11 movies to watch in theaters this holiday season

Bells are ringing this holiday season for action and adventure ... and the continuation of stories you've seen before. The names you'll recognize: Creed, Robin Hood, Aquaman, Mary Poppins. The retellings? Maybe. There'll also be the annual awards bait that appears during the holiday season. Here are some movies we're looking forward to almost as much as we're looking forward to Santa.

NOV. 21

CREED II -- Michael B. Jordan and executive producer Ryan Coogler make a powerhouse team that's become a habit for moviegoers to the tune of more than a billion dollars in box office for Black Panther. The sequel to breakout hit Creed, which rebooted the 42-year-old Rocky franchise, will be their fourth outing together (the first was the critically acclaimed Fruitvale Station). But before we can get to the fifth film in the pipeline, Wrong Answer, Jordan returns as Adonis, who is trying to right a family wronged by taking a fight against Viktor Drago, the son of the man (Dolph Lundgren) who killed his father, Apollo Creed, in the ring (see Rocky IV). Phylicia Rashad, Tessa Thompson and Sylvester Stallone also star. Superstar pairing + family drama X a trailer with DMX performing the soundtrack = sold.

RALPH BREAKS THE INTERNET -- The sequel to Wreck-It Ralph is setting its sights on the internet and beyond, with a scope that appears bigger than the video game-centric original. You want princesses in your Disney movie? This one's got all of 'em. Big names like Gal Gadot and Alfred Molina join the cast of familiar voices like John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman.

ROBIN HOOD -- Taron Egerton (Kingsman: The Golden Circle) stars in this oft-told tale of Robin of Loxley. This time, Robin is a Crusader who becomes a revolutionary against a greedy, corrupt royal. Jamie Foxx stars as his mentor in this stylized retelling filled with action sequences and, of course, romance.

GREEN BOOK -- Oscar winner Mahershala Ali (Moonlight) and two-time nominee Viggo Mortensen star in this period film about a refined classical pianist who hires an uncouth, uneducated former bouncer to drive for him on a tour through the segregated South. Driving Miss Daisy in reverse? Not with these two along for the ride.

Dec. 7

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS -- The queen of Scotland (Saoirse Ronan) and her cousin Queen Elizabeth I of England (Margot Robbie) start out as friends and become rivals and then enemies in this biographical drama directed by Josie Rourke. Sadly, things don't turn out quite as Queen Mary planned, but with a cast including David Tennant (Doctor Who), Gemma Chan (Crazy Rich Asians) and Brendan Coyle (Downton Abbey), it should be royally fun to watch.

Dec. 14

AQUAMAN -- DC Comics is betting on the titular hero to turn the tide (pun intended) on fan reaction to its spotty run at creating a cinematic universe (except for Wonder Woman, of course). Aquaman looks ready for the challenge with Jason Momoa smirking his way through an origin story that will introduce to some and present to others the mystery under the sea: Atlantis.

MORTAL ENGINES -- In this steampunk fantasy world, entire cities are mobile and can wage war against each other. Not sold on the potential for that spectacle? What if we told you that it comes from some of the people responsible for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, including producer Peter Jackson? Based on an acclaimed novel of the same name.

SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE -- How many Spider-Men is too many? Into the Spider-Verse doesn't seem to be hitting that limit. A lighthearted animated movie written by Phil Lord (The Lego Movie), this comic-book adventure throws a ton of different versions of Spider-Man (including one that is a pig ... seriously) into one exciting plot.

Dec. 19

MARY POPPINS RETURNS -- Fifty-four years after the original Mary Poppins hit theaters, the movie is finally getting a sequel starring Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda and other powerhouse names. Expect music, magic, whimsical animation and plenty of charm. Dick Van Dyke even returns to play the son of one of his original Mary Poppins characters.

Dec. 21

BUMBLEBEE -- The Transformers movies have succeeded at being big, loud blockbusters, but even the series' fans could argue that it's gone a bit off the rails. Bumblebee, a spinoff/prequel, takes things back to a simpler time (1987) and a simpler setup of just one human girl (Hailee Steinfeld) and her unbelievable car/robot friend.

HOLMES AND WATSON -- There has been no shortage of adaptations of classic Sherlock Holmes stories, each of which has offered varying twists and turns. Holmes and Watson, starring the powerhouse duo of Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, takes an irreverent, comedic approach to the world's most famous consulting detective.