Melburnians will take any excuse to spend a balmy evening outside with a bottle of good wine, and our beloved Moonlight Cinema always provides a pretty solid justification. From December, Moonlight Cinema is coming back to the Royal Botanic Gardens, with a fresh season of big-screen releases, festive favourites and family films.
Now in its 31st summer season, Australia’s favourite outdoor cinema will take over Central Lawn from Wednesday, December 2, 2026, to Sunday, April 11, 2027. Expect golden-hour picnics followed by magical movies under the stars, all set within one of Melbourne’s most lovely green spaces.
Kicking off the season is The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping, with screenings in Melbourne on December 2, 5 and 9. The opening program also brings a heap of new releases to the big screen, including Verity, the psychological thriller starring Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh Hartnett; a gloriously tear-jerking new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility (screenplay by Australia's own Diana Reid); and Wild Horse 9. Other titles on the early lineup include Wicker, Primetime and Focker in Law, starring Ben Stiller, Robert De Niro and Ariana Grande.
Naturally, things will turn especially festive around Christmas time. Moonlight’s Christmas Favourites program runs from December 11 to 23, with seasonal staples including Love Actually, The Polar Express, Home Alone, The Holiday and Elf. There’s also Ebenezer, a new ghost story set in Dickens’ London starring Johnny Depp as Scrooge. Families can catch Disney’s Hexed on Boxing Day, and preview screenings of A Talent for Murder, starring Helen Mirren, and Cat in the Hat will land on December 6 and 30 respectively.
There are a few ways to settle in for the night. General Admission lets you bring a picnic rug and your favourite snacks, and Connoisseur Lounge tickets guarantee a bean bed in a dedicated viewing area, plus a gourmet ice cream. GWM Gold Grass offers prime viewing, express entry and food and drinks delivered to your bean bed.
For a more luxe movie night, the Platinum Experience is also returning to Melbs. It includes a deluxe double bean bed in a prime spot, express entry, a drink each on arrival, a premium cinema snackbox and blankets. Food and drinks can be ordered by QR code, and you’re welcome to bring your own picnic and refreshments, too. Dogs are welcome, so your four-legged movie buddy can join the fun.
Gates open 90 minutes before each film, giving you heaps of time to find your spot, unpack the snacks and watch the sun go down before the opening credits roll.
Tickets for November and December screenings are on sale now over here.
