game publishers and making sure every studio is happy with the results. It’s an ambitious next step for Prime Video after [q]Fallout[/q] and a chance for creator/producer Tim Miller to rebound after [i]Borderlands[/i].

Secret Level

Jude Law and Nicolas Hoult face off in this true crime thriller about one FBI agent’s mission to take down a ring of white supremacist bank robbers in the Pacific Northwest. Justin Kurzel ([i]The Snowtown Murders[/i]) directs a script from Oscar and BAFTA nominee Zach Baylin ([i]King Richard[/i]), based on the non-fiction book [q]The Silent Brotherhood[/q] by Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt. In addition to Law and Hoult, the cast will include Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett, Alison Oliver, Odessa Young, and Marc Maron, among others.

The Order

After her one-two punch with [i]Can You Ever Forgive Me?[/i] and [i]A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood[/i], Marielle Heller found herself going a little bonks trying to get this script — an adaptation of Rachel Yoder's magical realism novel — ready to shoot. It pretty much boiled down to sleep deprivation from balancing the creative process with parenting her two young children by herself as her partner, writer/comedian Jorma Taccone, went back to on-set production. Her experiences nearly mirror the events of the novel, which sees Adams portray a stay-at-home mom who loses her sense of self so completely she begins to transform into a different kind of animal. We’re talking fur and extra nipples and everything.

Nightbitch

In her first role since 2021’s [i]Eternals[/i], Angelina Jolie emerges center-stage to portray renowned opera singer Maria Callas. Director Pablo Larraín is no stranger to tapping into the complex psyche of well-known women, as evidenced by his prior work on [i]Jackie[/i] and [i]Spencer[/i] — though you may be a fan for his more recent Oscar-nominated political-comedy [i]El Conde[/i]. He’s well-suited to shepherd Callas’ story to the big-screen, illustrating the many dimensions of the famed soprano’s life, punctuated by scandal and a high-profile rivalry with fellow opera singer Renata Tebaldi. Jolie stars alongside Kodi Smit-McPhee ([i]The Power of the Dog[/i]) and global talents Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, and Haluk Bilginer.

Maria

Sony further expands their Spider-Man universe with Aaron Taylor-Johnson starring as Kraven, the big-game hunter and frequent foe of everyone's favorite webslinger. Kraven teases started back in [i]The Amazing Spider-Man 2[/i] when Sam Raimi wanted the entire Sinister Six to make an appearance in the massive Spidey sequel. As you'd expect, everyone involved in the origin story dances around the question of whether Spider-Man will make an appearance in the movie, but Sony has to sense they have an opportunity to generate more enthusiasm for their Marvel movies during the MCU's rebuilding phase.

Kraven the Hunter

A footnote of a story told in J. R. R. Tolkein's novel gets forged into an animated movie from anime god Kenji Kamiyama, employing a visual style that will pay tribute to Peter Jackson's depiction of Middle-earth. The story reveals the history of the kingdom of Rohan and its then king, Helm Hammerhand, in his war with the Dunlendings, the wild men living on the fringes of the kingdom. If you're only a bit familiar with the lore, yes, Helm Hammerhand has a lot to do with Helm's Deep. And he was seen in statue form in [i][link=/title/tt0167261/]The Two Towers[/link][/i]. Since we're living in Tolkein Time, Gandalf, Galadriel, and others are alive, but they are not involved in this particular tale. However, we felt actual real emotions learning that Miranda Otto's Eowyn will narrate the story.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

Disney's latest new take on a classic tale is both a prequel and sequel to 2019's [i]The Lion King[/i] that travels back to a time in the Pride Lands when Mufasa was an orphan taken in by prince Taka and his family. If you aren't steeped in the lore, Taka eventually becomes Scar, and we're going to assume you know what happens between the prince and his chosen brother over time. Director Barry Jenkins brings together both familiar and new voices to tell a story he describes as taking place in parallel timelines – an elegant way of saying we’ll also follow Simba and Nala as they raise their daughter Kiara in the present day. The release closes out the year for Disney and their return to form box office, though it’s uncertain whether [i]Mufasa[/i] can match its predecessor’s $1.6 billion-dollar tally.

