Zooey Deschanel and Charlie Cox star in Merv.
Photo: Prime Video

The year is finally coming to a merciful close, which means it’s time for a few weeks of wrapping gifts and zoning out in front of holiday movies new and old. This year’s crop of new streaming and cable holiday flicks and very special episodes has a few surprises to be found among the chunks of coal. We picked out ten of the most high-profile new streaming specials and movies on Netflix, Prime, Disney+, and more.

Tyler Perry, one of the most prolific filmmakers in the history of the form, is more of an industry than a director. His latest project, which he wrote, produced, and directed, went straight to Prime in early November but is meant to be watched all season. It stars Shannon Thornton as the title character, Joy, who is tired of her stressful NYC job and goes to Colorado to chase a crush named Colton (Aaron O’Connell) over the holiday season. More straightforward than your usual Perry flick, this is basically the filmmaker doing the Hallmark-holiday-movie thing for his own very loyal audience.

Now on Prime Video

Nick, Kevin, and Joe Jonas are staples of the Disney brand, staples of its record label and known for appearances on the channel as well as in both the Camp Rock movies and the show Jonas. They should have a ride at one of the parks, really. Maybe it would be based on this holiday adventure comedy that sees the Jonas guys trying to get home from a European tour but being cursed by Santa Claus. Seriously — cursed by Santa Claus. The Kris Kringle Curse sends them on a series of adventures as they learn the spirit of the holiday, brotherhood, and the meaning of home. Probably.

Now on Disney+

The biggest streaming service in the world has a gaggle of new holiday offerings to serve as background noise for the season, but the highest-profile one is probably this rom-com starring Alicia Silverstone. The Clueless star plays Kate, a woman who has gone through a recent divorce but wants one final big Christmas with her family. Then her ex-husband, Everett (Oliver Hudson), brings his new girlfriend to the party. Co-starring Jameela Jamil and cable-movie legend Melissa Joan Hart, this is another case of a streamer going for a little of that Hallmark-holiday-rom-com magic.

Now on Netflix

The first movie broke the record for the most-watched Apple original, which made a sequel inevitable. In the second Family Plan, assassin turned Everyman Dan (Mark Wahlberg) ends up sucked back into the family business when his half-brother (Kit Harington) decides to frame him for a bank robbery in London. Why is this action-comedy on a holiday-movie list? Because most of it takes place over the Christmas season as Dan drags his family along on the latest adventure, mostly so they can all be together over the holidays.

Now on Apple TV

Last year’s Hallmark hit Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story was a gigantic hit for the network, riding the wave of press for Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. So why not do it again? (Bills QB Josh Allen and Sinners star Hailee Steinfeld happen to be married, too, even if it doesn’t get the same media attention.) This holiday rom-com also plays the Bills Mafia cameo game, including appearances by head coach Sean McDermott, Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly, and current players like Dion Dawkins, Ray Davis, Dawson Knox, and Damar Hamlin. Allen must have been busy that week. (Note: Consider this entry a placeholder for the dozens of new Hallmark movies that can be found on the channel and the company’s streaming service. This season basically keeps them in business.)

Now on Hallmark+

The writers of Family Guy gathered around their Yule log to craft a spoof of projects like most of what’s in this guide, premiering exclusively on Hulu. In the special, Lois works for “Big Pie” and comes to town planning to steal Peter’s secret family recipe. It sounds like the setup to so many actual Hallmark and Lifetime holiday rom-coms, but it will probably have a few more offensive jokes than the latest Lacey Chabert joint.

Now on Hulu

A documentary! We don’t get many of those in holiday streaming guides, but we also don’t get a lot of movies about NYC Christmas-tree vendors. If you ever passed those lots and wondered if there was a story behind them or the families that run them, wonder no more. Directed by Celia Aniskovich, The Merchants of Joy follows five families in the Big Apple as they hustle and flow their way through the holiday season selling Christmas trees.

On Prime on December 1

One of the few entries on this list with an A-list cast and director, this Prime original was helmed by Michael Showalter, the Wet Hot American Summer star who directed Jessica Chastain to an Oscar for The Eyes of Tammy Faye. Working from a script he co-wrote, he tells the story of Claire (Michelle Pfeiffer), the matriarch of a clan that ends up forgetting her entirely over the holiday season. So what does she do? She takes off on her own adventure. This Prime exclusive co-stars Denis Leary, Felicity Jones, Chloe Grace Moretz, Dominic Sessa, and Jason Schwartzman.

On Prime on December 3

Zooey Deschanel and Charlie Cox co-star in this rom-com from director Jessica Swale about a depressed dog. When Russ and Anna split up, they discover that their dog, Merv, can’t handle the separation, and he starts to suffer from doggy depression. In an effort to cheer up the pouty pup, they take Merv on a vacation to Florida over the holidays and end up reconciling (probably — we’re just guessing here because we watch movies). Chris Redd and Patricia Heaton co-star.

On Prime on December 10

Netflix has such a strong slate of original programming this year with critical darlings like Jay Kelly, Frankenstein, and Train Dreams that its final new film of the year might be forgotten. Believe it or not, it’s the directorial debut of Oscar winner Kate Winslet, who co-wrote the script with her son, Joe Anders. Starring Toni Collette, Timothy Spall, Helen Mirren, Andrea Riseborough, and Winslet herself, it is the story of four siblings dealing with their dying mother over the holiday season. It has a limited theatrical run starting December 12 before its December 24 streaming launch.

On Netflix on December 24

➼ Bad Santa — HBO Max
➼ A Christmas Story — HBO Max, Hulu
➼ Die Hard — Hulu, Prime
➼ Elf — HBO Max
➼ The Family Stone — Hulu, Prime
➼ Gremlins — HBO Max
➼ Home Alone — Disney+
➼ Home for the Holidays — Paramount+
➼ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) — Peacock
➼ It’s a Wonderful Life — Prime
➼ Love Actually — Hulu
➼ Miracle on 34th Street (1947) — Disney+, Hulu, Prime
➼ The Muppet Christmas Carol — Disney+
➼ National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation — Hulu
➼ The Nightmare Before Christmas — Disney+
➼ Santa Claus: The Movie — Peacock
➼ The Santa Clause — Disney+
➼ Scrooged — Paramount+, Prime
➼ Spirited — Apple TV
➼ White Christmas — Prime