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The best movies on Peacock right now (December 2024)

A man stands over a woman's shoulder and smirks.
Universal Pictures

There’s good news for Peacock subscribers in December. While The Grinch is one of the new additions this month, Peacock itself did not go full Grinch by pulling most of last month’s titles. At least until the end of the year, the movie selection on Peacock is unusually robus,t with quality titles to choose from.

Speak No Evil, a horror film that debuted in theaters last summer, is the most prominent new addition in December. But action fans can embrace The Northman, while romance lovers have one of the best versions of Pride & Prejudice to look forward to. You can find these flicks and more in our complete roundup of the best movies on Peacock below. Remember: some films are only available to Peacock subscribers on the two premium tiers.

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Can’t find anything you like on Peacock? Lucky for you, we’ve also curated guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, and the best movies on Amazon Prime Video.

Speak No Evil (2024)

A man with an unsettling look on his face sits next to his smiling wife.
Universal Pictures

Vacation friends go terribly wrong in Speak No Evil, a remake of the 2022 film of the same name. Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis play an American couple, Ben and Louise Dalton, who are traveling through Italy with their daughter, Agnes (Alix West Lefler), when they meet a British couple, Paddy (James McAvoy) and Ciara (Aisling Franciosi), and their mute son, Ant (Dan Hough).

Paddy and Ciara are so charming that the Daltons accept their invitation to visit them at home in the English countryside. That’s where things start to go wrong. Once the Daltons are isolated, they notice strange and unsettling things about their newfound friends. And sneaking away early just isn’t an option, especially once Ben and Louise realize how much danger they’re in.

Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Genre: Horror
Stars: James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, Aisling Franciosi, Alix West Lefler, Dan Hough
Director: James Watkins
Rating: R
Runtime: 110 minutes

The Grinch (2018)

The Grinch in the process of stealing Christmas.
Universal Pictures

Unlike previous adaptations of Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, The Grinch‘s title character is never so bad that he comes off as mean for mean’s sake. Instead, the Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a wounded soul who is so haunted by the loneliness in his life that he strikes back at the Whos of Whoville because their love of Christmas reminds him of his old emotional wounds.

Meanwhile, young Cindy Lou Who (Cameron Seely) just wants to make Christmas easier for her single mother, Donna Who (Rashida Jones). That leads Cindy Lou to encounter the Grinch during his heist of a lifetime, which may change the course of his entire existence.

Rotten Tomatoes: 60%
Genre: Comedy
Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, Pharrell Williams
Director: Scott Mosier, Yarrow Cheney
Rating: PG
Runtime: 85 minutes

The Northman (2022)

Alexander Skarsgård and Anya Taylor-Joy ride across Iceland in The Northmen.
Focus Features

If the plot of The Northman seems familiar, it’s because the original legend of Amleth was one of the inspirations for William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Nosferatu director Robert Eggers made it a much bloodier affair with True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgård in the lead as Amleth, a Viking warrior and former prince.

When Amleth was young, his uncle, Fjölnir (Claes Bang), murdered Amleth’s father, King Aurvandill War-Raven (Ethan Hawke), and ran off with Amleth’s mother, Queen Gudrún (Nicole Kidman). As an adult, Amleth is set upon his path of revenge when he meets a sorceress, Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy), with whom he forms a relationship. But when it comes to seeing his vendetta through to the end, Amleth’s blood cries out for blood, and tragic consequences may follow.

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Genre: Action
Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh
Director: Robert Eggers
Rating: R
Runtime: 137 minutes

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen as Lizzie and Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice.
Universal Pictures

There have been several adaptations of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice, but the 2005 film by director Joe Wright is one of the most beloved. During the late 18th century, the pressure is on the Bennet family to find suitable matches for the daughters of Mr. Bennet (Donald Sutherland) and Mrs. Bennet (Brenda Blethyn). One of the most difficult to place is Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley), who resists a proposal even though it might have secured her family’s financial future.

Elizabeth is initially put off by Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), whom she continuously encounters during her sisters’ romantic entanglements. Their verbal sparring occasionally leaves Elizabeth angry, but there’s a spark between them that may be allowed to grow if they can both let their issues fall to the side.

Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
Genre: Romance, Drama
Stars: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone
Director: Joe Wright
Rating: PG
Runtime: 127 minutes

Twisters (2024)

Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell in Twisters.
Universal Pictures

Twisters does not have any major characters in common with the 1996 film that spawned the franchise, but it rode its flashy tornado special effects to summer box office gold in 2024. The story follows Kate Carter (Daisy Edgar-Jones), a woman whose dream to make tornadoes weaker goes horribly wrong and costs her the lives of most of her team and her boyfriend. Years later, Javi (Anthony Ramos) offers Kate a chance to earn some redemption by working alongside him on a research project.

Out in the field, Kate and Javi encounter a rival storm chaser, Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), who is a tornado social media influencer. Despite being initially repulsed by Tyler, Kate finds him to have deeper motivations than she suspected. But just as romantic sparks start to fly, both teams are endangered by a massive storm.

Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
Genre: Disaster
Stars: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Brandon Perea, Maura Tierney
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 122 minutes

Ted (2012)

Mark Wahlberg in Ted.
Universal Pictures

Through a fluke or some kind of miracle, a teddy bear named Ted (Seth MacFarlane) came to life when John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) was a child. The title character of Ted is the biggest reason why John has never really grown up, despite the wishes of his long-term girlfriend, Lori Collins (Mila Kunis).

When Ted finally goes too far, Lori makes John kick him out of their apartment. John just can’t quit being Ted’s best friend, even when it derails his life and threatens to ruin his romance with Lori by driving her to John’s rival, Rex (Joel McHale).

Rotten Tomatoes: 69%
Genre: Comedy
Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis, Seth MacFarlane, Joel McHale, Giovanni Ribisi
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Rating: R
Runtime: 106 minutes

King Kong (2005)

Naomi Watts being held by King Kong.
Universal Pictures

Peter Jackson fulfilled his ambition to remake King Kong thanks to the success of the Lord of the Rings movies. Jackson wisely kept the time period in 1933, the same year the original film came out. Naomi Watts has a charming turn as Ann Darrow, a struggling actress who accepts a job with filmmaker Carl Denham (Jack Black) and his expedition to Skull Island because she has no other prospects.

Ann and Carl’s screenwriter, Jack Driscoll (Adrien Brody), fall in love during the trip, but they face the first real test of their relationship on Skull Island. Kong (Andy Serkis in a motion-captured performance) isn’t the only threat waiting for them there. And Carl is determined to capture it all on film, even if it kills them all.

Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
Genre: Action, Adventure
Stars: Naomi Watts, Jack Black, Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann, Colin Hanks
Director: Peter Jackson
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 167 minutes

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

Mario and Luigi celebrating in The Super Mario Bros. Movie.
Universal Pictures

It took a few decades, but Nintendo finally got a film that recaptured the spirit of the games that inspired it. The Super Mario Bros. Movie was a massive success, both in theaters and on Netflix. Now that it’s back on Peacock, it’s bound to remain a perennial hit. The story mashes up several of the Nintendo games while introducing Mario (Chris Pratt) and Luigi (Charlie Day), a pair of ordinary plumbers from Brooklyn who find themselves transported to the Mushroom Kingdom.

Luigi is quickly captured by Bowser (Jack Black), a villain who wants to conquer the Mushroom Kingdom and marry its ruler, Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). But Peach isn’t feeling that romantic pairing, so she teams up with Mario and her subject, Toad (Keegan-Michael Key), to find new allies and rescue Luigi.

Rotten Tomatoes: 59%
Genre: Fantasy, Comedy
Stars: Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key
Director: Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic
Rating: PG
Runtime: 92 minutes

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2005)

Ron, Hermione, and Harry looking down in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Warner Bros. Pictures

The Harry Potter movies are back on Peacock, and the third film, The Prisoner of Azkaban, is widely recognized as the best in the series. It’s the third year in Hogwarts for Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and his friends Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint), and this trio are growing up fast even as the danger around them grows more intense.

Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) is the titular prisoner who has escaped from Azkaban. Word among the wizards is Sirius betrayed Harry’s late parents and he intends to finish the job by killing Harry. Young Harry thinks he’s ready for a fight with Black, but he’s unaware that someone has been pulling the strings the entire time.

Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Genre: Fantasy
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Rating: PG
Runtime: 131 minutes

Last Night in Soho (2021)

Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy in Last Night In Soho.
Focus Features

Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho is an unusual ghost story, as a young fashion student, Eloise “Ellie” Turner (Thomasin McKenzie), somehow finds her dreaming hours to be filled with vivid visions of a woman named Sandie (Anya Taylor-Joy), who wanted to be a singer in the ’60s. Ellie is so enthralled by Sandie that she models herself after her and takes inspiration from her fashions.

