New Christmas Movies 2026: Where to Watch and Where They Were Filmed in Canada

The 2026 holiday movie slate is one of the strongest in years: Arnold Schwarzenegger playing Santa in a heist comedy, Johnny Depp returning to studio films as Scrooge in a gothic horror take on Dickens, and a Violent Night sequel, all landing within three weeks of each other. And here is the part most American roundups miss: a remarkable share of them were filmed in Canada. Of the six major non-Hallmark releases this season, four shot here, from Winnipeg to Whistler.

This guide covers every significant new Christmas movie of 2026, release dates, where to watch in Canada, and where each one was actually filmed.

Key takeaways

• The big theatrical dates: Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol (November 13), Violent Night 2 (December 4).
• The big streaming dates: Guarding Stars on Netflix (November 18); In a Holidaze on Netflix and The Man with the Bag on Prime Video (both December 2).
• Four of the six major releases filmed in Canada: Winnipeg, Calgary/High River, Vancouver/Whistler, and Penticton-area locations.
• Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas runs October 16 to December 20 with 34 new movies; in Canada, Hallmark premieres air on W Network.
• Violent Night 2 filmed in Winnipeg, the same city as the 2022 original.

1. Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol (in theatres November 13)

The prestige play of the season. Johnny Depp stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in a dark, gothic horror-infused reimagining of Dickens' A Christmas Carol, directed by Ti West (the X trilogy) from a screenplay by Nathaniel Halpern. This is Depp's first major Hollywood studio film since 2018, and the trailers lean hard into ghost-story horror rather than cozy holiday warmth, the tagline is "the name you know, the story you don't."

The cast is stacked: Ian McKellen as Jacob Marley, Rupert Grint as Bob Cratchit, Daisy Ridley, Andrea Riseborough, Sam Claflin, and Tramell Tillman. Paramount Pictures releases it in theatres on November 13, 2026.

Filmed where: The Historic Dockyard in Chatham, Kent, England, standing in for Victorian London. This is the one major release that did not shoot in North America, though it shares the dockyard with productions like Spider-Man.

Watch in Canada: In theatres nationwide (Cineplex, Landmark) from November 13.

2. Guarding Stars (Netflix, November 18)

Netflix's mid-November entry, arriving November 18. Details on plot and cast have been kept quieter than the bigger titles, but it is part of Netflix's concentrated holiday push alongside In a Holidaze.

Filmed where: Calgary and High River, Alberta, classic Hallmark-style territory, with small-town Alberta standing in for small-town anywhere.

Watch in Canada: Streaming on Netflix Canada from November 18. For what else is landing on the service that month, see our guide at December 2026 Netflix Canada guide.

3. In a Holidaze (Netflix, December 2)

Netflix's biggest holiday original this year, premiering December 2. The cast includes Maddie Ziegler, Rob Lowe, Graham Phillips, and Elias Kacavas in what Netflix is positioning as its flagship Christmas romance.

Filmed where: Vancouver and Whistler, British Columbia. The Sea-to-Sky corridor is one of the most filmed regions in the world for a reason, reliable winter looks within an hour of a major production hub.

Watch in Canada: Streaming on Netflix Canada from December 2.

4. Violent Night 2 (in theatres December 4)

David Harbour returns as the surly, mercenary-fighting Santa in the sequel to 2022's surprise hit, with Kristen Bell joining the cast. Tommy Wirkola is back directing from a script by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, and 87North's Kelly McCormick and David Leitch are producing again. Expect the R-rated action-comedy tone of the original, this is the anti-Hallmark option on the calendar.

The timing is deliberate counterprogramming: it opens December 4, two days after Schwarzenegger's family-friendly Santa arrives on Prime Video.

Filmed where: Winnipeg, Manitoba, the same city as the first film. Winnipeg's standing as an action-movie production centre (generous tax credits, experienced crews, real winter) keeps bringing productions back.

Watch in Canada: In theatres nationwide from December 4.

