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Christmas TV guide 2016: The best films to watch on BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Sky Movies

From The Jungle Book and Captain America to Zootropolis

Jacob Stolworthy,Jack Shepherd

Thursday 22 December 2016 18:17 GMT

While some people think Christmas is the best chance to catch up with friends and family, we all know it's actually the perfect time to sit back and binge on a ridiculous number of films.

With an overwhelming number of channels, the choice doesn't come easy.

Below are a handful of picks of what you should look out for including premieres and classics that Christmas wouldn't be complete without.

Friday 23 December

Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit - 12.00pm on BBC Two

Miracle on 34th Street (1957) - 12.10pm on Channel 4

Oz: The Great and Powerful - 3.10pm on BBC One

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - 8.00pm on ITV1

Saving Mr Banks - 8.30pm on BBC Two

Disney's touching biopic centres on prickly Mary Poppins author P.L. Travers and her meet with Walt Disney who wants to turn her material into a beloved family film.

Signs - 12.25am on BBC One

Christmas Eve

Penguins of Madagascar - 4.50pm on BBC One

The Muppet Christmas Carol - 5.50pm on Channel 4

- Michael Caine stars opposite Kermit and co in what is considered to be one the greatest Christmas films ever made.

The Lady in the Van - 9.00pm on BBC Two

Zootropolis - 12.15pm/6.00pm on Sky Premiere

The Inbetweeners Movie - 9.00pm on E4

Christmas Day

The Jungle Book (2016) - 1.30pm/8pm on Sky Premiere

The Artist - 2.25pm on BBC Two

What better day is there than Christmas to sit back and enjoy this 2012 Oscar-winner, the perfect celebration of cinema.

Singin' in the Rain - 4.10pm on Channel 5

Home Alone - 6.00pm on Channel 4

Dallas Buyers Club - 10.30 on Channel 5

A Hard Day's Night - 1.15am on BBC Two

Boxing Day

Deadpool - 8pm on Sky Premiere

Captain Phillips - 9.00pm on ITV1

Bourne director Paul Greengrass' nail-biting thriller, showcasing one of Tom Hanks' finest performances, tells the biographical story of a vessel taken over by Somali pirates.

Pride - 10.30pm on BBC Two

Pitch Perfect - 11.10pm on Channel 4

27 December

Kung Fu Panda 3 - 1.40pm/7.15pm on Sky Premiere

Raiders of the Lost Ark - 1.35pm on BBC One

The initial outing for Harrison Ford's beloved archaeologist from filmmaker Steven Spielberg features edge-of-your-seat action and classic moments galore.

Labyrinth - 4.10pm on Channel 5

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - 12.40am on Channel 4

28 December

The African Queen - 10.55 on Channel 5

Muppets Most Wanted - 3.35pm on BBC One

Zombieland - 10.00pm on E4

Jaws - 10.25 on ITV1

Duunnn dunnn... Duuuunnnn duun... Duuunnnnnnnn duuun. Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN.

29 December

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - 5.50pm on ITV1

Andrew Garfield’s second outing as the webslinger is often regarded as a sub-par superhero film, but a great performance from Emma Stone saves this flick.

Truth - 10.00pm on Sky Premiere

30 December

Planet of the Apes - 4.00pm on Channel 5

Captain America: The Winter Soldier - 8.30pm on BBC 1

Possibly the best film in the Captain America trilogy, Winter Soldier is a high octane, action packed ride. One of Marvel’s greatest.

Captain America: Civil War - 12.00pm/8.00pm on Sky Premiere

If, though, you’re more into team-up films, Sky Premiere are hosting Civil War, the stand-out superhero film of the last year.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

Show all 34

1/3433 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

1. Captain America: Civil War

Release date: 6 May 2016. Iron Man and Captain America are set to face off in this superhero blockbuster that will feature nearly all the Avengers but won’t be an Avengers film. It will also mark the first time Spider-Man will feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Sony having made a deal with Marvel Studios.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

2. X-Men: Apocalypse

Release date: 27 May 2016. Following the success of Days of Future Past, Apocalypse will follow the young X-Men team as the battle against Oscar Isaac’s titular villain as he gathers his four horsemen; Magneto (Fassbender), Angel (Hardy), Storm (Shipp), and Psylocke (Munn). Expect carnage and no Wolverine.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

