Traditionally, the biggest blockbusters of the year are released in the summer and the awards contenders in the fall, but that has begun to change in the last couple of years with films like “Deadpool” and “Black Panther” finding success with February releases and “Spider-Man: No Way Home” having a late December release, creating the winter film season from December through February. Here are some of the biggest releases hitting theaters this winter.

“The Whale” — Dec. 9

Not many would have thought that ‘90s action star Brendan Fraser, director Darron Aronofsky and a screenplay based on a play about a reclusive English teacher would come together to form one of the most anticipated films of 2022, but “The Whale” has gained a lot of traction in the awards circuit and Fraser, in particular, is poised to make a run for the Academy Award for Best Actor.

“Avatar: The Way of Water” — Dec. 16

The sequel to 2009’s “Avatar” is finally here after 13 years of waiting and the visuals promise to be just as stunning as the original, but this time underwater. A lot is riding on this film’s performance as director James Cameron has stated that the film would need to become the third or fourth highest-grossing film of all time to become profitable. Only time will tell if fans of the franchise come back for “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

“Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” — Dec. 21

It has been over 10 years since the last “Shrek” and “Puss in Boots” films were released, but the franchise is making a triumphant return with “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” coming to theaters on Dec. 21. Antonio Banderas is reprising his role as the titular Puss in Boots and Salma Hayek is returning as his love interest, Kitty Softpaws. Although the original “Puss in Boots” made over $500 million at the box office, DreamWorks may have let the cat out of the bag by waiting so long to release the sequel.

“Babylon” — Dec. 23

Director Damien Chazelle made waves in the film world with his first three feature films — “Whiplash,” “La La Land” and “First Man” — which all found critical success and won Academy Awards. “Babylon” hopes to continue that success with a star-studded cast including Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie and Tobey Maguire. The story promises to deliver a tale of indulgence in 1920s Hollywood.

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” — Dec. 23

BAFTA winner Naomi Ackie stars as Whitney Houston alongside Academy Award nominee Stanley Tucci in this biopic of the late R&B pop singer’s life. The film is named after Houston’s iconic song, “I Wanna Dance with Somebody,” and the story follows her rise from an unknown singer to becoming a massive hit.

“A Man Called Otto” — Jan. 13

Based on the 2012 New York Times bestselling novel “A Man Called Ove” and the 2015 Swedish film of the same name, “A Man Called Otto” hopes to recapture the success of the prior two projects for an American audience. The film stars two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks as the titular Otto, a curmudgeon who learns to regain his love for life from an unlikely source — his rowdy neighbors.

“House Party” — Jan. 13

This remake of the 1990 film of the same name stars Jacob Latimore and Tosin Cole as Kevin and Damon, respectively, two friends who throw a party in LeBron James’ mansion after getting access to it through a cleaning job. James is also producing the film and starring as himself, continuing his film career after starring in hits like “Trainwreck” and “Space Jam: A New Legacy.”

“Magic Mike’s Last Dance” — Feb. 10

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, return to the magical world of male strippers that started over 10 years ago with the hit film “Magic Mike.” Channing Tatum is returning back to star for his third outing in the franchise with director Steven Soderbergh coming back as well after directing the first “Magic Mike” in 2012, but not the sequel, “Magic Mike XXL,” in 2015.

“Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey” — Feb. 15

Based on the characters from A. A. Milne’s 1926 novel “Winnie-the-Pooh,” which finally entered the public domain in 2022, “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey” promises to be the weirdest film of the winter season. Making a horror film starring beloved children’s characters is an inspired choice from writer and director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and could start a new cinematic trend if it lives up to the hype.

“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” — Feb. 17

If “Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey” is the weirdest release this winter film season, then “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is the most exciting. The third film in the “Ant-Man” series is bringing Jonathan Majors’ Kang the Conqueror to the big screen and will set him up to be the main villain in the next “Avengers” film. Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lily return as the titular heroes after last appearing in “Avengers: Endgame.”