And just like that, December is upon us, which means that alongside festive flicks galore, Netflix is gifting us a brilliant new slate of TV shows and original films to hunker down with during the cold winter days.

This month, there are a stream of hotly anticipated films to put in the calendar, including Benedict Cumberbatch’s gothic western The Power of the Dog, Sandra Bullock’s tear-jerker The Unforgivable, and Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio’s end of the world comedy Don’t Look Up. 

TV fans are assured plenty of escapism with the new releases this month, too. Not only can we look forward to the second season of fantasy series The Witcher and the powerful adaptation of the Harlan Coben thriller Stay Close, but Emily In Paris is back to entertain us with her fabulous adventures around the City of Light.

Happily, all the small screen entertainment will be gradually released on Netflix across the month, so there’s no need to fight it out over the remote.

With that in mind, browse our pick of all the best releases on Netflix UK this December, so you can plan your viewing schedule in good time.

Please note that this article will be updated regularly to include new titles.

The Power Of The Dog – December 1

Tipped for Oscar glory, The Power Of The Dog is director Jane Campion’s first feature film in more than 10 years, and follows the story of alpha male rancher Phil Burbank (played by Benedict Cumberbatch) in 1925 Montana, who comes to blows with his younger, milder brother George (Jesse Plemons) when he unexpectedly marries the widowed owner of a nearby hotel, Rose (Kirsten Dunst). It’s a gothic melodrama simmering with sibling rivalry, repression, and longing – plus, who doesn’t love a never-saw-that coming transformation?

Lost In Space – December 1

Sci-fan fans, assemble: Lost In Space is returning for its last mission, with all 10 episodes of the third season dropping at the start of December. A revival of the classic 60s sci-fi series, the epic finale of the drama sees the space colonist Robinson family fight to survive as they head to another new planet. 

Single All The Way – December 2

Ready for a heartwarming LGBTQ+ romcom? Enter Single All The Way, which tells the story of Peter (played by Michael Urie), who persuades his best friend Nick (Philemon Chambers) to pose as his boyfriend on a visit home for the holidays. But, soon enough, the fake romance plot begins to unravel, as Peter’s interfering parents have plans of their own involving matchmaking their son with a hunky gay spin instructor. 

Not only can viewers expect, in the words of Urie, “pageantry, wine, hunky Santas, a little bit of deception and a whole lotta do-gooding”, but we also get certified icon Jennifer Coolidge in the mix as Peter’s eccentric Aunt Sandy. What’s not to love?

The Whole Truth – December 2

This chilling film follows the horrifying incidents that unravel when two siblings stumble across a strange hole in the wall of their grandparents’ house.

Money Heist: Season 5 – December 3

After five action-packed seasons of Money Heist (La Casa De Papel), the Spanish phenomenon (65 million households tuned in to watch part 4 within the first month) is back with the second half of the fifth season. In the trailer for the final entry in the series, we see the heist crew arguing over how to escape the building surrounded by police, and what to do with all the gold. Check out the trailer below.

The Unforgivable – December 10

After her smash hit Netflix original movie Bird Box in 2018, Sandra Bullock returns to the streaming platform with The Unforgivable, a story about a woman named Ruth Slater (Bullock) recently released from jail after serving time for a violent crime. But when she tries to get her life back on track, and reunite with the estranged younger sister she was forced to leave behind, she learns society may never grant her the redemption she so desperately craves. 

How To Ruin Christmas: Season 2 – December 10

After debuting in December last year, South African wedding comedy How To Ruin Christmas is back with more family drama, laughs and unsolicited monologues. Following the messy yet relatable family dramas of the Twalas and the Sellos, who are now bound in matrimony, the follow-up sees Christmas celebrations go awry after “an unexpected occurrence shakes both families and sees them banding together to make the most of a very unfortunate situation”, according to a Netflix statement. Because what is Christmas, really, without a bit of family drama?

The Hand Of God – 15 December

Tipped as a frontrunner at the Oscars, this much-hyped coming-of-age film from award-winning Italian writer and director Paolo Sorrentino tells the story of a young boy growing up in Naples during the 1980s who experiences heartbreak and liberation after he’s inadvertently saved from a freak accident by football legend Diego Maradona. We’re getting major Call Me By Your Name vibes from the images alone.

The Witcher: Season 2 – 17 December

The Witcher is finally back with its fantastical second season, as Henry Cavill returns as the monster-hunting Geralt of Rivia.

“Convinced Yennefer’s (Anya Chalotra) life was lost at the Battle of Sodden, Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill) brings Princess Cirilla to the safest place he knows, his childhood home of Kaer Morhen,” the synopsis reads.

“While the Continent’s kings, elves, humans and demons strive for supremacy outside its walls, he must protect the girl from something far more dangerous: the mysterious power she possesses inside.”

Emily In Paris – 22 December

Look, admit it: everyone will be binge-watching Emily In Paris when the 20-something social media manager returns for more adventures in the French capital. This time around, Emily’s personal life is getting complicated thanks to the awkward love triangle involving her neighbour and French friend, while her wardrobe is growing ever more fabulous. 

Don’t Look Up – 24 December 

Boasting a star-studded cast that includes Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Cate Blanchett and Mark Rylance – alongside Oscar nominees Timothée Chalamet and Jonah Hill – Don’t Look Up is the highly-anticipated blockbuster on everyone’s watch list this winter.

The sci-fi comedy follows as astrology grad student Kate Dibiasky (Jennifer Lawrence) and her professor, Dr. Randall Mindy (Leonardo DiCaprio), who make the shocking discovery that a deadly comet is on a direct collision course with Earth. So together, the pair embark on a giant media tour to warn mankind and save the universe, visiting everyone from an indifferent US president (played by Meryl Streep) to a cheery morning TV show in an attempt to get the world to look up before it’s too late.

Cobra Kai: Season 4 – 31 December

After the cliffhanger of the season 3 finale, the latest chapter of The Karate Kid spin-off series will reveal if Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso will be able to bury their decades-long hatchet and work together to defeat their enemy John Kreese.

Stay Close – 31 December

Calling all fans of The Stranger and Safe, stay tuned for Netflix’s upcoming crime drama Stay Close on New Year’s Eve. Based on Harlan Coben’s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name and starring Cush Jumbo, James Nesbitt, Richard Armitage and Sarah Parish, the twisty-turny thriller follows three people who are all struggling to contain dark secrets.   

“Three people living comfortable lives each conceal dark secrets that even the closest to them would never suspect; Megan (Jumbo), a working mother of three; Ray (Armitage), the once promising documentary photographer, now stuck in a dead-end job pandering to celebrity-obsessed rich kids, and Broome (Nesbitt), a detective who’s unable to let go of a missing person’s cold case,” the synopsis reads.

“As the past comes back to haunt them, threatening to ruin their lives and the lives of those around them, what will be their next move?”

Queer Eye: Season 6 - 31 December

The Fab Five are returning for Season 6 on New Year’s Eve and this time, they’re in Texas. The reality makeover show halted production due to the pandemic but they were able to resume filming in spring of this year. Hopefully, the new season will bring all the feel-good moments we need for the new year.

The Lost Daughter - 31 December

Love a literary adaptation? You’re going to want to watch The Lost Daughter. Featuring a star-studded cast including Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley, the film is adapted from a 2006 Elena Ferrante novel of the same name. The film is directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, her directorial debut, and it’s already achieved a rare 100% rating on the reviews site Rotten Tomatoes. Let’s just say, it’s one to add to your calendar.

Images: Netflix