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Best New Christmas Movies of 2024

Here at Rotten Tomatoes, we deck our halls year-round with reds and greens, and now the season aligns with us as we unwrap the best new Christmas movies of 2024! The list begins with Certified Fresh films, including famous last names shindig Christmas Eve at Miller’s Point (On Spielberg! On Scorsese! On…Turkington?), sordid stocking stuffer Terrifier 3, and holiday travel thriller Carry-On.

Frothy Fresh films march in next, like Netflix’s Hot Frosty and Meet Me Next Christmas, Disney+’s detailed animation An Almost Christmas Story, and new favorite The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

Rotten movies round out the guide, including Ben Stiller’s Nutcrackers, Jack Black’s Dear Santa, and Red One. That Dwayne Johnson & Chris Evans action/comedy may have ended up on the critics’ naughty list, but audiences were pleased with what they received, smacking it with a Verified Hot award.

And the best new Christmas movies list is the gift that keeps on giving as we extend back through 2023’s holiday movies, including Eddie Murphy’s Candy Cane Lane, and specials for Batman, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and The Bad Guys. Just like with the 2024 entries, it’s Certified Fresh films first, and we’re also including movies with Popcornmeter scores, but nothing yet on the Tomatometer.

2024 Holiday Movies Ranked

#1

Carry-On (2024)
Tomatometer icon 87% Popcornmeter icon 55%

#1
Adjusted Score: 91253%
Synopsis: A young TSA agent fights to outsmart a mysterious traveler who blackmails him into letting a dangerous package slip onto... [More]
Starring: Taron Egerton, Sofia Carson, Jason Bateman, Danielle Deadwyler
Directed By: Jaume Collet-Serra

#2
#2
Adjusted Score: 81766%
Synopsis: In CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER’S POINT, a rambunctious extended family descends upon their small Long Island hometown for the holidays.... [More]
Starring: Michael Cera, Elsie Fisher, Maria Dizzia, Sawyer Spielberg
Directed By: Tyler Taormina

#3

Terrifier 3 (2024)
Tomatometer icon 77% Popcornmeter icon 85%

#3
Adjusted Score: 84227%
Synopsis: After surviving Art the Clown's Halloween massacre, Sienna and her brother are struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the... [More]
Starring: David Howard Thornton, Lauren LaVera, Samantha Scaffidi, Chris Jericho
Directed By: Damien Leone

#4

An Almost Christmas Story (2024)
Tomatometer icon 100% Popcornmeter icon 0%

#4
Adjusted Score: 55313%
Synopsis: "An Almost Christmas Story" follows Moon, a curious young owl who unexpectedly finds himself stuck in a Christmas tree destined... [More]
Starring: Cary Christopher, Estella Madrigal, Jim Gaffigan, Natasha Lyonne
Directed By: David Lowery

#5
#5
Adjusted Score: 95283%
Synopsis: The Herdmans are absolutely the worst kids in the history of the world. They lie, they steal, they bully... and... [More]
Starring: Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, Molly Belle Wright, Lauren Graham
Directed By: Dallas Jenkins

#6

Carnage for Christmas (2024)
Tomatometer icon 89% Popcornmeter icon 0%

#6
Adjusted Score: 89252%
Synopsis: When true-crime podcaster and sleuth transwoman Lola visits her hometown at Christmas for the first time since running away and... [More]
Starring: Chris Asimos, Dominique Booth, Lewi Dawson, Olivia Deeble
Directed By: Alice Maio Mackay

#7

Merry Christmas (2024)
Tomatometer icon 85% Popcornmeter icon 82%

#7
Adjusted Score: 85383%
Synopsis: Two strangers meet on a fateful Christmas Eve, but a night of romance soon becomes a nightmare.... [More]
Starring: Vijay Sethupathi, Katrina Kaif, Ashwini Kalsekar, Radhika Apte
Directed By: Sriram Raghavan

#8

Hot Frosty (2024)
Tomatometer icon 76% Popcornmeter icon 53%

#8
Adjusted Score: 77558%
Synopsis: Two years after losing her husband, Kathy magically brings a handsome snowman to life! Through his naïveté, the snowman helps... [More]
Starring: Lacey Chabert, Dustin Milligan, Katy Mixon, Lauren Holly
Directed By: Jerry Ciccoritti

