'Wicked,' 'Moana 2,' 'Gladiator 2,' 18 more great holiday movies coming soon

This year’s holiday movie season brings a mix of crowd-pleasers and Oscar-contenders — and some might even be both at once.

Hollywood could use a little excitement after a hit-and-miss summer that has left the 2024 domestic box office down more than 12% compared to this time last year. That could change thanks to Disney’s "Moana 2” (whose predecessor was a $687 million hit) and other family-friendly titles. We’ll also see plenty of Oscar-courting performances, including Angelina Jolie as the opera singer Maria Callas in "Maria" and Adrien Brody as a European architect in "The Brutalist."

At least two upcoming releases could be big hits and win the gold. "Wicked," an adaptation of the Broadway musical, has been called a "masterpiece" by Variety, while Ridley Scott’s sequel "Gladiator II" is already considered a Best Picture contender. (Scott’s original film won that award for 2000.) If those films do show up in the Oscar race, it could help the Academy avoid the perennial criticism that it honors little-seen titles while ignoring box-office successes.

Here are some of the big movies coming to theaters this holiday season:

NOV. 15

CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER'S POINT

An impressionistic view of Christmas in the suburbs from two Smithtown filmmakers: Director Tyler Thomas Taormina and his co-writer, Eric Berger. The cast includes Michael Cera, Maria Dizzia and Ben Shenkman.

RED ONE A security agent (Dwayne Johnson) and a bounty hunter (Chris Evans) team up to rescue a kidnapped Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons). The film will open Nov. 10 for a one-week, IMAX-only release.

NOV. 22

GLADIATOR II

Paul Mescal ("All of Us Strangers") takes the starring role in Ridley Scott’s sequel to his Oscar-winning "Gladiator." With Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal and Connie Nielsen.

WICKED

Cynthia Erivo plays the future Wicked Witch (aka Elphaba), while pop star Ariana Grande is Glinda in this adaptation of the Oz-inspired Broadway musical. Jon M. Chu ("Crazy Rich Asians") directs.

NOV. 27

MARIA Angelina Jolie plays the opera singer Maria Callas during the final days of her life. The latest biopic from director Pablo Larraín ("Jackie," "Spencer") will stream on Netflix starting Dec. 11.

MOANA 2

Disney’s animated sequel once again features Auli’i Cravalho in the title role and Dwayne Johnson as the Polynesian demigod Maui. Its trailer has been viewed more than 178 million times — more than any other animated title from Disney-Pixar, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

QUEER Daniel Craig, distancing himself ever further from James Bond, plays a drug-abusing expat in Mexico who finds himself drawn to a handsome young man (Drew Starkey). Based on William Burroughs’ 1985 novella; directed by Luca Guadagnino ("Call Me by Your Name").

NOV. 29

SEPTEMBER 5

In 1972, ABC’s Olympics sportscast becomes a breaking newscast when a Palestinian terrorist group takes several Israeli athletes hostage. Peter Sarsgaard plays the legendary television executive Roone Arledge.

DEC. 6

HARD TRUTHS The 15th film from 81-year-old writer-director Mike Leigh features Marianne Jean-Baptiste (an Oscar nominee for Leigh's 1996 drama "Secrets and Lies") as a Londoner possessed by an inexplicable rage. After its Oscar-qualifying run in limited theaters, the film opens wide Jan. 10.

NIGHTBITCH A stressed-out stay-at-home mom (Amy Adams) begins turning into a dog. Marielle Heller ("Can You Ever Forgive Me?") writes and directs from Rachel Yoder’s novel.

THE ORDER

In the 1980s, an FBI agent (Jude Law) traces a series of small-town bank robberies to an unlikely source — a white supremacist militia. With Nicholas Hoult and Jurnee Smollett. Based on true events.

THE SIX TRIPLE EIGHT Writer-director Tyler Perry tells the story of the first — and only — Women’s Army Corps of color to serve overseas in World War II. With Kerry Washington, Ebony Obsidian, Susan Sarandon and Oprah Winfrey. The film begins streaming on Netflix Dec. 20.

DEC. 13

KRAVEN THE HUNTER A Marvel origin story starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson in the villainous title role. Russell Crowe plays his problematic dad. The film’s unlikely director is J.C. Chandor, of "Margin Call" and "All Is Lost."

NICKEL BOYS

In the Jim Crow South, two teenagers form a friendship in a brutal reform school. Based on the Colson Whitehead novel; directed by RaMell Ross. With Ethan Herisse, Daveed Diggs and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

DEC. 20

THE BRUTALIST

A visionary architect (Adrien Brody) leaves postwar Europe for Pennsylvania and meets a wealthy industrialist (Guy Pearce). The latest from writer-director Brady Corbet ("Vox Lux") is a three-and-a-half hour saga that’s shaping up as a Best Picture contender.

MUFASA: THE LION KING

The story of Mufasa and Taka — one a future king, the other a future villain. Barry Jenkins ("Moonlight") directs Disney’s photoreal-animated prequel. With Aaron Pierre, Seth Rogen and Billy Eichner.

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3 This hybrid live action/animated sequel features Keanu Reeves as the voice of the antihero Shadow. Returning cast members include Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey and James Marsden.

DEC. 25

BABYGIRL

A gender-flipped thriller starring Nicole Kidman as a high-powered CEO who begins a kinky affair with an intern (Harris Dickinson). Written and directed by Halina Reijn.

BETTER MAN A biopic of the British pop star Robbie Williams, played by Jonno Davies as a CGI monkey. Yes, you read that right. Directed by Michael Gracey ("The Greatest Showman").

A COMPLETE UNKNOWN Timothée Chalamet plays a young Bob Dylan in this hotly anticipated biopic directed and cowritten by James Mangold ("Logan"). With Elle Fanning and Edward Norton.

NOSFERATU A vampire becomes infatuated with a young woman in the latest from art-horror maestro Robert Eggers ("The Witch," "The Lighthouse"). Starring Emma Corrin, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Willem Dafoe.

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com@raferguzman