Kids & Family Movies In Cinemas for November and December 2023

There are lots of exciting and long awaited family films due out in November and December.

Probably the most heralded film is the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory prequal Wonka, but you can also see the CBeebies Panto, a live action retelling of the Christmas story and watch a 20th anniversary re-release of the much loved Christmas classic movie Elf, starring Will Ferrell.

So with the end of the year is in sight, here are the family movies in cinemas in November and heading towards the Christmas holidays. The films chosed ar all rated U, PG or 12A. You can find out more about what this means here where we explain the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) UK Film Ratings.

The Marvels

Carol Danvers - aka Captain Marvel has reclaimed her identity from the tyrannical Kree and taken revenge on the Supreme Intelligence. But unintended consequences see Carol shouldering the burden of a destabilised universe. When her duties send her to an anomalous wormhole linked to a Kree revolutionary, her powers become entangled with that of Jersey City super-fan, Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel, and Carol’s estranged niece, now S.A.B.E.R. astronaut Captain Monica Rambeau.

The Marvels (12A) is released on 10th November, and this unlikely trio must team-up and learn to work in concert to save the universe.

The movie stars Brie Larson, Iman Vellani and Teyonah Parris.

Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes

Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes (12A) based on Suzanne Collins Hunger Games Prequel, follows a young Coriolanus who is the last hope for his failing lineage, the once-proud Snow family. With his livelihood threatened, Snow is reluctantly assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird, but after Lucy Gray's charm captivates the audience of Panem, Snow sees an opportunity to shift their fates. Battling his instincts for both good and evil, Snow sets out on a race against time to survive and reveal if he will ultimately become a songbird or a snake.

Out on 17th November, the film stars Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis.

Journey To Bethlehem

Journey To Bethlehem (PG) is also released on 17th November. It is a live-action version of the Christmas story retold as a musical adventure for the entire family. It weaves classic Christmas melodies with humor, faith and new pop songs in a retelling of the greatest story ever told, the story of Mary and Joseph and the birth of Jesus.

This Christmas movie stars Antonio Banderas, Fiona Palomo and Milo Manheim.

Wish

Out on November 22nd, 2023 Disney’s big animated movie for Christmas 2023 is Wish (Cert PG). From the team that wrote Frozen comes the story which will tell how the wishing star that so many Disney characters have wished upon came to be.

Asha, a 17-year-old who sees a darkness in her kingdom that no one else does, so in a moment of desperation, she makes an impassioned plea to the stars. The answer to Asha’s wish is an actual star that falls from the sky to help on her journey. Starring Ariana DeBose, the cast also includes Alan Tudyk.

CBeebies Panto 2023: Robin Hood

The annual and much anticipated CBeebies Panto is coming back in cinemas from 1st December for yet another Christmassy adventure, this time with Robin Hood (Cert TBC expected U) at the helm!

As always, the show, recorded at Venue Cymru, Llandudno, will feature many of CBeebies' most popular actors and presenters. Full of catchy songs, dancing, and pantomime fun, it promises to be the must-see Christmas event for preschoolers and their families.

Cast has not been announced at time of writing.

Elf (20th Anniversary)

It wouldn’t be Christmas without Elf (PG), which is being re-released in cinemas for its 20th Anniversary on 1st December.

Buddy was a baby in an orphanage who stowed away in Santa's sack and ended up at the North Pole. Later, as an adult human who happened to be raised by elves, Santa allows him to go to New York City to find his birth father, Walter Hobbs. Buddy, meanwhile, experiences the delights of New York City (and human culture) as only an elf can.

Starring Will Ferrell, James Caan, Edward Asner, Zooey Deschane, Bob Newhart and Amy Sedaris.

Wonka

Probably Christmas 2023’s most anticipated movie is Wonka (TBC expected PG) released on 8th December. Based on the extraordinary character at the center of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the jewel in the Roald Dahl crown and one of the bestselling children's books of all time, Wonka tells the wondrous story of how the world's greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka we know today.

Starring Timothee Chalamet, Sally Hawkins; Olivia Colman, Rowan Atkinson, Matt Lucas, Jim Carter and Mathew Baynton.

If you are looking ahead to next year, here is a sneak peek at are the most hotly anticipated family movies of 2024.

Still Showing In Some Cinemas

The popular movies from October Half Term that are still showing in some cinemas.

Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie

When a magical meteor crash lands in Adventure City, it gives the PAW Patrol pups superpowers, transforming them into The MIGHTY PUPS!

In Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie (Cert U) the pups' arch rival Humdinger breaks out of jail and teams up with a mad scientist to steal their superpowers. With the fate of Adventure City hanging in the balance, the Mighty Pups have to stop the supervillains before it's too late! This movie based on the popular TV series is out on 13th October.

With a star-filled voice cast including James Marsden, Chris Rock, Jimmy Kimmel, Kim Kardashian; Serena Williams, North West, Saint West and Taraji P. Henson amongst others.

Trolls Band Together

The third in the Trolls movie franchise is released on 20th October. In Trolls Band Together (Cert TBC) Poppy discovers that Branch has a secret past - he was once part of her favourite boy band phenomenon, BroZone, with his four brothers.

BroZone disbanded when Branch was still a baby, as did the family, and Branch hasn’t seen his brothers since. But when Branch’s bro Floyd is kidnapped for his musical talents by a pair of nefarious pop-star villains, Branch and Poppy embark on a harrowing and emotional journey to reunite the other brothers and rescue Floyd from a fate even worse than pop-culture obscurity.

With the voices of Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick as Branch and Poppy along with Kunal Nayyar, Daveed Diggs, Kenan Thompson, Troye Sivan, Eric Andre and Kid Cudi.