Image Credit: Netflix, Vertical, AMC
There’s only three sleeps until Christmas, and there’s plenty to watch on Netflix this week. For NFL fans, we’ll be watching the second annual live NFL game on Netflix, and if you’re a fan of stranger thingsYou have a new batch of episodes leading up to the finale next week. For everyone else, there are plenty of new movies and series to look forward to.
On the elimination front this week, this is your last chance to see all the Transformers movies before they disappear on December 26th. This includes the 2007 original, revenge of the Fallen, dark of the MoonAnd age of extinctionAfter a two-year stint, the comedy series The Royals is departing Netflix again over the weekend,
We are still getting news of more movies and series coming in the first month of the year. You can find a list of everything happening in the US during January here.
The most anticipated new releases on Netflix this week
stranger things (Season 5 – Volume 2)
Coming to Netflix: Thursday evening
If you can believe it, it’s now been a month since Volume 1 was released, and it was a big part of the beginning of the final season of Stranger Things. There were big twists and surprises galore, and that will continue as we head toward the season finale that started during the New Year’s celebration. We won’t go into too much depth on what to expect from the next batch of episodes. Still, based on our sources, you can expect family revelations, scientific discoveries, big fights, reconciliations, hospital escapes, and a big plan coming together to bring down Vecna ​​once and for all.
One thing worth noting is that you won’t be able to watch the new episodes on Christmas morning, but like Volume 1, will have to wait until the evening to watch, with a primetime launch window of 5pm PST and 8pm EST (if you’re in the US, early morning for Europe).
countdown to stranger things 5
stranger things 5 section 1
stranger things 5 Volume 2
stranger things 5 the end
eden (2025)
coming to netflix: Tuesday
Based on a true story, renowned director Ron Howard brings to life the story of three groups of settlers hoping to call a small, dangerous island in the Galapagos Islands home. It doesn’t have a good supply of water, and dangerous creatures roam the island, but it turns out it’s not the island they need to fear; This is each other.
There’s a stacked cast, led by Jude Law and Vanessa Kirby in one corner, Daniel Brühl and Sydney Sweeney in the other, and Ana de Armas in the other.
After watching it (on Prime Video here in the UK), it was an enjoyable experience and it was easy to get to the end. I won’t be rushing out a rewatch any time soon, but the character dynamics between the three friendly (at least apparently) groups and the slow unraveling of everyone’s minds makes for a nice Christmas watch.
Sanctuary: A Witch’s Story (season 1)
coming to netflix: Friday
In what will be the final AMC addition to Netflix in 2025 (and there have been quite a few), we’ll see the debut of the fantasy series Sanctuary: A Witch’s StoryWhich will give you a brief window to know before new episodes of Season 2 air on AMC and AMC+. “Set in the contemporary world,” the synopsis further reads, “where witchcraft is real, Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale takes place in the idyllic English town of Sanctuary, where witches have lived peacefully as valued members of society for hundreds of years. Until…”
The series didn’t get a lot of coverage when it first released, so its Netflix debut is likely to add some new fans soon. The cast includes Eilish Liburd, Elaine Cassidy and Amy De Bruyn.
Complete list of what’s coming to Netflix this week
Coming to Netflix on Monday, December 22nd
- Carl the Collector (Season 1) – PBS Kids animated series. An autistic raccoon with a passion for collecting various items faces everyday adventures and challenges with a group of woodland friends.
- Elway (2025) Netflix Original – The definitive story of Denver Broncos quarterback John Elway.
- I DOLLY (Season 1 – New Episodes Weekly) – Korean drama series.
- Sicilian Express (Limited Series) Netflix Original – Italian Christmas comedy series.
- The Closer (seasons 1–7) – The crime drama stars Kyra Sedgwick as Brenda Leigh Johnson, an Atlanta-born deputy chief who leads the LAPD’s Priority Homicide Division with sharp interrogation skills.
Coming to Netflix on Tuesday, December 23rd
- Eden (2025) – Streaming premiere of this thriller starring Jude Law and Ana de Armas.
- King of Collectables: The Goldin’ Touch (Season 3) Netflix Original – Netflix docu-series.
- Say Yes to the Dress (Multiple Seasons) – Reality Series.
Coming to Netflix on Wednesday, Christmas Eve
- Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022) – The follow-up to the hit series sees the Crawley family split between a French villa mystery and a film shooting at the estate, directed by Simon Curtis and starring an entire cast including Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Maggie Smith and Elizabeth McGovern.
- Goodbye June (2025) Netflix Original – New drama directed by and starring Kate Winslet. As Christmas approaches, four adult siblings and their difficult father are thrown into emotional chaos due to the declining health of their mother, June, whom she meets on her own terms with sharp humor, candid honesty, and deep love.
- Tom Segura: Teacher (2025) Netflix Original – Stand-up comedy special.
Coming to Netflix on Christmas Day Thursday
- Christmas Game Day – Live NFL Games:
- Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders
- Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings
- Stranger Things (Season 5 – Volume 2) Netflix Original – The next batch of three episodes from the final season of Stranger Things.
- Best You Can Do (2025) – Romantic comedy starring Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick.
- Wrath of Man (2021) – A mysterious employee of an armored truck company surprises his coworkers by demonstrating his violent skills during an attempted robbery.
Coming to Netflix on Friday, December 26th
- Animal Control (Multiple Seasons) – Fox sitcom series starring Joel McHale and Vella Lowell. An officer and his colleagues deal with animals and humans at Seattle Animal Control.
- Cover-Up (2025) Netflix Original – Documentary based on the career of Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Seymour Hersh.
- Sanctuary: A Witch’s Story (Season 1) – AMC fantasy series.
Coming to Netflix on Saturday, December 27th
- The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (2024) – Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton describe this British drama as an uplifting story of self-discovery and the lesson of seizing the moment.
Coming to Netflix on Sunday, December 28th
- The Girl Who Got Away (2021) – Horror about a woman who survived a bloody childhood kidnapping attack finds her life threatened when the vicious serial killer who kidnapped her escapes custody.
What are you going to see during Christmas? Let us know in the comments below.