6 new movies to watch in April, including The First Omen and Challengers
MGMA preview of all the major movies releasing in April, including The First Omen, Monkey Man, Civil War, and Challengers.
March was a big month for blockbusters, with Dune: Part Two kicking the period off, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire dropping midway through, and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire rounding things off.
April provides a quite different selection of films, including a horror prequel, two high-octane action flicks, a movie about civil war in America, and a tennis feature starring Zendaya.
The First Omen
Release Date: April 5, 2024
The original Omen released in 1976, told a tale of the devil being born to an American diplomat, and quickly became one of the most successful horror movies of all-time. Several sequels followed — of varying quality — as did a pretty forgettable 2006 remake. But now The Omen is getting a prequel.
This new film marks the directorial debut of Arkasha Stevenson, and concerns a young American woman being sent to Rome to serve the church, and discovering a conspiracy to birth evil incarnate on earth.
Monkey Man
Release Date: April 5, 2024
Dev Patel found fame in TV series Skins, went global with Oscar-winner Slumdog Millionaire, then received acclaim for his work in the likes of Lion, David Copperfield, and The Green Knight. Now he’s stretching his creative wings, by directing, co-writing, and starring in Monkey Man.
A cross between The Raid and John Wick, Patel plays an anonymous man who embarks on a roaring rampage of revenge through a criminal underworld, that results in lots of people dying, in violent, bloody, and increasingly creative ways.
Civil War
Release Date: April 12, 2024
Writer-director Alex Garland likes to challenge audiences, through films like Ex Machina, Annihilation, and Men. His new feature examines the current political landscape, via a near-future story of Civil War breaking out in America, and pitting the government against armed forces from Texas and California.
It’s a film that’s sure to cause controversy. While the talented cast features husband-and-wife team Kristen Dunst and Jesse Plemons, alongside Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, and as the US president, Nick Offerman.
Abigail
Release Date: April 19, 2024
Abigail also features a fine cast, with the ensemble made up of Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Giancarlo Esposito, Matthew Goode, and former Scream actress Melissa Barrera. But the star of the show is Aleisha Weir, who plays the title character.
Abigail is a young girl kidnapped and held for ransom, until her captors realise she is no ordinary prisoner. We won’t say exactly what’s going on with their victim, but the fact that this is a loose remake of 1936 monster movie Dracula’s Daughter should tell you all you need to know.
Boy Kills World
Release Date: April 26, 2024
In a story that isn’t a million miles away from the aforementioned Monkey Man, Boy Kills World is an action film that’s all about revenge. The ‘Boy’ in question is played by Bill Skarsgård, and hunting down the woman who murdered his family in cold blood.
The twist is that Boy is deaf, driven by an inner voice from his favorite video game, and sees the ghost of his dead sister. Which is a lot. But early word from the Toronto Film Festival suggests this one is a blast.
Challengers
Release Date: April 26, 2024
The Challengers release was pushed back due to the writer’s strike. Which isn’t a surprise as star Zendaya fills column inches wherever she goes. Here the Dune actress plays a tennis star who gets hot and heavy with two male stars, played by Josh O’Conner and Mike Faist.
Call me By Your Name helmer Luca Guadagnino directs from a script by Justin Kuritzkes, with the story playing out years after their tryst, with old feelings bubbling to the surface during a major tournament.
New movies in April 2024: Full list
This is a list of all the major new movies releasing in US cinemas during April 2024:
April 2
- Someone Like You
- Mister Sleep
April 5
- The First Omen
- Monkey Man
- City of Dreams
- Epic Tails
- The Beast
- The Greatest Hits
- Parachute
- Strictly Confidential
- Model House
- Housekeeping for Beginners
- Coup de Chance
April 9
- Wes is Dying
April 12
- Civil War
- The Long Game
- Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead
- Damaged
- The Absence of Eden
- Stress Positions
- Sting
- Escape From Germany
- Sweet Dreams
- Arcadian
- LaRoy, Texas
- Unsinkable
- Food, Inc. 2
- In Flames
- Resistance: They Fought Back
- Pure O
- A Forgotten Man
- Back to Black (UK only)
April 15
- Irena’s Vow
April 19
- Abigail
- The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
- Villains Inc.
- Hard Miles
- Sasquatch Sunset
- Wildfire: The Legend of the Cherokee Ghost Horse
- Little Empty Boxes
- The Three Musketeers Part 2: Milady
- Blood for Dust
April 23
- Something You Said Last
April 26
- Challengers
- Boy Kills World
- Unsung Hero
- The King Tide
- Humane
- Cinderella’s Revenge
- Cash Out
- Breathe
- The Feeling that the Time for Ding Something has Passed
What’s coming in May 2024?
This is a list of the big movies hitting in May – check back here for a more detailed preview of these films at the end of April.
- The Fall Guy
- I Saw the TV Glow
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- If
- The Strangers Chapter 1
- Back to Black (US)
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
- The Garfield Movie
- Robot Dreams
For further monthly previews, check out the below links:
