Christmas Special by Sabrina Carpenter, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” and Rosé go it alone

“A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter” is streaming on Netflix.
Courtesy of Netflix

Sabrina Carpenter hosts a holiday music variety special on Netflix and Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw play a spy and an assassin in the TV series Black Doves. These are some of the new TV shows, movies, music, and games coming to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings selected by The Associated Press entertainment journalists: K-pop star Rosé has her first full-length solo album and Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” experiences another afterlife odyssey.

Films

• 36 years after the original, the Deetz family returns to Winter River in Tim Burton’s film “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” (Streaming Saturday, December 7, on Max). There, Lydia (Winona Ryder), still haunted by Beetlejuice (Michael Keaton), is forced into another afterlife odyssey when her teenage daughter (Jenna Ortega) discovers a portal. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “a cheerfully made sequel that sometimes makes sense and sometimes doesn’t, but just continues to be left out.”

“That Christmas” begins streaming on Netflix on Wednesday.
Courtesy of Netflix

• A low-key reunion between Love Actually writer-director Richard Curtis and one of that film’s stars, Bill Nighy, is part of the new Netflix animated film “This Christmas” (Streaming Wednesday). The film was co-written by Curtis (it is based on his Christmas book series) and stars Nighy as the voice of Lighthouse Bill, one of the townspeople of Wellington-on-Sea who struggles with a winter storm. The storm poses challenges even for Santa Claus, voiced by Brian Cox.

“Fly Me to the Moon” begins streaming on Apple TV+.
Courtesy of Apple TV+

• Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum star in the romantic comedy about the space race “Fly me to the moon” about a NASA launch director (Tatum) and a Madison Avenue marketing manager tasked with selling the mission to the moon. The film, which hit theaters in July, arrives on Apple TV+ on Wednesday. In her review, AP film writer Lindsey Bahr praised the film as “lighthearted and breezy with a pleasant screwball energy that gives Johansson the opportunity to harness the full potential of her movie star.”

— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

“A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter” begins streaming on Netflix on Friday.
Courtesy of Netflix

Music

• Does espresso go well with eggnog? Find out when Sabrina Carpenter is hosting a holiday music variety special streaming on Netflix beginning Friday, December 6th. “It’s an hour of literal nonsense,” Sabrina told Time magazine about the special. “If people expect it to be boring when I sing by a tree, that’s not the case. It’s so fun, so chaotic. There are so many guests I’m looking forward to.” These guests include Chappell Roan, Tyla, Shania Twain, Kali Uchis, Quinta Brunson, Cara Delevingne, Kyle Mooney, Nico Hiraga, Megan Stalter, Sean Astin, Owen Thiele and Jillian Bell.

• Lauren MayberrySinger and percussionist from the Scottish pop band Chvrches, makes her solo debut with “Vicious Creature”. The 12 tracks range from the coffeehouse folk of “Anywhere But Dancing” to the punky “Punch Drunk” to the dance-pop of “Change Shapes” to the stuttering glamor of “Sorry, Etc.” that you like,” she tells us in an interview.

Rosé’s debut solo collection is titled “Rosie.”
Courtesy of Atlantic Records

• Mayberry isn’t the only woman heading out alone – The rosé from BLACKPINK Her first full-length solo album, titled Rosie, is scheduled to be released on Friday, December 6th. She started with “APT.”, her collaboration with pop star Bruno Mars. The catchy pop-punk track inspired by a popular Korean drinking game known as “Apartment Game”. It spent weeks at the top of the Billboard Global 200 chart. She previewed the album on Instagram, saying: “I put my blood and tears into this album. I can’t wait for you to listen to my little diary.”

— AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy

“Black Doves” and “The Sticky.”
Courtesy of Netflix, Amazon Studios

Shows

• In her new Netflix series “Black Pigeons” Keira Knightley and Ben Whishaw play old friends who also happen to be a spy and an assassin who team up at Christmas to solve a murder (and get revenge). Knightley joked to The Associated Press that the show falls into the “Die Hard” category of Christmas entertainment. “It’s like I spent too much time with my family. I hate them all. I have to watch something explode!” “Black Doves” debuts on the streamer on Thursday.

• Margo Martindale stars in new Prime Video series “The Sticky One” as a hapless woman on the verge of financial ruin who gets caught up in a crime ring that steals, of all things, maple syrup worth millions of dollars. It is inspired by a true story. The dark comedy also stars the delightful Chris Diamantopoulos and Guillaume Cyr. Jamie Lee Curtis executive produces and also appears. The premiere takes place on Friday, December 6th.

— Alicia Rancilio

Video games

• Free-to-play multiplayer games like Overwatch and Apex Legends remain popular online, but it’s been years since a new release made a big impact. Chinese company NetEase Games is hoping to shake up the genre by introducing superheroes and villains into the formula Marvel Rivals. The core competition is a battle between two teams of six heroes each. The debut lineup includes familiar names like Spider-Man, Black Panther and Captain America, as well as some cult favorites like Luna Snow and Jeff the Land Shark. Some characters – say Thor, Loki and Hela – can team up to cause all sorts of chaos. It’s all free-to-play and the mayhem begins Friday, December 6th on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

— Lou Kesten