Screen Time - April 2023

Spring is here and the TV and movie industry is celebrating rebirth and renewal with plenty of blockbusters and exciting projects.

Spring is in full swing and that means no doubt many of you are looking to awake from hibernation and get back into the big bad world. We're here to give you 11 reasons on why you should just cosy back up in front of the TV or instead head to the cinemas, as April 2023 is bringing a broad array of exciting films and TV to streamers and theatres.

But before we get to this latest episode of Screen Time, a quick reminder. We've based our picks on a UK release calendar, so be sure to check local listings for accurate dates. With that out of the way, let's kick things off with an anticipated animated film.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie - April 5

Illumination, the creators of all things Minions, has got their hands on Nintendo's most iconic character and adapted him into an adventure that sees Mario, Peach, Toad, and a bunch of other instantly recognisable and loveable faces travelling across the Mushroom Kingdom to save Luigi and to stop Bowser's rampage. Featuring a star-studded cast, including the likes of Chris Pratt, Jack Black, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Day, Seth Rogen, and more, this will be Mario's first truly big-break on the big screen.

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Beef [Netflix] - April 6

Road rage has got the better of each and every one of us, but very few people have likely let it impact them in the way that Steven Yeun and Ali Wong have in Netflix's Beef. This series sees two people being truly consumed with hatred for one another following a car accident, and sees how their lives drastically change as they look to explore every way to get back at one another.

The Pope's Exorcist - April 7

Religion and horror have always danced a delicate line, as some of the best horror films in history explore how priests and men of god defeat and overcome demons and possessed people. The Pope's Exorcist will look to explore similar beats, as here, Russell Crowe's Father Gabriele Amorth looks to investigate a possession case and soon after uncovers a centuries-old conspiracy that has been hidden by the Vatican.

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Renfield - April 14

Have you ever wondered how Dracula would fit into modern society? If so, the comedic take on the world's most famous vampire, Renfield, should be right up your street. This hilarious movie sees Nicholas Hoult starring as the titular Renfield, an assistant to Nicolas Cage's Dracula, as he looks to leave the service of the Prince of Darkness in favour of having a simple life in modern day New Orleans.

Assassin Club - April 14

Henry Golding is shaping up to be one of the most promising young action stars in Hollywood, and his latest effort, Assassin Club, is looking to be the next notch on this belt. Starring alongside Noomi Rapace, Daniela Melchior, and Sam Neill, this film sees Golding's lead man being tasked with eliminating seven people from around the world, who just so happen to be assassins that have been hired to eliminate him.

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die [Netflix] - April 14

Fans of Netflix's The Last Kingdom have no doubt been waiting a long time for the series to continue with this full length film instalment. The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die picks up after the events of King Edward's death, and sees Uhtred of Bebbanburg and his allies travelling across a fractured kingdom, all with the aim of uniting England.

Ghosted [Apple TV+] - April 21

One is a highly skilled secret agent and the other is a lovestruck soul hoping for happiness. This Chris Evans and Ana de Armas headlined flick challenges gender stereotypes by seeing Evans playing the helpless heartthrob, while de Armas saves the day as the honourable heroine. Coming to Apple TV+, this film is aiming to be action-packed and littered with laughs.

Evil Dead Rise - April 21

The Evil Dead franchise is getting back to its truly horrifying and gruesome roots this April when the harrowing Evil Dead Rise arrives in theatres. Telling the story of what happens when the reunion of two estranged sisters is broken up by flesh-possessing demons, this film explores the fight for survival that the family finds themself in when facing nightmarish versions of their loved ones.

Paint - April 28

Life is full of happy, little accidents as a famous, beloved painter used to say. Owen Wilson's Carl Nargyle, a man known as Vermont's #1 public television painter with a perm and a custom van, would probably not have such a positive outlook on life, especially when a certain young painter, with a perm and a custom van of his own, bursts onto the scene and steals his life in Paint.

Peter Pan and Wendy [Disney+] - April 28

Depending on when you were born, you probably have a favourite version of the tale of the boy who wouldn't grow up. As it has been a while since a Peter Pan movie was cranked out, Disney has given the iconic story another live-action take with Peter Pan and Wendy, a film that takes us back to Neverland to face Jude Law's version of Captain Hook, as the next major Disney+ addition.

And that does it once again. We'll be back in a month's time for yet another episode of Screen Time, where we look at what May 2023 is bringing to the table.