#9
#9
Adjusted Score: 48545%
Synopsis: Christmas at a roadkill collection company gets bloody as employees are killed off one by one by an evil reindeer... [More]
Starring: Key Tawn Toothman, Trevor Vincent Farney, Kaemie McCanless, Mark Mannette
Directed By: Shane Wallace

#10

Meet Me Next Christmas (2024)
Tomatometer icon 69% Popcornmeter icon 53%

#10
Adjusted Score: 62008%
Synopsis: In pursuit of a fairytale romance with the man of her dreams, Layla must race through New York City to... [More]
Starring: Christina Milian, Devale Ellis, Mitch Grassi, Scott Hoying
Directed By: Rusty Cundieff

#11

That Christmas (2024)
Tomatometer icon 66% Popcornmeter icon 73%

#11
Adjusted Score: 67833%
Synopsis: Based on the charming trilogy of children's books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral,... [More]
Starring: Brian Cox, Fiona Shaw, Jodie Whittaker, Bill Nighy
Directed By: Simon Otto

#12

Sweethearts (2024)
Tomatometer icon 65% Popcornmeter icon 48%

#12
Adjusted Score: 65590%
Synopsis: Two college freshmen make a pact to break up with their high school sweethearts over Thanksgiving break, leading them on... [More]
Starring: Kiernan Shipka, Nico Hiraga, Caleb Hearon, Tramell Tillman
Directed By: Jordan Weiss

#13

The Merry Gentlemen (2024)
Tomatometer icon 44% Popcornmeter icon 23%

#13
Adjusted Score: 44106%
Synopsis: To save her parents' small-town performing venue, a former big-city dancer decides to stage an all-male, Christmas-themed revue.... [More]
Starring: Britt Robertson, Chad Michael Murray, Marla Sokoloff, Marc Anthony Samuel
Directed By: Peter Sullivan

#14

Our Little Secret (2024)
Tomatometer icon 36% Popcornmeter icon 53%

#14
Adjusted Score: 37281%
Synopsis: Two resentful exes are forced to spend Christmas under the same roof after discovering that their current partners are siblings.... [More]
Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Ian Harding, Kristin Chenoweth, Jonathan Rudnitsky
Directed By: Stephen Herek

#15

Nutcrackers (2024)
Tomatometer icon 47% Popcornmeter icon 52%

#15
Adjusted Score: 49802%
Synopsis: A strait-laced man finds his life suddenly upended when he becomes the caregiver for his rambunctious, orphaned nephews.... [More]
Starring: Ben Stiller, Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker
Directed By: David Gordon Green

#16

Red One (2024)
Tomatometer icon 30% Popcornmeter icon 90%

#16
Adjusted Score: 41099%
Synopsis: After Santa Claus -- Code Name: RED ONE -- is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must... [More]
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons, Lucy Liu
Directed By: Jake Kasdan

#17

Dear Santa (2024)
Tomatometer icon 24% Popcornmeter icon 41%

#17
Adjusted Score: 24455%
Synopsis: When a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, a devilish Jack Black... [More]
Starring: Jack Black, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Post Malone
Directed By: Robert Farrelly

2023 Holiday Movies Ranked

#1

Merry Little Batman (2023)
Tomatometer icon 96% Popcornmeter icon 72%

#1
Adjusted Score: 96683%
Synopsis: This Christmas, Damian Wayne wants to be a superhero like his dad--the one and only Batman. When Damian is left... [More]
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Luke Wilson, David Hornsby, James Cromwell
Directed By: Mike Roth

#2
#2
Adjusted Score: 36054%
Synopsis: The winter holidays are turning out to be especially stressful for Greg Heffley this year. After accidentally damaging a snowplow... [More]
Starring: Wesley Kimmel, Erica Cerra, Hunter Dillon, Spencer Howell
Directed By: Luke Cormican

#3

Silent Night (2023)
Tomatometer icon 59% Popcornmeter icon 50%

#3
Adjusted Score: 65391%
Critics Consensus: Silent Night reaffirms that an action movie doesn't need much dialogue if the set pieces are solid enough -- and that even second-tier John Woo can be worth the price of admission.
Synopsis: A gritty revenge tale of a tormented father who witnesses his young son die when caught in a gang’s crossfire... [More]
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Scott "Kid Cudi" Mescudi, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Harold Torres
Directed By: John Woo