Mufasa: The Lion King

If one thing is for certain, people love Sonic the Hedgehog. The first two films in the video game adaptation franchise were a box office success, making a combined $725 million worldwide. This winter, director Jeff Fowler will attempt to catch lightning in a bottle once again with [i]Sonic the Hedgehog 3[/i]. Little is known about the plot for this third outing, but online rumors suggest the movie may take inspiration from [i]Sonic Adventure 2[/i], the 2001 platformer that sees Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles take on Dr. Robotnik’s new secret weapon: Shadow the Hedgehog. All of the main cast will reprise their roles, including James Marsden, Jim Carey, Ben Schwartz, Colleen O'Shaughnessey, and Idris Elba, while Keanu Reeves will join [i]Sonic 3[/i] to lend his voice to Shadow, in a move that seems to have delighted fans the world over.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

The Marvel multiverse series kicks off its third and final season with eight daily episode drops that wrap up season-spanning storylines while introducing even more permutations of our favorite superheroes. From Avengers in mech-suits and an Agatha Harkness musical number, to a team-up between Cowboy Shang-Chi and Kate Bishop, there is something for everyone this season. We just wish it wasn't the last.

What If...?

If there’s any reason to remake [i]Nosferatu[/i], we’re happy the project was at least trusted to Robert Eggers, the most obsessively detailed director since David Fincher. Eggers reteams with Willem Dafoe, who broke a section of the internet when we learned he was returning to the tale he immortalized in [i]Shadow of the Vampire[/i]. We’ll forever wonder what the version of the movie with Anna Taylor-Joy would have been like — she dropped out of the production to make [i]Furiosa[/i], with Lily-Rose Depp taking her place. Dafoe has said the reels he’s watched are visually like nothing he’s seen before — real fires, real rats, and more. To be honest, this is the only movie we really want for Christmas this year.

Nosferatu

Remember AMC’s [q]heartbreak feels good in a place like this[/q] lady? Well, this is her now – amazing as ever in [i]Bodies Bodies Bodies[/i] director Halina Reijn’s exploration of gender roles in the workplace. As she’s done in [i]Eyes Wide Shut[/i] and [i]To Die For[/i], Nicole Kidman in playing a powerful businesswoman having an affair with her intern (Harris Dickinson from [i]Triangle of Sadness[/i]) once again proves she’s our finest freak-flag-flying phenom in what could be seen as a modern-day [i]Disclosure[/i], but with a fresh twist on a story that hasn’t quite made up its mind about whether or not all this sex is as taboo as everyone claims. And by Reijn’s own design, [i]Babygirl[/i] will spark the best kind of discussions — uncomfortable ones with plenty of pitfalls. But, if we push through and embrace that awkward, unknown territory, we may learn a little more about ourselves at the other end. We learned that Reijn has an impeccable eye for character archetypes, like Antonio Banderas as Kidman’s slope-shouldered pushover of a husband and for Dickinson as a definitive Gen Z f-boy with more confidence than should be legal.

Babygirl

It’s been three years since the entire world cheered on Gi-hun (Lee Jung-jae) as he escaped a lethal game show and vowed to track down those responsible. Now, the unlikely hero returns to make good on his promise in Season 2, which sees Player 456 head back into the game with a whole new group of contestants ready to set their humanity aside for a chance at the grand prize. Prepare yourself for more tense conflicts, shocking reveals, and the return of Young-hee the murderous [q]Red Light, Green Light[/q] doll. The new season drops on December 26, and we can’t think of a better way to close out the holidays than with this grim exploration of greed, capitalism, and human perseverance.

Squid Game

Taylor Sheridan's [q]Yellowstone[/q] universe continues to expand, this time to West Texas oil country in [q]Landman.[/q] Inspired by the Texas Monthly podcast [q]Boomtown,[/q] the series explores the lives of a group of blue-collar oil workers and the billionaire executives who employ them. Billy Bob Thornton heads up the star-studded cast which includes Demi Moore, Jon Hamm, and Ali Larter. A second season has already been planned.

Landman

Based on the iconic '70s mystery novel by Frederick Forsyth and the Fred Zinnemann film that followed, Peacock's reimagining of [q]The Day of the Jackal[/q] sets the political thriller in the present and promises to keep you guessing over its 10-episode cat-and-mouse chase across Europe. Eddie Redmayne ([i]The Theory of Everything[/i]) stars as the titular assassin and Lashana Lynch ([i]Captain Marvel[/i]) takes on the role of Bianca, the British Intelligence officer determined to take him down. Good news for fans: Season 2 has been greenlit, with Redmayne confirmed to return.

The Day of the Jackal

[q]Yellowstone[/q] fans have been patiently waiting for the second half of Season 5 since January 2023, when the midseason ended with a [q]declaration of war[/q] as Jamie moved forward with his plan to remove John Dutton from office. Production on the back half of the season was supposed to be underway in March 2023, but cast scheduling issues, Hollywood labor disputes, and the news that series star Kevin Costner would not be returning all contributed to slowing down the conclusion of the series. Then the Season 5, Part 2 trailer dropped, and featured Costner prominently. Now that that is settled we can now ask if this really is the series finale? Rumors and reports indicate there’s a chance actors Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser are in talks to head up a sixth season.