3. Suicide Squad

Release date: 5 August 2016. The first ‘supervillain’ film, Suicide Squad is also based in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe, where Batman and Superman live) and will introduce the world to Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn and Jared Leto’s Joker. One of the more exciting upcoming DC films that’s for sure.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

4. Doctor Strange

Release date: 4 November 2016. Benedict Cumberbatch will debut in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe, where Captain America and Iron Man live) as the Sorcerer Supreme. The film already has an incredible cast, including Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachael McAdams and Tilda Swinton.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

5. Untitled Lego Batman film

Release date: 20 February 2017. Kicking off 2017 is the Lego version of Batman, who will lead his own spin-off, having already featured in the amazing Lego Movie. Will Arnett voices the titular character, while Zach Garfianakis - from the Hangover - will voice The Joker. But will he better than Leto?

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

6. Untitled Wolverine film

Release date: 3 March 2017. Having not starred in X-Men: Apocalypse, Wolverine will return to the big screen in a solo film which was recently made R-Rated following the success of Deadpool. It is expected to be Hugh Jackman’s last outing as the titular character.

Fox

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

7. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2

Release date: 5 May 2017. Chris Pratt and the crew are returning to space in the sequel to the surprisingly successful Guardians of the Galaxy. According to director James Gunn, the film will not feature Thanos, even though he will to play a major role in phase MCU Phase 3. Cast includes newcomers Kurt Russell and Pom Klementieff, as well as, rumour has it, Sylvester Stallone.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

8. Wonder Woman

Release date: 23 June 2017. Gal Gadot is returning to the DCEU in her very own film, marking the first female-led superhero film on this list. Chris Pine is on board to play Wonder Woman’s love interest.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

9. Untitled Spider-Man reboot

Release date: 7 July 2017. Yes, it is another Spider-Man reboot, having previously been redone with Andrew Garfield as the lead. However, this time it is part of the MCU, with Tom Holland as the titular character, and a heavily rumoured cameo by Iron Man could be in the pipeline. We can dream.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

10. Untitled Fox film

Release date: 6 October 2017. In a strange announcement, Fox decided to withhold the release of Gambit until a future, as-yet unannounced date, which could be here, or this could be a completely separate project. Many suspect Deadpool 2 could nicely fit here, Fox capitalising on the success of the first film.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

11. Thor: Ragnarok

Release date: 3 November 2017. Chris Hemsworth will be returning as the Norse God in his third solo MCU film. Flight of the Conchords’ Taika Waititi is on board to direct, and promises a fun adventure that will likely lead into Marvel’s next project, Infinity War.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

12. Justice League Part One

Release date: 17 November 2017. Hot on the heals of Thor comes Justice League Part One, the first DCEU team-up flick which will see Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg work together to fight bad guys.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

13: Untitled Fox film

Release date: 12 January 2018. Kicking off 2018 will likely be the second Deadpool film, but then again, this could very well be another X-Men team-up. There’s also talk of an X-Force film, with Deadpool and other mutants teaming up to fight evil.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

14. Black Panther

Release date: 16 February 2018. The first non-white male-led superhero film in the MCU comes in the form of Black Panther, with Chadwick Boseman reprising the titular role, having also starred as the Panther in Civil War. Creed’s Ryan Coogler is on to direct what could be a very exciting film.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

15. The Flash

Release date: 16 March 2018. The Flash will be the first DCEU film since Justice League, and sees Ezra Miller take the lead. Phil Lord and Chris Miller were supposed to pen the film before Disney snapped them up for the Han Solo-film, leaving Seth Grahame-Smith to take charge.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

16. Avengers: Infinity War Part 1

Release date: 4 May 2018. And so, we finally get to the point of all these Infinity Stones! Thanos will be the big bad, with the Avengers needing to team up to defeat their biggest foe yet. It has previously been described as “the end of the Avengers as we know it”.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

17. Ant-Man and The Wasp

Release date: 6 July 2018. Peyton Reed will be back to direct this surprise sequel to one of the better received MCU films. While the name is ridiculous, at least Marvel are finally having a leading female superhero.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

18. Untitled Fox film

Release date: 13 July 2018. Again, not much word on this one except it is thought to be X-Men spin-off New Mutants, something Josh Boone has been hit up to write.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

19. Animated Spider-Man Film

Release date: 20 July 2018. Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach, and Amy Pascal - the team behind the live-action Spider-Man films - are producing this ‘unrelated’ animated adaptation of the hero. Because you can never have too much Spider-Man, right?