#4

Your Christmas or Mine 2 (2023)
Tomatometer icon 50% Popcornmeter icon 45%

#4
Adjusted Score: 24039%
Synopsis: It’s the most wonderful time of the year … but will it be for James and Hayley? James’ father has... [More]
Starring: Asa Butterfield, Cora Kirk, Angela Griffin, Natalie Gumede
Directed By: Jim O'Hanlon

#5

Candy Cane Lane (2023)
Tomatometer icon 46% Popcornmeter icon 45%

#5
Adjusted Score: 49327%
Critics Consensus: Candy Cane Lane gets credit for its willingness to get weird, but in most other respects, this Eddie Murphy-led holiday comedy is a dead end.
Synopsis: Eddie Murphy stars in this holiday comedy adventure about a man on a mission to win his neighborhood's annual Christmas... [More]
Starring: Eddie Murphy, Jillian Bell, Tracee Ellis Ross, Thaddeus J. Mixson
Directed By: Reginald Hudlin

#6

Family Switch (2023)
Tomatometer icon 45% Popcornmeter icon 43%

#6
Adjusted Score: 45743%
Synopsis: Jess and Bill Walker are doing their best to keep their family connected as their children grow older, more independent,... [More]
Starring: Jennifer Garner, Ed Helms, Emma Myers, Matthias Schweighöfer
Directed By: McG

#9

EXmas (2023)
Tomatometer icon 41% Popcornmeter icon 60%

#9
Adjusted Score: 41022%
Synopsis: When Graham decides to surprise his family by traveling home for Christmas, he is shocked to discover them already celebrating... [More]
Starring: Leighton Meester, Robbie Amell, Michael Hitchcock, Kathryn Greenwood
Directed By: Jonah Feingold

#7
#7
Adjusted Score: -1%
Synopsis: Overwhelmed by Christmas events and a surprise visit from her parents, photographer Dani asks lawyer Amelia for help. Pretending to... [More]
Starring: Humberly González, Ali Liebert, Gabriela Reynoso, Christopher Shyer
Directed By: Anne Wheeler

#8

Heaven Down Here (2023)
Popcornmeter icon 83%

#8
Adjusted Score: -1%
Synopsis: An overwhelmed waitress, along with a pastor, a hospice nurse, and a manager, all desperately in need of a Christmas... [More]
Starring: Krystal Joy Brown, Tina Lifford, Juan Riedinger, Richard Harmon
Directed By: Anne Wheeler

#9

Holiday Twist (2023)
Popcornmeter icon 82%

#9
Adjusted Score: -1%
Synopsis: HOLIDAY TWIST centers on a high-powered female executive and Grinchy workaholic CEO (Kelly Stables), whose whole world comes crashing down... [More]
Starring: Kelly Stables, Neal McDonough, Sean Astin, James Maslow
Directed By: Stephanie Garvin

#10

Elf Me (2023)
Popcornmeter icon 46%

#10
Adjusted Score: -1%
Synopsis: An unconventional elf and a shy boy meet and discover the value of friendship.... [More]
Starring: Pasquale Petrolo, Federico Ielapi, Anna Foglietta, Caterina Guzzanti
Directed By: Younuts

#11
#11
Adjusted Score: -1%
Synopsis: A young couple preparing to welcome their first child; an empty-nester and her fiancé ready to start a new chapter;... [More]
Starring: Catherine Bell, Jonathan Bennett, John Brotherton, Erin Cahill
Directed By: Gail Harvey

#12
#12
Adjusted Score: -1%
Synopsis: Mr. Wolf and his crew of animal outlaws realize they'll need to restore the city's Christmas spirit to keep their... [More]
Starring: Michael Godere, Ezekiel Ajeigbe, Raul Ceballos, Chris Diamantopoulos
Directed By: Bret Haaland

#13

Christmas as Usual (2023)
Popcornmeter icon 31%

#13
Adjusted Score: -1%
Synopsis: To celebrate their engagement, Thea takes Jashan home, but his Indian roots and her family's Norwegian traditions clash in a... [More]
Starring: Ida Ursin-Holm, Kanan Gill, Marit Andreassen, Mads Sjøgård Pettersen
Directed By: Petter Holmsen

#14
#14
Adjusted Score: -1%
Synopsis: A Mexican father's Christmas celebration goes from merry to messy when his daughter shows up with her new boyfriend --... [More]
Starring: George Lopez, Mariana Treviño, Emily Tosta, Jack Kilmer
Directed By: Angel Gracia

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