However, Ellie’s visions take a darker turn when she sees Sandie’s lover, Jack (Matt Smith), apparently murder her in the past. Ellie becomes obsessed with finding Jack and avenging Sandie, even as reality breaks down around her. There’s more than one ghost, which may drive Ellie completely out of her mind.

Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
Genre: Horror
Stars: Thomasin McKenzie, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Rita Tushingham, Michael Ajao
Director: Edgar Wright
Rating: R
Runtime: 116 minutes

The Fall Guy (2024)

Ryan Gosling as Colt Seavers wearing shades and leaning on a wall while looking to his left in The Fall Guy.
Universal Pictures

Coming off of his Oscar-nominated turn in Barbie, Ryan Gosling headlines The Fall Guy as Colt Seavers, a worn-down Hollywood stuntman who is ready to leave showbiz behind after suffering a severe injury. But he gets one last shot when his ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), needs his help on her directorial debut.

Jody doesn’t really want Colt around on her set, and more pressingly, her leading man, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), has gone missing. If Colt can’t track down Tom, Jody’s career as a director will be over before it begins. Yet there’s more to Tom’s disappearance than either Colt or Jody suspects. And it’s going to be a wild ride to get him back.

Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Genre: Action, Comedy
Stars: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer
Director: David Leitch
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 126 minutes

The Bikeriders (2024)

Tom Hardy and Austin Butler in The Bikeriders.
Focus Features

The Bikeriders raced through theaters like the law was on the trail of the titular motorcycle gang. That may not have been what Johnny Davis (Tom Hardy) intended when he formed The Vandals as a motorcycle club in the ’60s. Johnny assembles like-minded bikers including Benny (Austin Butler), who soon courts and marries Kathy (Jodie Comer).

Through the eyes of Kathy and photographer Danny Lyon (Mike Faist), we see the rise and fall of The Vandals. At times, Johnny’s creation threatens to spiral out of his control. And it’s going to take more than just words for Johnny to hold on to his authority over the gang.

Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
Genre: Drama
Stars: Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Norman Reedus
Director: Jeff Nichols
Rating: R
Runtime: 116 minutes

Marry Me (2023)

Owen Wilson and Jennifer Lopez in Marry Me.
Universal Pictures

Marry Me is based on an independent comic by Bobby Crosby that features Jennifer Lopez playing a very J.Lo-like pop star, Katalina “Kat” Valdez. With three failed marriages under her belt, Kat is ready to tie the knot again at one of her concerts to the latest love of her life, Bastian (Maluma). But when Kat discovers that Bastian was unfaithful before the ceremony on stage, she makes an impromptu decision to wed a man in the crowd who was holding a “Marry Me” sign.

The man in question is Charlie Gilbert (Owen Wilson), an unassuming teacher whose life is turned upside down when he accepts Kat’s offer to marry him. Rather than breaking off things quickly, they agree to stay together for a while. And without the glare of the media on them, Kat and Charlie start developing real feelings for each other, even if no one expects them to last.

Rotten Tomatoes: 61%
Genre: Romance, Comedy
Stars: Jennifer Lopez, Owen Wilson, Maluma, John Bradley, Chloe Coleman
Director: Kat Coiro
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 112 minutes

Farewell, My Lovely (1975)

Farewell My Lovely
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Raymond Chandler’s hard-boiled private detective, Philip Marlowe, isn’t exactly in vogue anymore. But the classics never truly go out of style. In the 1975 adaptation of Chandler’s Farewell, My Lovely, Robert Mitchum steps into the role of Philip as he finds himself in the midst of two difficult cases that may be related.

In the first, a bank robber named Moose Malloy (Jack O’Halloran) hires Phillip to find his missing girlfriend, Velma (Charlotte Rampling). In the second case, Phillip is helpless to prevent the murder of his client, Lindsay Marriott (John O’Leary). Not even police intimidation can keep Phillip from finding answers and solving the mystery.

Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
Genre: Mystery, Suspense
Stars: Robert Mitchum, Charlotte Rampling, John Ireland, Sylvia Miles, Anthony Zerbe
Director: Dick Richards
Rating: R
Runtime: 95 minutes

Topics
Blair Marnell

Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek Monthly, SYFY Wire, Superhero Hype, Collider, DC Universe, and the official sites for Star Trek and Marvel. He also lends his pop culture expertise to Digital Trends on a variety of TV, movie, and streaming features.