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

20. Aquaman

Release date: 27 July 2018. Another Justice League spin-off, Jason Momoa plays the leading man. Furious 7’s James Wan is on to direct, but little else is known about the film.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

21. Captain Marvel

Release date: 8 March 2019. We’ve hit 2019, and the first confirmed superhero film will be the first proper female-led MCU film. No-one is confirmed to be in the titular role of Carol Danvers just yet.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

22. Shazam

Release date: 5 April 2019. Dwayne Johnson stars as the villain in this DCEU film which will be somewhat separate to the other DC films.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

23. Avengers: Infinity War Part 2.

Release date: 3 May 2019. The conclusion to the long drawn MCU saga. Expect a big finish with at least a few planets being destroyed.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

24. Justice League Part Two

Release date: 14 June 2019. Soon after the Infinity War story reaches its conclusion, so will the Justice League’s. Not much is known, except Darkseid will likely be the villain for at least one of the parts.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

25. Inhumans

Release date: 12 July 2019. The concept of Inhumans (or Marvel’s mutants) has already been introduced in TV, through Marvel’s Agents of Shield, yet the film is expected to introduce the Royal Family who have yet to be seen in the show.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

26. Cyborg

Release date: 3 April 2020. Having debuted in Justice League Part One three years previously, Cyborg will finally be making his own outing, with Ray Fisher as the titular character.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

27. Untitled MCU film

Release date: 1 May 2020. The first of three untitled Marvel films. There are a couple of contenders, the first is a likely sequel to Spider-Man with Sony, or a third Guardians of the Galaxy film, thus finishing the trilogy.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

28. Green Lantern Corps.

Release date: 19 June 2020. Before you start to worry, this has nothing to do with the Ryan Reynolds-starring flick that hit cinemas a little while ago. Instead, this will be another DCEU film that will likely spin-off from Justice League after the Green Lantern Corps cameo in one of the parts.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

29. Untitled MCU film

Release date: 10 July 2020. As well as Spider-Man or Guardians of the Galaxy sequels, a Doctor Strange or Black Panther one could fit in nicely here. Or perhaps Black Widow may finally get the solo-film she deserves.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

30. Untitled MCU film

Release date: 6 November 2020. Some speculators also think a Blade film could fit in here, marking over 20 years since the first Blade. But many believe the character may be better suited to a Netflix series, as with Daredevil and Jessica Jones. There’s also talk of a Runaways film reaching cinemas at some stage.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

31. Untitled Ben Affleck Batman film

Release date: TBA. Now we’re onto the TBA release dates, the first of which is a Batman solo film, written and directed by Ben Affleck. When this is due, no one is quite sure but expect it sooner rather than later if Batman v Superman is a success.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

32. Suicide Squad 2

Release date: TBA (rumoured 2017). A sequel to Suicide Squad is expected to come in 2017 according to recent reports, but nothing has been confirmed. If the first is successful, it should come as no surprise for Warner Bros to rearrange their schedule to fit in this surefire hit.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

33. Venom

Release date: TBA. This is an odd one, as it has been confirmed Sony are wanting to release a Venom film completely unrelated to the upcoming Spider-Man reboot. Venom, as you may know, is a Spider-Man villain, intrinsically linked to Spider-Man, so it seems odd they would release a film unrelated to the rebooted project and not linked to the MCU.

33 Superhero films set for release between 2016 and 2020

Anything else?

Well, now you mention it, there’s also that sequel to Fantastic Four that has seemingly been dropped by Fox. Plus, there’s the Gambit film which has been put on hold (but will likely fill an untitled Fox slot so we haven’t added it extra). Then again, it could be shoehorned in somehow…

Marvel

New Year's Eve

The Muppet Treasure Island - 2.45pm on Channel 4

Pulp Fiction - 10.30pm on Channel 5

The Big Lebowski - 11.15pm on Film 4

If you’re not much of a party goer, what better way to see out 2016 than revisiting Quentin Tarantino at his finest.

Reservoir Dogs - 1.20am on Channel 5

1 January

E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial - 4.30pm on ITV1

This Steven Spielberg classic about an alien stuck on earth is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, and for good reason.

Monsters University - 5.00pm on BBC One

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - 7.00pm on Sky Premiere

Muscling in: Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill battle for the bragging rights in ‘Batman v Superman’ (Warner Bros)

Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight clashes with Henry Cavil’s Man of Steel, all while Jessie Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor causes chaos, and Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman save the day.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol - 9.00pm on Channel 4

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