December marks another big month for Disney+. After cancelling the theatrical release for Soul throughout most of the world, Pixar’s latest will now premiere on the service on Christmas Day. However, unlike Mulan‘s Disney+ release in September, Soul will be available to watch free of charge. Speaking of Mulan, beginning December 4, the film will also be available to watch for free. Subscribers will no longer have to pay $29.99 for Premier Access. A new 2D animated short from Pixar’s “SparkShorts” titled Burrow was initially set to be screened before Soul in theaters, but will now premiere separately on Disney+.
The final episodes of The Mandalorian season two drop this month. Place your bets now on the odds of Mando and Baby Yoda going back to Tatooine in season 3. Looking at the classics, you’ve got Anastasia and Tom Hanks’ Big. 2016’s Eddie the Eagle, starring Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman, is also hitting the streamer.
Check out the full list of titles joining Disney+ in December 2020 and more of our recommendations below. See what’s also coming to HBO Max and Hulu!
Our Recs:
Anastasia
Often mistaken for a Disney film, Anastasia was released by 20th Century Fox in 1997. Anya, the last surviving child of the Russian Royal Family, joins two con men to reunite with her grandmother, the Dowager Empress, while the undead Rasputin seeks her death. The film’s star voice cast includes Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Christopher Lloyd, Angela Lansbury, Bernadette Peters, Kelsey Grammer, and Hank Azaria. Somewhat forgotten since its initial release in theaters, Anastasia is on track to have a mini resurgence on Disney+ with original fans and brand new viewers.
Sky High
A classic in every sense of the word, Sky High was the Avengers: Endgame of 2005. Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Nicholas Braun?? Literal dream team. A group of friends attend Sky High, a special school in the sky that teaches them how to be superheroes, but trying to find a balance between being a normal teen and an extraordinary being proves to be *super* challenging. We stay waiting on the sequel, Disney.
Soul
Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) is a middle school music teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks, and interests before they go to Earth. Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with 22 (Tina Fey), who has never understood the appeal of the human experience. As Joe desperately tries to show 22 what’s great about living, he soon discovers what it means to have a soul.
Directed by Pete Docter and with music composed by Jon Batiste and the duo of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Soul is sure to be another Pixar hit for the whole family to enjoy, and who knows, maybe cry too.
Disney+ Arrivals for December 2020
Coming December 4
Anastasia
Mulan (2020; now available to stream for free)
Big
Big Sharks Rule
Man vs. Shark
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms
Sky High
Godmothered (Disney+ Original)
The Mandalorian – S2, Ep 6 “Chapter 14”
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: Where It All Began
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse – Ep 5 “Keep On Rollin”, Ep 6 “The Big Good Wolf”
Coming December 11
Disney Channel’s Epic Holiday Showdown
Disney Holiday Magic Quest
Gender Revolution: A Journey with Katie Couric
Ralph Breaks the Internet
High School Musical: The Musical: The Holiday Special (Disney+ Original)
Safety (Disney+ Original)
The Mandalorian – S2, Ep 7 “Chapter 15”
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: Meet the Sobiechs
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse – Ep 7 “The Brave Little Squire”, Ep 8 “An Ordinary Date”
Coming December 18
Buried Truth of the Maya
Cosmos: Possible Worlds (S1)
Disney Channel Holiday House Party
Disney Parks Sunrise Series (S1)
Rapunzel’s Tangled Adventure (S3)
Eddie the Eagle
Into the Woods
Miraculous World: New York, United Heroez
On Pointe (Disney+ Original)
Arendelle Castle Yule Log
Dory’s Reef Cam
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: Creating Zach’s World
The Mandalorian – S2, Ep 8 “Chapter 16” (Season Finale)
The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse – Ep 9 “Supermarket Scramble”, Ep 10 “Just the Four of Us”
Coming December 25
Soul
Pixar SparkShort Burrow (Disney+ Original)
Max Keeble’s Big Move
Extras – Beyond the Clouds: A Musical Miracle
