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As one of the most popular holidays in the U.S., it’s no wonder why there are over 100 Christmas movies made just this year, according toVariety. With the holiday quickly approaching, there are probably tons of items on your to-do list, so let us narrow it down and dive into something comforting, like a cheesy rom-com. While the Hallmark Channel is perhaps the most prolific holiday rom-com producer, the expansion of streaming channels and content being produced has almost every service taking a swing at it.
From love stories and folk tale recreations to sci-fi’s similar toGroundhog Day,odds are there is something for you if you’re trying to find a specific genre within this subgenre. With that being said, if you’ve exhausted every option in previous years, 2023 is, as predicted, rolling out a huge new list. We’ve narrowed that list to the best of the newest holiday rom-coms, so you may easily filter through the maze of annual entries and cozy up for a night of laughs and romance.
Director: Sam Boyd
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Paapa Essiedu, Denée Benton, Marc Maron, Jordyn McIntosh
The Peacock streaming service is throwing its hat in the ring with a huge star in comedy acting,Melissa McCarthy(Brides Maids).Genieis centered around Bernard, played byPaapa Essiedu(The Lazarus Project), a man whose life is flipped upside down when his wife leaves him, and he loses his job. These occurrences then lead him to discover what seems like an ‘ancient box’. When he rubs the box, as you might expect, our pop Genie (McCarthy) offers Bernard unlimited wishes. While Bernard works to get his life back on track, Genie hilariously navigates this strange modern world.The movie is a remake of the 1991Bernard and the Geniebut with the technology and ideas of 2023 and unlimited wishes, where would you even start? It’s another one of those movies that will have your heart fluttering and imagination going wild, combined with perhaps the funniest holiday rom-com of the year.
Watch on PeacockTV
Director: Jonah Feingold
Cast: Leighton Meester, Robbie Amell, Michael Hitchcock, Kathryn Greenwood, Veronika Slowikowska
InExmas,Graham Stroop, played byRobbie Amell(The Babysitter), is invited to his family home for the holidays; he tries to get out of it and claims to be too busy. Little does he know that his ex-fiancé Ali Moyer, portrayed byLeighton Meester(Gossip Girl), would be invited in place of him.The drama starts when Graham surprises them with a visitand discovers the woman he used to love is staying there, too. The pair bicker, but neither backs down, and holiday chaos ensues. Will they discover the spark that brought them together or push the other out of the nest for good?
Your Christmas or Mine 2
Director: Jim O’Hanlon
Cast: Asa Butterfield, Jane Krakowski, David Bradley, Alex Jennings, Daniel Mays
It is the classic story of a goofy family meeting a more conventional lineage in this sequel,Your Christmas or Mine 2, only this time the roles are reversed. Hayley, played byCora Kirk(After Everything), and her hilarious family spend the vacation in a beautiful mountainside château while James, portrayed byAsa Butterfield(Sex Education), and his wealthy family are sent to a shack. Yet again, the relationship is strained as James and Hayley juggle the mishap, but could this spell the end for them?
Watch on Amazon Prime
What Happens Later
Director: Meg Ryan
Cast: Meg Ryan, David Duchovny, Hal Liggett
Meg Ryan(When Harry Met Sally…) directsa new holiday classic inWhat Happens Lateras she stars alongsideDavid Duchovny(Californication). After 25 years, Bill (Duchovny) and Willa (Ryan) reunite unexpectedly in an airport when a storm suddenly grounds them for 24 hours. The two are stuck together to confront their past and imagine what they could have changed while having fun and being stuck in an oddly romantic place.
Christmas with the Knightlys
Director: Marco Deufemia
Cast: Celeste Desjardins, Joe Scarpellino, Brian Cook, Kym Johnson Herjavec, Randy Thomas
Georgia Jackson (Celeste Desjardins) is heartbroken when her boyfriend, Andrew (Sean Cage),leaves her for New York. Still, the holiday season has just begun, and it’s never too late for a miracle inChristmas with the Knightlys.When a famous man by the name of Chase Knightly (Joe Scarpellino) takes an interest in Georgia, it certainly grabs the interest of her ex. But will she go back with Andrew, or will the unconventional relationship with Chase turn into something real?
My Christmas Hero
Director: Martin Wood
Cast: Candace Cameron Bure, Teryl Rothery, Gabriel Hogan, Robin Dunne, Anthony Timpano
My Christmas Heroisn’t all about Nicole Ramsey’s (Candace Cameron Bure) but rather her late war veteran grandfather. However, when Nicole turns to Major Daniel Ross (Gabriel Hogan) for help with telling her grandfather’s story from a military perspective, she might stumble into a new story of her own.
Our Christmas Wedding
Director: Andrew Cymek
Cast: Holly Deveaux, Drew Seeley, Brigitte Kingsley, Landy Cannon, Winny Clarke, Steven Adu
InOur Christmas Wedding, Nicole (Holly Deveaux) has been dreaming of her marriage since she was a little girl, but when the venue she’s been eyeing is set to be torn down after the holidays, she gets a bit hasty. Struggling to balance work, life, and wedding planning, her fiancé gets pushed to the side, which leaves him to question if it’s all too much.
Round and Round
Director: Stacey N. Harding
Cast: David Attar, David Epstein, Bryan Greenberg, Rick Hoffman, Marnie Mahannah, Amitai Marmorstein, Vic Michaelis
Round and Roundis perhaps Hallmark Channel’s most star-studded casting of the year, with Rachel (Vic Michaelis) stuck in a time loop desperate to help the man she is falling for, Zach, played byBryan Greenberg(You People), remembering her as the day repeats.
Christmas With a Kiss
Director: Roger M. Bobb
Cast: Ronnie Rowe, Jaime M. Callica, Mishael Morgan
InChristmas With a Kiss, Mona (Mishael Morgan) has always dreamed of getting married, but when she spends the holidays with her family, she might get her wish. However, there might be more than she bargained for when she meets two suitors.
A Christmas Frequency
Director: Lindsay Hartley
Cast: Ansley Gordon, Denise Richards, Jonathan Stoddard, James Hyde, John F. Henry II, Casey Waller
Denise Richards(Wild Things) is Brooke Walkins, a radio talk show host whose producer, Kenzie Parker (Ansley Gordon), is tasked with finding her a date for a Christmas soirée and boosting the ratings of the show while doing so. The idea came about when a friend recommended that Kenzie find a date of her own, though. Will the two women find a match in time?
