Screen Time - December 2022

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While December is usually a steadier month when it comes to video games, the film, TV, and streaming industry tends to have a lot to offer as it capitalises on the holidays. So cosy up, brew some hot beverages, and chill out with a collection of interesting movies and series landing on streaming services and in theatres over the last month in 2022.

But before we get the last Screen Time of the year, a quick reminder. We've based our picks on a UK release calendar, so be sure to check around for accurate local dates and listings.

Violent Night - December 2

When you think of Santa Claus, a cheery large man with a white beard, all wrapped up in a red and white fluffy suit comes to mind, right? Well, in Violent Night, Father Christmas looks a little different and here he is getting his fangs out and stepping in to help protect a family who are under attack from a group of deadly mercenaries. Not quite the holiday tale you were expecting is it?

Slow Horses - Season 2 [Apple TV] - December 2

Apple TV is continuing its slate of interesting offerings this December by serving the second season of the Gary Oldman-led Slow Horses. This time we'll see Oldman back as Jackson Lamb, the rugged leader of the disgraced branch of MI5, as he and the crew team up to once again foil a plot that threatens global devastation, all in an effort of protecting civilians and attempting to prove their worth to the very intelligence agency that continues to sweep their existence under the rug.

Dragon Age: Absolution [Netflix] - December 9

The latest video game series to get an anime adaptation on Netflix, Dragon Age: Absolution tells the story of a collection of rebels and thieves as they team up to face off with one of Tevinter's most powerful beings, who just so happens to be in possession of a dangerous magical artefact. Starring a few names from the gaming space, including Ashly Burch (Aloy in the Horizon series) and Matthew Mercer (Cassidy in Overwatch), this show will serve as a fresh look at BioWare's iconic fantasy series.

Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio [Netflix] - December 9

You will definitely be familiar with the story of Pinocchio at this point, especially considering it was only back in September that we got Disney's own take on the fairy tale, but now the famed director Guillermo Del Toro is putting his own unique spin on it, as part of a stop-motion animated project with Netflix. With a stacked cast including the likes of Ewan McGregor, Ron Perlman, Cate Blanchett, Finn Wolfhard, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro, and more, this is one to keep an eye on.

National Treasure: Edge of History [Disney+] - December 14

Disney has managed to find ways to continue and expand many of its older IPs as of late, be it with long-awaited sequels or spinoffs, and the latter is precisely what National Treasure: Edge of History just so happens to be. Following Jess Valenzuela, this show sees the young explorer travelling and exploring the world as she unearths family history and looks to reclaim treasure that has been lost over time.

Sonic Prime [Netflix] - December 15

Sega's iconic blue hedgehog has been seeing a fair resurgence as of late, thanks to blockbuster live-action films and a game with a fresh take on the Sonic formula. To build on this interest, Sega and Netflix are teaming up on an animated series revolving around the Sonic the Hedgehog brand, which sees the speedster and his friends snapping to attention to help reconnect the multiverse, after Dr. Eggman shattered it during a recent conflict.

Avatar: The Way of Water - December 16

If there was one film you could pick to be the blockbuster of the month, it would unquestionably be Avatar: The Way of Water. This sequel to the highest grossing film of all-time takes us back to Pandora and picks up and follows Jake and Neytiri's family ten years after the events of the original, as they navigate the dangerous and truly awe-inspiring planet.

Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan - Season 3 [Prime Video] - December 21

John Krasinski's time as Jack Ryan is coming to an end. The movie star is hanging it up as one of Tom Clancy's most iconic characters, but only after one final season where Ryan must help prevent a third World War, which a group of Russians seem to be intending to start as they fight to preserve the USSR. Needless to say, lots of action seems to be on the cards.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery [Netflix] - December 23

If Avatar: The Way of Water is the month's blockbuster, then Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a close second. The follow-up to Rian Johnson's brilliant whodunnit sees Daniel Craig's famed detective, Benoit Blanc, heading to Greece to tackle a confounding case that started out as a silly murder mystery party. Arriving on Netflix, some theatre-goers may have already seen the film, as it opened in certain cinemas in late November.

The Witcher: Blood Origin [Netflix] - December 25

And to round out this year's batches of Screen Time is the prequel to Netflix's The Witcher series. Taking place over a millennia before Geralt of Rivia's time, The Witcher: Blood Origin looks to explore an elven world, and then subsequently the creation of the very first Witcher, who will be tasked with fighting back against the thriving monster populations that threaten life.

That's another year in the books. Be sure to keep an eye out as we near 2023, as we'll soon be looking at the biggest and most exciting movies and series coming to streamers and cinemas throughout the whole of next year.