What’s on in Irish cinemas? The biggest movie releases for December 2024

November was a pretty gargantuan month at the movies, with Paul Mescal’s star turn in Gladiator II taking up most of the headlines. That’s before you even get to the likes of Paddington in Peru, Moana, Wicked, and Cillian Murphy’s Small Things Like These.

It got us thinking about what’s ahead, so we took a look at what’s in store for December.

Mufasa: The Lion King

Admit it, how many times in your life have you lifted a puppy or kitten and pretended you were atop Pride Rock? The original 1994 classic is so iconic that everyone would instantly get the reference, and any chance of making your pup king of everything the light touches is one worth taking.

The latest chapter in the beloved story focuses on the OG king Mufasa. It’s got a fantastic cast as well, with Beyoncé, Mads Mikelson and Seth Rogan all on the call sheet.

Release date: Friday, 20 December.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

Any movie good enough to bring Jim Carey out of his semi-retirement is good enough for me. The legendary comic is back to play Dr Robotnik, which is a role so perfectly pantomime that no one else should ever be allowed to play him again.

The third instalment of the franchise sees our favourite hedgehog come up against a new nemesis called Shadow, played by some guy called Keanu Reeves. I think he’s been in one or two movies, and might be known as something of a legend both on and off the screen.

Release date: Saturday, 21 December.

Kraven the Hunter

A family-friendly Christmas movie this is not. This R-rated origin story looks jam packed with action and violence, so expect this cult hero to step out with a bang.

It centres around how Kraven’s complicated relationship with his strict father, played by Russell Crowe, leads to his eventual transformation into the world’s greatest hunter. It probably won’t take all that long to work out why he’s also the most feared.

Release date: Friday, 13 December

The Lord of the Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim

Is there any movie trilogy (since the 2000s anyway) as beloved as The Lord of The Rings? From the iconic soundtrack and cinematography to its hugely ambitious scale and set design, it's something that will probably never happen again in cinema.

What JRR Tolkien created however is a deep world with its own history and countless stories to tell, and this latest chapter is directed by Kenji Kamiyama and presented by none other than Peter Jackson. Set 183 years before the original trilogy, this animated movie is set in the kingdom of Rohan (yeah, the badass guys on horses) and tells the story of the House of Helm Hammerhand.

Release date: Friday, 13 December

Better Man

No, this is not a Planet of the Apes spin-off where Caesar becomes a rock star. This movie is essentially the biography of English pop star Robbie Williams, but with an actual CGI monkey in the leading role.

Imagine being in the board room where this idea was first pitched. It's such a bonkers way to tell a story that it just might work, so if you fancy a cinema trip on Stephen's Day this could be just the ticket.

Release date: Thursday, 26 December