Jason Struss
Section Editor, Entertainment

Jason Struss joined Digital Trends in 2022 and has never lived to regret it. He is the current Section Editor of the Entertainment vertical and heads a team of over a dozen writers, editors, coordinators, and assorted hangers-on. When he’s not busy editing and writing, you can find him tending to his meticulously planned content schedule or dreaming up new ways to get more eyeballs to the site.

Jason’s love for cinema started when he was 10 years old. Saddled with a nasty cold, he was forced to stay home from school for a full week. To pass the time, he watched a marathon of classic Alfred Hitchcock films on Cinemax and the rest is history. He furthered his film education by raiding used bookstores to read dusty old film criticism volumes and salacious movie star biographies. His real education included studying at Whitman College and then Syracuse University, where he won a student Emmy for producing a truly terrible television series.

His career began at Marvel Entertainment, where he worked in the Digital Products department, and then DC Comics, where he worked in publishing and content strategy. He then worked at Warner Bros. and Screen Rant.

Jason currently resides in Seattle but has yet to appear in a Cameron Crowe movie. He loves hot coffee with cream and sugar, video games, bread, napping, and movies (duh), but not necessarily in that order. His favorite movies are The Thing, All About Eve, The Ice Storm, Rear Window, Heat, The Cranes are Flying, Belle de Jour, Showgirls, and Clue. He thinks Mad Men is genius, still watches Seinfeld twice a week, and likes listening to shoegaze music, podcasts, and Lana Del Rey. If you see him on the street, please, for the love of God, do not engage in conversation with him.

The best fantasy movies on Netflix right now
Kate Beckinsale and Hugh Jackman in Van Helsing.

Finding great fantasy movies on Netflix is a bit of a fantasy in and of itself. The king of the streamers neglects this category, and it also relies heavily on Universal Pictures' catalog to bail out its shortcomings. That's why it's The Scorpion King and Van Helsing's turn to be on this list while Conan the Barbarian waits for yet another Netflix return.

The Scorpion King and Van Helsing aren't bad movies, but fantasy fans deserve a better selection from Netflix than films that are two decades old. Even this month's third addition, The Covenant, is closing in on 20 years. Netflix has made some original fantasy movies of its own, but not lately. For the most part, the best fantasy movies on Netflix are pretty stagnant. But when something new arrives, we'll be here to add it to the list.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.

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The best kids movies on Netflix right now
SpongeBob SquarePants and Sandy Cheeks in Saving Bikini Bottom.

Whether you're just trying to make it through the next few weeks or you're already thinking about Thanksgiving, it's good to know the best kids movies on Netflix right now. Whether you need a distraction or you're hosting friends and family, Netflix offers a host of quality kid-friendly flicks. Of course, you want to know that your kid isn't watching garbage, which is why we made this Cliff Notes-esque list for you. Every month, we scan the collection and highlight the most worthwhile kids' movies.

Although it's a slow month, Netflix does add new family-friendly originals in Spellbound, as well as Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie. Read on for our picks of the best kids movies on Netflix now.

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The best dramas on Netflix right now
Manuel García-Rulfo as Pedro Páramo looking at the camera with floating bodies behind him in Netflix's Pedro Páramo.

Spooky season is over, which means we are entering the entertainment industry's favorite time of the year: the holidays. And with it comes awards season. What better time to check out the best dramas on Netflix, many of which will hope to make a splash in the 2024-2025 Oscar season? This month alone, Netflix has the Oscar hopefuls Emilia Pérez and The Piano Lessen scheduled, meaning many surprises await Netflix subscribers in the drama department. Netflix caters to all tastes and ensures quality by recruiting some of modern Hollywood's most acclaimed auteurs. On any given day, you can find masterpieces from Scorsese and Cuarón while browsing Netflix.

Beyond the new arrivals and awards fare, the best dramatic movies on Netflix offer a mix of searing romantic tales, intense family dramas, passionate romances, tragic tales of woe, and a few small-scale, yet no less worthy movies. Although Netflix has a wide and diverse collection of quality films, it might be difficult for you to choose just one. Some are not as high in quality as others. To save you some time and effort, we've compiled a list of the best dramas on Netflix right now.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.

Read more