By John Corrado

New releases for the week of December 19th, 2025.

Theatrical Releases:

Avatar: Fire and Ash (Wide Release): The biggest of this week’s new releases is obviously Avatar: Fire and Ash, the third film in James Cameron’s blockbuster sci-fi saga set on Pandora. This one is a continuation of 2022’s The Way of Water. Some pacing and story issues aside, it’s a solid third film, that basically offers exactly what fans of the series want. And it looks visually stunning, especially in IMAX 3D, which is the format to see this one in if you can. The only question now is if this one will compete with the first two to become one of the highest grossing films of all time? (Full Review)

The Housemaid (Wide Release): We also get some counter-programming to Avatar in the form of The Housemaid, director Paul Feig’s adaptation of Freida McFadden’s bestselling novel. Feig has crafted it into a knowingly trashy erotic thriller that is in a similar vein to his Simple Favor movies. It’s mostly fun, especially when watching it with an audience, and the material is elevated by the performances of Amanda Seyfried, Sydney Sweeney and Brandon Sklenar. (Full Review)

Is This Thing On? (Limited Release): Bradley Cooper’s third film as director stars Will Arnett in the role of a man going through a divorce who discovers standup comedy. I just watched this one last night, and enjoyed it quite a bit. It’s in a different key from Cooper’s first two movies Maestro and A Star is Born, but continues to show him as a very skilled actor-turned-director, and Arnett is also very good here in a role that nicely balances being comedic and dramatic. (Review coming soon!)

More Releases: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants (Wide), David (Wide), Rebuilding (TIFF Lightbox)

Streaming Releases:

Breakdown: 1975 (Netflix), Emily in Paris: Season 5 (Netflix), Born to Be Wild (Apple TV+), Code 3 (VOD)