Whether you’re planning the getaway of a lifetime or you’ll be on staycation, one thing is for certain: M-Net is the place to be this festive season. M-Net Channels have quite the lineup planned for your holiday viewing pleasure – from docuseries about tech moguls to the top films and shows on M-Net and M-Net Movies. There’s something for everyone this December and January.
With his return to the live circuit – and South Africa – coming up, M-Net Movies 3 has a treat for Trevor Noah lovers: several of his standup specials and favourites will be broadcast, including Nationwild, Daywalker 1 and 2, That’s Racist, There’s a Gupta on My Stoep, and Welcome to America.
Be sure to catch the following documentaries and specials:
- Against All Odds: The Alwyn Uys story (Friday 16 December at 19:00): The story of the Springbok rugby player left paralysed from the waist down after breaking his back in a car accident.
- Glastonbury at 50 (every Saturday and Sunday from 17 December 2022 until 1 January 2023 at 18:00): A fascinating, in-depth look at one of the most iconic music festivals on earth.
- Unstoppable: The Rebecca Nagel Story (Saturday 17 December at 19:00): The story of the first woman to complete a half marathon trail event in a wheelchair unassisted.
- Adele: 30 Greatest Moments (Friday 23 December at 19:00): An exclusive insight into the career of one of history’s biggest-selling artists.
- Kenny Rogers: All in for the Gambler (Saturday, 24 September at 21:00) A star-studded concert special honouring the life and legacy of the country music superstar.
- The Elon Musk Show (premiering Monday 26 December at 19:00): A three-part special about one of the world’s most powerful tech moguls. How did he become the unstoppable force he is today?
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2022 inductions (Saturday 31 December at 21:00): The glitter and pizzazz of one of the world’s most famous music institutions, featuring Eminem, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, and the Eurythmics, among many other big names.
- Royal Variety Performance (music special) (Saturday 31 December at 19:00) The multi-award-winning comedian and actor Lee Mack is set to host The Royal Variety Performance 2022 from the magnificent Royal Albert Hall in London.
Sunday night movies to get your popcorn ready for at 20:05:
- The King’s Man (4 December): Star-studded spy action thriller directed by Matthew Vaughn and starring Ralph Fiennes, Gemma Arterton, Djimon Hounsou, Rhys Ifans, and Aaron Taylor Johnson.
- Moonfall (11 December): Sci-fi action starring Halle Berry, Patrick Wilson, John Bradley, and Donald Sutherland.
- The Bad Guys (18 December): Adventure comedy featuring the voices of Sam Rockwell, Zazie Beetz, Awkwafina, and Richard Ayoade.
- Rumble (25 December): Animated comedy starring WWE superstar Roman Reigns, Will Arnett, and Terry Crews.
But that’s not the only place to get your film fix. M-Net Movies has a stellar lineup, including some of the following highlights:
- Christmas Is Cancelled (M-Net Movies 1): A romantic comedy starring Hailey Orrantia, Dermot Mulroney, and Janel Parrish.
- The Holiday (M-Net Movies 1): A Christmas rom-com classic starring Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Cameron Diaz, and Jack Black, about two women who swap lives and homes for the holiday season.
- Shrek quadrilogy (M-Net Movies 1): A fan favourite, these animated classics star Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz, and Eddie Murphy.
- F9: The Fast Saga (M-Net Movies 2): The latest installment in the wildly popular series about family, loyalty, and, of course, fast cars.
- Dune (M-Net Movies 2): A sci-fi visual feast featuring a star-studded cast, including Timothée Chalamet, Jason Momoa, Oscar Isaac, Josh Brolin, and Rebecca Ferguson.
- Uncharted (M-Net Movies 2): Tom Holland stars in this action adventure about finding a lost treasure.
- The Italian Job (M-Net Movies 3): A modern heist classic starring Charlize Theron, Edward Norton, and Mark Wahlberg.
- Jack Reacher (M-Net Movies 3): Action-packed spy thriller starring the inimitable Tom Cruise.
And there’s also BoxOffice, with some titles running a special festive rental discount!
- A Christmas Mystery (Rent: 1 Dec 2022 – 30 May 2023) An epic adventure spurs this heartwarming holiday movie for the whole family. A group of courageous kids must track down a lost strip of Santa's magical jingle bells to restore Christmas.
- Holiday Harmony (Rent: 01 Dec 2022 – 30 May 2023) Anna Kendrick and Justin Timberlake get together for a musical special in the Trolls franchise. The first-ever Trolls Kingdom Secret Holiday Gift Swap takes an unexpected turn when Queen Poppy and Branch draw each other's names.
