Among the many new movies coming to Montreal theatres this December are some of the best festival circuit titles of 2025.

Brazilian crowdpleaser The Secret Agent (Dec. 5) is one of them, a subversive spy thriller about ordinary resistance against the Brazilian regime in the 1970s — see my interview with director Kleber Mendonça Filho and lead actor Wagner Moura in these pages.

For documentary fans, Laura Poitras’s Cover-Up (Dec. 5) follows Seymour Hersh, a political journalist who has been on the front line of reporting for decades, and casts a wider net to examine journalism’s role within democracy. 

Based on the Stephen Sondheim musical, Merrily We Roll Along (Dec. 5) spans three decades as it examines the turbulent relationship between a composer and his two lifelong friends, a writer and a lyricist and playwright. The film stars Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff. 

The first Five Nights at Freddy’s was duller than a bread night, but maybe the sequel will be an improvement? Based on the popular horror game for kids, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 (Dec. 5) is set one year after the events of the first film, and the horrific night of violence has become a local urban legend. In a lore-heavy plot, the young Abby sneaks into Freddy’s and unwillingly sets into motion another night of horror where terrible dark secrets will be revealed.

Paul Feig’s The Housemaid (Dec. 19) is a psychological thriller adapted from Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel of the same name, starring Sydney Sweeney as a woman with a dark past and Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar as the wealthy couple who hire her as a live-in maid.

James Cameron continues to bid for a full takeover of all-time box-office records with another cinematic masterpiece (or abomination), Avatar: Fire and Ash (Dec. 19). Taking off after the action of the previous film, the conflict on Pandora escalates as Jake and Neytiri’s family encounter a new, aggressive Na’vi tribe. All the usual players are back: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Edie Falco and Jemaine Clement.

Resurrection (Dec. 19) — one of the best reviewed films of the year — is the latest from Chinese director Bi Gan, set in a society where people stop dreaming to extend their lifespan, while some dangerous individuals still dream, warping the fabric of time. 

Who doesn’t love SpongeBob? He’s back with The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (Dec. 19), ready for a seafaring adventure as he sets out to prove his bravery and go where no Sponge has gone before.

Winner of the public prize at TIFF, Park Chan-wook’s No Other Choice (Dec. 25) is an absurdist action-crime-thriller about a recently laid-off worker who tries to kill off his competition in a bid to get a new job. Park Chan-wook delivers one of the year’s most dynamic films, meeting the desperation of the moment with humour and cathartic violence.

One of our greatest living filmmakers, Jim Jarmusch, returns to the big screen with his triptych Father Mother Sister Brother (Dec. 24). The film tells three stories concerning the relationships between adult children and their somewhat distant parents. The all star cast includes Adam Driver, Cate Blanchette, Charlotte Rampling, Tom Waits and Vicky Krieps.

The Smashing Machine, Benny Safdie’s solo-directorial debut, crashed into cinemas in October. Now with Marty Supreme (Dec. 25), Josh Safdie gives his best solo effort in a different kind of sports movie, following young Marty Mauser as he pursues his dream of becoming a champion table-tennis player. Timothée Chalamet plays the lead with a supporting cast that includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Tyler, The Creator, Fran Drescher, Abel Ferrara, Penn Jillette and Kevin O’Leary (yuck). When all is said and done, which brother will reign supreme?

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson appear in the latest musical-tinted drama from Craig Brewer (Hustle & Flow), Song Sung Blue (Dec. 25), a film based on a true story of two down-on-their-luck musicians form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band, proving it’s never too late to find love and follow your dreams.

For something lighthearted, Paul Rudd and Jack Black star in the comedy-horror Anaconda (Dec. 25). The pair play old friends seeking to recapture their youth by travelling to the Amazon to film an amateur remake of the 1997 film Anaconda. Their project unravels when a real giant anaconda emerges, turning the light-hearted shoot into a perilous fight to stay alive

The second instalment of the recently revisited zombie franchise hits the big screen in the new year with 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple (Jan 16). Now with Nia DaCosta behind the lens, the film takes off after the events of the most recent film, following a new set of characters — the notorious Jimmy Crystal gang. 

Timur Bekmambetov has always been fascinated with cutting-edge technology and his latest film continues in that direction. Mercy (Jan. 23) is a sci-fi set in a not too distant future where a detective (Chris Pratt) faces trial for the alleged murder of his wife. With only 90 minutes to demonstrate his innocence, he must convince an advanced AI Judge (Rebecca Ferguson), a system he once supported, before it delivers a final verdict on his fate. ■

This article originally appeared in the December 2025 issue of Cult MTL. For Montreal cinema showtimes, please click here.

For more film and TV coverage, please visit the Film & TV section.