The highly anticipated film Mufasa: The Lion King, which explores the life of Simba’s father, Mufasa, who was orphaned at a young age, will premiere this week. Meanwhile, Vijay Sethupathi and Manju Warrier’s Viduthalai 2 will hit the screens on December 20.
OTT RELEASES
What If…? Season 3
Streaming platform: Disney+ Hotstar
Release date: December 22
With eight episodes releasing daily till December 29, the series explores pivotal "what if" scenarios within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, delving into alternate decisions and their impact on the multiverse. This season will focus on the Hulk, Agatha, Winter Soldier, and many other possibilities of what would have happened had the decision been altered.
Girls Will Be Girls
Streaming platform: Amazon Prime Video
Release date: December 18
This coming-of-age drama follows the story of Mira, who is sent to a boarding school on the foothills of the Himalayas. Mira starts to develop feeling for a new student at school, as she experiences a sexual awakening, all while tackling a strained relationship with her mother. Directed by Shuchi Talati, the film stars Preeti Panigrahi, Kesav Binoy Kiron, and Kani Kusruti.
Twisters
Streaming platform: JioCinema
Release date: December 18
A sequel to the 1996 film of the same name, Twisters is about scientist Kate Cooper, who used to be a storm chaser. She gets back to chasing tornados after a request from her friend, a social media influencer. But things go south when they try to destroy the tornado. Directed by Lee Issac Chung, the film features Daisy Edgar Jones, Glen Powell, and Anthony Ramos.
The Six Triple Eight
Streaming platform: Netflix
Release date: December 20
Based on the true story of the 6888th Central Postal Directory, the film follows 855 coloured women stationed in Europe during World War II. Tasked with clearing a three-year-long mail backlog of over 17 million letters, they completed their mission ahead of schedule. Directed by Tyler Perry, the film stars Kerry Washington, Oprah Winfrey, Ebony Obsidian, Sarah Jeffery, and Moriah Brown.
Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous
Streaming platform: Netflix
Release date: December 20
Being the face of desi hip-hop and Punjabi pop music in India during the early 2010s, the documentary chronicles the life of Hirdesh Singh, popularly known as Yo Yo Honey Singh, and his meteoric rise to fame, his fall, and his comeback in the music industry.
Beast Games
Streaming platform: Amazon Prime Video
Release date: December 19
Created by Johnny Donaldson, also known as Mr Beast, along with Tyler Conklin, Sean Klitzner, and Mack Hopkins, the game show will feature 1,000 contestants competing in intense physical and mental challenges for a chance to win an incredible USD 5 million cash prize.
THEATRE RELEASES
Viduthalai 2
Release date: December 20
Picking up right where the first film left off, Viduthalai 2 explores issues like oppression, communalism, and institutionalised violence. Perumal, leading the extremist group Makkal Padai, takes charge to fight against the oppression. Directed by Vetrimaaran, the film stars Vijay Sethupathi, Manju Warrier, Soori, Bhavani Sre, and Gautham Vasudev Menon.
Mufasa: The Lion King
Release date: December 20
This prequel to Disney's iconic 1994 film The Lion King will explore Mufasa's early life as an orphan, who was taken under the wing of Taka, a lion who is heir to a royal bloodline. Directed by Barry Jenkins, the characters are voiced by Aaron Pierre, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Tiffany Boone, Kagiso Lediga, and Beyoncé.
UI
Release date: December 20
Set in the dystopian 2040, the world is ravaged by shortages of essential supplies like food, along with technology like mobile phones, caused by the aftermath of COVID-19, inflation, and AI. Directed by Upendra Rao, the film stars Rao, Reeshma Nanaiah, Murli Sharma, Achyuth Kumar, and P. Ravi Shankar.
Vanvaas
Release date: December 20
A father struggling with dementia is abandoned by his family in Varanasi. A thief and con man come to his aid, even as the father cannot accept that his children would leave him. Meanwhile, his children are scheming to forge a death certificate death to seize his property. Directed by Anil Sharma, the film stars Nana Patekar, Utkarsh Sharma, Simrat Kaur, Khushboo Sundar, and Rajpal Yadav.
Marco
Release date: December 20
This neo-noir action-thriller, a spinoff of the 2019 film Mikhael, will follow the story of antagonist Marco. His backstory aims to shed light on the reasons behind his transformation into a villain. Directed by Haneef Adeni, the film stars Unni Mukundan, Jagadish, Siddique, Anson Paul, and Yukti Thareja.
ED – Extra Decent
Release date: December 20
Binu, the youngest sibling in the family, is an adult man crippled with amnesia. He cares for his parents in a controlling manner, as he unravels the secrets of his house. Directed by Aamir Pallikkal, the film stars Suraj Venjaramoodu, Shyam Mohan, Grace Antony, Raffi, and Vineeth Thattil David.