Yellowstone

With this prequel series and a second revival series in the works, "Dexter" is sort of the "Yellowstone" of serial killer TV. "Original Sin" rewinds to Miami circa 1991 to show what shaped young Dexter Morgan and his take on vigilante justice. Patrick Gibson inherits the character from Michael C. Hall, though Hall will linger throughout the series as Dexter's inner voice. Christian Slater and Molly Brown co-star as Dexter's adoptive father and sister, and '90s kids will be excited to see Sarah Michelle Gellar as Dexter's new boss. Meanwhile, little is known about "Dexter: Resurrection," the second revival series coming next summer.

Dexter: Original Sin

[q]The Game Awards[/q] are back, promising another 3+ hours of trailer premieres, surprise announcements, awkward speeches, and nomination controversy. But whether you think the [q]Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree[/q] DLC shouldn't have scored a nomination for Game of the Year, or are furious that the Metroidvania hit [q]Nine Sols[/q] didn't get a single nod, we can all pretty much agree that 2024 was another stellar year for gaming with fan favorites like [q]Astro Bot,[/q] [q]Black Myth: Wukong,[/q] [q]Metaphor: ReFantazio,[/q] [q]Final Fantasy VII Rebirth,[/q] and so many more keeping us glued to the screen all year.

The Game Awards

Moana reunites with Maui after a mysterious call from her ancestors sets her off on a new high seas adventure. The sequel was inevitable, especially considering [i]Moana[/i] was the most streamed movie of 2023 — not bad for a movie that was released in 2016. Auli’i Cravalho heads up the returning voice cast alongside Dwayne Johnson, with Temuera Morrison as Chief Tui, Rachel House as Gramma Tala, and Alan Tudyk as Heihei the rooster. And did you know the live-action movie is filming currently?

Moana 2

If you’re new to the world of [i]Wicked[/i], here’s what you need to know. In 1995, author Gregory Maguire wrote the novel [q]Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West[/q], a revisionist origin story about Elphaba, the antagonist from Frank L. Buam’s [q]The Wizard of Oz.[/q] Then in 2003, the popular book was adapted into a Broadway musical that focused on the complicated relationship between Elphaba and her school roommate Glinda. Now, director John M. Chu is bringing this beloved fantasy tale to the silver screen with a musical movie starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande as the bewitching duo whose passion, talents, and personalities bring them together before fate takes them down very different paths.

Wicked

Twenty-four years after [i]Gladiator[/i] became Ridley Scott's biggest movie of his career to date and kicked off Russell Crowe's 2000s era, Scott returns to tell the story of Lucius Verus II, the nephew of Commodus in the original movie. Played by Paul Mescal in the much-anticipated sequel, Lucius walks a path similar to the man who inspired him as a boy: Russell Crowe's Roman general Maximus, who was enslaved by Lucius's power-mad uncle and forced to fight as a gladiator before leading a popular revolt against the emperor. Joseph Quinn and Fred Hechinger play Geta and Caracalla, co-emperors who look like they've only drank blood their entire lives (not a put-down), but all eyes are on the nascent relationship between Lucius and Macrinus, Denzel Washington's character who assumed the throne after Caracalla in actual-real Roman history. We're ready to get swept away by the wild, historically inaccurate delights the sequel has in store, like the Colosseum becoming the site of a sea battle and Mescal facing off against a pack of baboons.

Gladiator II

Get ready, [i]Dune[/i] heads, because we’re traveling way back in time for Max’s [q]Dune: Prophecy.[/q] Set 10,000 years before Paul Atreides’ arrival on Arrakis, the prequel series follows two Harkonnen sisters as their battle to protect humanity from outside threats leads to the formation of the Bene Gesserit. Devoted fans of the novels take note, the show’s story is inspired by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson’s novel [q]Sisterhood of Dune,[/q] rather than a direct adaptation.

Dune: Prophecy

You don’t need to be an anime fan or a gamer to appreciate the magic of Netflix's mega-hit [q]Arcane.[/q] Based on the online multiplayer game [q]League of Legends,[/q] the show is surprisingly accessible, with a gorgeous mix of 2D and 3D animation, compelling characters, and a rich narrative that tackles big ideas while staying grounded in human relationships. The first season won over critics and fans alike, scoring a 9.0 rating on IMDb and quietly winning a Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Animated Program. Season 2 finds conflict simmering between the [q]haves[/q] of utopian city Piltover and the [q]have-nots[/q] of the underground Zaun, but also between estranged sisters Jinx (Ella Purnell) and Vi (Hailee Steinfeld). Although the series concludes in this final season, Linke has teased there are more [q]League[/q] stories to tell.

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