5. The Man with the Bag (Prime Video, December 2)

The most talked-about streaming title of the season: Arnold Schwarzenegger as Santa Claus, in his first Christmas movie since Jingle All the Way thirty years ago. When a rogue elf (Awkwafina) steals Santa's magic gift bag, Santa recruits a master thief from his Naughty List (Alan Ritchson, TV's Reacher), who assembles a crew of criminally skilled misfits for a holiday heist. The supporting cast includes Jane Krakowski, Ken Jeong, Liza Koshy, and Kyle Mooney, directed by Adam Shankman. It is rated PG, a much gentler Santa than Harbour's.

Filmed where: New York City, one of the few 2026 Christmas movies actually shot where it is set, with Fifth Avenue locations among the visitable spots.

Watch in Canada: Streaming on Prime Video Canada from December 2.

6. A Dog's Perfect Christmas (Netflix, November 4)

Netflix's early-November family entry, arriving November 4, the first of the streamer's holiday slate to drop. The pet-centered Christmas movie is practically its own subgenre at this point, and this one kicks off the season for households that want something gentle before the December heavy hitters.

Watch in Canada: Streaming on Netflix Canada from November 4.

Hallmark's Countdown to Christmas (October 16 – December 20)

Beyond the headline titles, Hallmark's annual Countdown to Christmas is the volume play: 34 new original movies premiering between October 16 and December 20, plus related programming on the company's sister outlets. Most are romantic comedies and family dramas built for repeat viewing, televised comfort food, and the reason the Countdown reliably draws some of cable's biggest December audiences. Several Hallmark productions film in Canada every year, recent seasons have used locations like Gyro Park in Penticton, BC, continuing the industry's long reliance on Canadian tax incentives and dependable snow.

Watch in Canada: Hallmark Channel premieres air in Canada on W Network, check its schedule for simulcast times, which are typically 8 p.m. ET for flagship premieres.

Why so many Christmas movies film in Canada

It is not an accident that four of this season's six major releases shot here. Canada offers some of the most competitive film and television tax credits in North America, deep crew bases in Vancouver, Toronto, Calgary, and Winnipeg, and, crucially, reliable winter weather on schedule. A production that needs snow in November cannot gamble on it in Atlanta; in Winnipeg or Whistler, it is a near-certainty.

For viewers, that means some of these "anywhere" Christmas towns are visitable. The most specific real-world spots from this year's slate: Gyro Park in Penticton (Hallmark productions), the streets of Winnipeg's Exchange District (Violent Night 2), the High River downtown core (Guarding Stars), Whistler Village (In a Holidaze), and Fifth Avenue in New York (The Man with the Bag). If a snowy getaway is more your speed than a movie marathon, our roundup at Christmas markets guide for Canada covers where to find the real thing.

Practical next steps

• Mark the calendar: November 13 (Ebenezer), November 18 (Guarding Stars), December 2 (In a Holidaze, The Man with the Bag), December 4 (Violent Night 2).
• In Canada, the streaming titles land day-and-date on Netflix Canada and Prime Video Canada, no VPN needed.
• Theatre-goers: Ebenezer and Violent Night 2 are the two big-screen options; book ahead for opening weekend if you want prime seats.
• Hallmark fans: set W Network recordings for the October 16–December 20 premiere window.
• Planning a winter trip around a filming location? Winnipeg, Whistler, and High River all do the Christmas-town thing for real in December.

The bottom line

The 2026 Christmas movie season is unusually top-heavy with theatrical event films, a Depp-led Dickens horror and a Harbour action sequel, flanking a strong Netflix/Prime streaming core. And Canada is not just watching: Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver, and Whistler all hosted productions this year. Watch the movies in December; visit the towns whenever you like.

Sources

• Amazon, 'The Man with the Bag' starring Arnold Schwarzenegger: Prime Video release date, cast, trailer
• The Wrap, 'Violent Night 2' Set for December 2026 Release
• PopGeeks, Amazon To Counterprogram Violent Night 2 With Schwarzenegger As Santa
• Hypebeast, Paramount Releases New 'Ebenezer' Trailer From Director Ti West
• MovieWeb, Johnny Depp Takes on Christmas in New Trailer for 'Ebenezer'
• Lala Happy Blog, Christmas Movies 2026 Filming Locations
• USA Times News, A Guide to Every Holiday Movie on TV This 2026 Season