Hollywood’s holiday season commences this weekend with a bang — as in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2,” the concluding chapter in the blockbuster series. And the season effectively climaxes with another bang, closer to Christmas: “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” the latest chapter in another phenomenal franchise.
Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, roughly, the studios also will be unveiling their traditional end-of-the-year “prestige” projects, geared toward attracting awards attention, in the midst of a number of other more commercial releases.
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The Atlanta opening dates below may be subject to change, but here’s a breakdown of what’s in store for moviegoers:
Nov. 25:
"Creed." Sylvester Stallone returns for a seventh time to play the iconic boxer Rocky Balboa, who's lured out of retirement to coach the son (Michael B. Jordan) of his original opponent, Apollo Creed. Ryan Coogler ("Fruitvale Station") directs.
"The Good Dinosaur." The latest animated feature from Disney and Pixar imagines a world in which dinosaurs never went extinct. One of them befriends and embarks on a life-affirming journey with a little boy. The voice cast includes Frances McDormand, Sam Elliott and Anna Paquin. In 3-D.
"Legend." Directed by Brian Helgeland, the Oscar-winning writer of "L.A. Confidential," this gritty, fact-based crime thriller charts the rise and fall of Reggie and Ronnie Kray, twin brothers and gangsters who built a notorious empire in 1960s London. With a little computer-generated help, Tom Hardy portrays both twins.
"Trumbo." A biopic set in 1940s Hollywood about the blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. Bryan Cranston stars, with Diane Lane as his wife and Helen Mirren as gossip columnist Hedda Hopper. Directed by Jay Roach (of "Austin Powers" and "Meet the Parents" fame).
"Victor Frankenstein." Loosely based on Mary Shelley's famous horror story, but told with a twist — from the viewpoint of Igor, the pitiable lab assistant to the demented Dr. Frankenstein. James McAvoy has the title role, but he essentially plays second fiddle to Daniel Radcliffe.
Dec. 4:
"Chi-Raq." A modern-day update of the classic Greek drama "Lysistrata," set against the backdrop of gang violence on the mean streets of inner-city Chicago. Nick Cannon stars, with a supporting cast that includes Wesley Snipes, Angela Bassett and Samuel L. Jackson.
"Krampus." The title of this horror comedy refers to a yuletide ghoul from European folklore, who is accidentally summoned to wreak havoc on a dysfunctional family's Christmas spirit (or lack thereof). Toni Collette heads the cast.
Dec. 11:
"Macbeth." Australian Justin Kurzel directs German-born, Irish-bred actor Michael Fassbender and Oscar-winning French actress Marion Cotillard as the deadly Scottish couple in this otherwise mostly traditional screen version of the classic Shakespeare tragedy. Much bloodletting ensues.
Dec. 18:
"Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip." Part 4 of a live-action/computer-animated series of family films about Alvin, Simon and Theodore, a trio of lovable rodents. Here, they hit the road for New York to keep their human "father" (Jason Lee) from leaving them to get married.
"Sisters." Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are together again in this comedy about two sisters who return to their childhood home and throw a wild party for all of their old high-school friends. The supporting cast includes James Brolin and Dianne Wiest as their parents. Directed by Jason Moore ("Pitch Perfect").
"Star Wars: The Force Awakens." Under the direction of J.J. Abrams ("Star Trek"), the seventh installment in the sci-fi saga reunites original co-stars Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher alongside new characters played by Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver and Lupita Nyong'o — plus, state-of-the-art Imax 3-D effects.
"Youth." Two lifelong friends ponder retirement in the English-language debut of Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, who won an Oscar for 2013's "The Great Beauty." The cast boasts Oscar winners Michael Caine, Jane Fonda and Rachel Weisz, in addition to Harvey Keitel and Paul Dano.
Dec. 23:
"The Big Short." In the midst of the 2008 recession, four corporate outsiders take on the banking industry in this adaptation of Michael Lewis' best-selling book. Adam McKay ("Anchorman") directs a stellar ensemble: Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, Ryan Gosling and Steve Carell.
Dec. 25:
"Carol." A 1950s-era romantic drama, based on a novel by Patricia Highsmith and directed by Todd Haynes ("Far From Heaven"). The film is generating considerable Oscar buzz for leading lady Cate Blanchett and supporting actress Rooney Mara, as an older married woman and a younger store clerk who have an affair.
"Concussion." Will Smith stars in the topical true story of the Nigerian-born neuropathologist who first diagnosed chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a degenerative brain disease seen mainly in football players. In calling attention to the problem, he takes on the NFL. The cast also features Alec Baldwin.
"Daddy's Home." Mild-mannered stepdad Will Ferrell and freewheeling real dad Mark Wahlberg match wits vying for the admiration and affection of two young kids. A comedy co-directed by the writers (Sean Anders and John Morris) who gave us "Dumb and Dumber To."
"The Hateful Eight." In writer-director Quentin Tarantino's latest, set in post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter Kurt Russell and fugitive outlaw Jennifer Jason Leigh are stranded in a blizzard with an assortment of shady characters (including the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Dern and Tim Roth).
"In the Heart of the Sea." Oscar-winning director Ron Howard's nautical adventure depicts the true story that inspired "Moby-Dick." In 1820 New England, a whaling ship is stranded on the high seas for 90 days, preyed upon by a sperm whale. Among the crew: Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy and Ben Whishaw.
"Joy." After their success collaborating on "Silver Linings Playbook" and "American Hustle," Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper reteam with writer-director David O. Russell for this generational comedy-drama. Lawrence portrays real-life inventor and entrepreneur Joy Mangano. Robert De Niro plays her father.
"Point Break." An FBI agent infiltrates a gang of bank-robbing surfer dudes in a remake of director Kathryn Bigelow's 1991 Keanu Reeves-Patrick Swayze caper, this time with less notable names (co-stars Luke Bracey and Edgar Ramirez, first-time director Ericson Core).
Also in December:
"The Danish Girl." Before Caitlyn Jenner, there was Lili Elba, an artist in 1920s Copenhagen who became a "transgender pioneer." Eddie Redmayne, last year's Oscar winner, stars.
"Don Verdean." From Jared Hess, the writer-director of "Napoleon Dynamite," comes a comedy about a questionable archaeologist (Sam Rockwell) trying to cover his tracks.
Jan. 8:
"The Revenant." Fresh off sweeping last year's Oscars for writing, directing and producing the with-it show biz send-up "Birdman," Alejandro G. Inarritu returns with an action-adventure period piece. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a hunter who's left for dead in the wilderness, braving the elements to exact his revenge on Tom Hardy.
Also in January:
"Anomalisa." A stop-motion animated romantic drama, with a decided touch of weirdness befitting writer-director Charlie Kaufman ("Being John Malkovich," "Adaptation").
"Everything Will Be Fine." James Franco plays a soul-searching writer who accidentally hits and kills a child in this drama, directed by Wim Wenders and co-starring Rachel McAdams.
"45 Years." British acting legends Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling play a married couple who receive life-changing news on the eve of their 45th wedding anniversary.
"The Lady in the Van." Two-time Oscar winner Maggie Smith plays a homeless woman in London who lives out of her van. Directed by Nicholas Hytner ("The History Boys").
"Son of Saul." A Hungarian Holocaust drama by first-time director Laszlo Nemes that won the grand prize at this year's Cannes Film Festival.
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