- The Wolf and the Lion (Rent: 01 Dec 2022 – 29 March 2023) This family movie, with a lot of heart, is driven by an unlikely animal friendship. A young woman returns to her childhood home after her grandfather passes away and finds herself forming a bond with a wolf cub and a lion cub.
- Abandoned (Rent: 5 Dec 2022 – 29 April 2023) Emma Roberts and Michael Shannon star in this psychological horror about a young couple who moves into a remote farmhouse with their infant son. As the house's ugly past reveals itself, the woman's postpartum psychosis intensifies.
- Moonage Daydream (5 Dec 2022 – 2 April 2023) With Oscar-nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen at the helm, this fascinating documentary takes us on a cinematic journey through David Bowie's creative and musical journey.
- Jurassic World Dominion (12 Dec 2022 – 26 Dec 2022) 50% off! Four years after the destruction of Isla Nublar, Biosyn operatives attempt to track down Maisie Lockwood, while Dr Ellie Sattler investigates a genetically engineered swarm of giant insects.
- Minions: The Rise of Gru (12 Dec 2022 – 26 Dec 2022) 50% off! The sequel to the spin-off prequel Minions tells the untold story of one twelve-year-old's dream to become the world's greatest supervillain.
- Gone in the Night (Rent: 12 Dec 2022 – 9 April 2023) Truth is stranger than fiction in this mystery thriller. A couple arrives at a remote cabin in the redwoods to find it's already occupied. With nowhere else to go, they decide to share the cabin with these strangers.
- Ticket to Paradise (Rent: 12 Dec 2022 – 09 April 2023) Academy Award winners George Clooney and Julia Roberts reunite as co-stars in a delightful rom-com. A divorced couple decides to team up and stop their lovestruck daughter from making the same mistake they once made.
- Don't Look Deeper (Rent: 14 Dec 2022 – 11 April 2023) Don Cheadle and Emily Mortimer star in this near-future sci-fi. A high school senior learns a life-changing, dark secret about herself. Instead of dreaming about graduation and college, she's suddenly running for her life.
- Big Trip 2: Special Delivery (Rent: 17 Dec 2022 – 24 April 2023) An adventure-filled animation the whole family will enjoy. Two friends, a bear and a rabbit, accidentally end up caring for a grizzly bear cub. Together they go on an adventure to get the baby back home.
- See How They Run (Rent: 30 Dec 2022 – 27 May 2023) You might find it difficult not to jump to conclusions in this mystery-filled comedy. In the West End of 1950s London, plans for a movie version of a smash-hit play are derailed when a pivotal member of the crew is murdered.
- The Northman (Rent: 22 Dec 2022 – 19 April 2023) A star-studded cast brings the legend of Amleth to life in this epic revenge thriller. A Viking prince undertakes an adventurous quest to seek justice for his murdered father.
- Smile (Rent: 22 Dec 2022 – 12 Dec 2023) A horror film that will leave you asking, what makes you smile? After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, a doctor starts experiencing frightening, unexplained incidences.
- Tad, The Lost Explorer and the Emerald Tablet (Rent: 22 Dec 2022 – 12 Dec 2023) An adventure-filled animation. After Tad accidentally unleashes a curse that endangers the lives of his friends, he sets out on a quest to reverse the mummy's curse.
- Mrs Harris Goes To Paris (Rent: 26 Dec 2022 – 23 April 2023) An endearing film proving you should never give up on your dreams. A tale of haute couture in collaboration with the House of Dior weaves the story of a widowed cleaner who sets out to own a beautiful Dior dress.
- The Munsters: (Rent: 16 Dec 2022 – 23 April 2023 ) A lovelorn, 150-year-old vampire is looking for the man of her nightmares in this Transylvanian romance. She falls fangs over feet for a seven-foot-tall green experiment with a heart of gold. Unfortunately, her father has other plans for her.
- Mr Bones 3: Son of Bones Leon Schuster returns with his uniquely South African brand of comedy for this third instalment. Ageing but unbeaten, Bones and his son, Mathambo, battle two unscrupulous oil diggers who are trying to steal the treasures of Kuvukiland.
We haven’t forgotten about the little ones. M-Net Movies 4 has a Kids’ Club festival (on Channel 108) from 1 December to 15 January that will broadcast films such as Kindergarten Cop, My Spy, The Tooth Fairy, and School of Rock. Also, remember to tune in to our M-Net Movies BLK All Stars pop-up channel (on Channel 111) from 15 December 2022 until 2 January 2023. It will feature nail-biting action from big names such as Denzel Washington and Jamie Foxx.
The only thing we can’t do is cook your Christmas lunch for you – everything else is sorted!