What’s New in Pop Culture: December 9-15, 2024
Releases this week in TV, Music, Movies & Games
New This Week: Dream Productions brings Inside Out to Disney+; Angelina Jolie soars in Maria; and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle arrives on video-game consoles.
TELEVISION
Tuesday 12/10: Secret Level (Prime Video; Animated, Video Games)
This anthology from the creators of Love, Death & Robots tells new stories set in the worlds of popular video games, with voices by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Keanu Reeves, Kevin Hart, and more.
Wednesday 12/11: Dream Productions (Disney+; Animated, Comedy)
Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Richard Ayoade, and Paula Pell provide voices for this spinoff of Pixar’s Inside Out explores the beings that produce the dreams for the film’s protagonist, Riley.
Thursday 12/12: Paris & Nicole: The Encore (Peacock; Reality, Celebrity)
Twenty years after Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie became pop-culture fixtures with The Simple Life, the duo reunite to hash out their complicated friendship and stage a production about their lives.
Thursday 12/12: No Good Deed (Netflix; Dark Comedy)
Lisa Kudrow, Ray Romano, Linda Cardellini, Abbi Jacobson, and more star in this series from the creator of Dead to Me, about a couple selling their dream home who have to hide their secrets.
Sunday 12/15: An Evening with Dua Lipa (CBS; Music Concert)
This new special filmed at London’s Royal Albert Hall sees the pop starlet perform reimagined versions of her biggest hits with a full orchestra and choir, plus special guest Elton John.
MUSIC
Friday 12/13: DMX Let Us Pray: Chapter X (Gospel/Hip-Hop)
Friday 12/13: Mario Glad You Came (R’n’B)
Friday 12/13: Snoop Dogg & Dr. Dre Missionary (Hip-Hop/Rap)
Friday 12/13: St. Etienne The Night (Dance/Alternative Pop)
Friday 12/13: Stray Kids HOP (K-Pop/Boy Band)
MOVIES
Monday 12/9: Best Christmas Movie Ever! (CW 8pm; Documentary, Holiday)
This documentary covers a slew of the most beloved holiday films of all time, from Miracle on 34th Street and It’s a Wonderful Life to The Santa Clause and Elf.
Wednesday 12/11: Maria (Netflix; Drama, Biopic)
Angelina Jolie has been generating major Oscar buzz for her portrayal of legendary opera diva Maria Callas in Pablo Larrain’s interpretation of her final day.
Friday 12/13: Lord of the Rings: War of the Rhoirrim (Wide; Animated, Fantasy)
Set nearly 200 years before the events of The Lord of the Rings, this animated film tells of an epic battle amongst the peoples of Middle-Earth. Featuring the voices of Brian Cox and Miranda Otto.
Friday 12/13: Kraven the Hunter (Wide; Super Hero, Action)
Aaron Taylor-Johnson stars in this origin story for the titular character, a longtime Spider-Man villain with a penchant for violence and hunting dangerous prey.
Friday 12/13: Carry-On (Netflix; Action, Drama)
Taron Edgerton and Jason Bateman star in this film about an airport security guard trying to track down a dangerous package on Christmas Eve.
GAMES
Monday 12/9: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle (PC, Xbox S|X; Action, Adventure)
Play as the legendary archaeologist in this original story set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade, with Indy traversing the globe to stop a cabal from harnessing an unexpected power source.
Tuesday 12/10: Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver 1 & 2 Remastered (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox S|X; Action, Adventure)
This action-adventure series from the turn of the century gets overhauled graphics/textures, a new achievement and trophy mode, and other quality-of-life improvements.
Tuesday 12/10: Monument Valley 3 (Netflix Games; Puzzle)
The third entry in the mobile-game puzzle sensation releases exclusively via Netflix Games — free to play for Netflix subscribers which you can access on your smart TV or mobile device.
Thursday 12/12: The Spirit of the Samurai (PC; Action, Adventure)
Play as a samurai defending a town from a demon commanding an army of monsters pulled directly from Japanese mythology.
Friday 12/13: Fairy Tale 2 (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch; RPG)
Return to the world of the popular Japanese manga/anime property; this game adapts the conclusion of the original work, known as the Alvarez Empire arc.
