Punxsutawney Phil may have predicted a long winter lasting well into this March, but nonetheless, the weather is getting warmer and the spring film season is upcoming. Here are some of the biggest Hollywood releases coming out this March and April.
“Creed III” — March 3
The third entry in the “Rocky” spin-off franchise marks the first time that Sylvester Stallone will not be portraying Rocky Balboa in either a “Rocky” or “Creed” film. Michael B. Jordan stars as the titular Adonis Creed and is also making his directorial debut with “Creed III.” Tessa Thompson is reprising her role as Creed’s love interest, Bianca, and Jonathan Majors is a new addition to the cast as Creed’s childhood friend turned enemy in the ring.
“Champions” — March 10
“Champions” tells the story of a disgraced basketball coach who is ordered by a court to coach a team of players with intellectual disabilities, learning about life and basketball along the way. The film stars Woody Harrelson as Marcus, a former minor league basketball coach, and the film was directed by Bobby Farrelly, director of “Dumb and Dumber.” “Champions” hopes to be a heartwarming tale that celebrates those with disabilities.
“Scream VI” — March 10
The sixth entry in the “Scream” franchise is releasing to theaters on March 10 and was directed by the duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who directed 2022’s “Scream.” A big draw of “Scream VI” is the cast as it boasts an all-star roster including Courteney Cox, Jenna Ortega and Samara Weaving.
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” — March 17
The sequel to 2019’s “Shazam” promises to be an exciting follow-up to one of the few bright spots in DC’s film release slate of the last five years. Zachary Levi is reprising his role as the titular hero, and the film is adding Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler to its cast. David F. Sandberg is also returning to direct the film.
“John Wick: Chapter 4” — March 24
“John Wick: Chapter 4” is releasing this March, nine years after the original “John Wick” came out in 2014. Star Keanu Reeves and Director Chad Stahelski are teaming up for the fourth time in a row as they hope to continue the success of their action franchise. One interesting thing about “John Wick: Chapter 4” is that it boasts a runtime of almost three hours, promising lots of enticing action.
“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” — March 31
The hit tabletop role-playing game “Dungeons & Dragons” is finally getting a film adaptation this March after being in development since 2013. The film is directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, known for writing “Spider-Man: Homecoming.” The film stars Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Hugh Grant.
“The Super Mario Bros. Movie” — April 5
Exactly 30 years after the disastrous live-action “Super Mario Bros.” film starring Bob Hoskins came out in 1993, Nintendo looks to redeem themselves with an animated take on the hit video game series. The film has a star-studded yet controversial cast headlined by Chris Pratt voicing Mario. Although Pratt has some voice acting experience with “The Lego Movie,” he is not Italian and Charles Martinet, the voice of Mario in the video game series, is famously still alive. Only time will tell how well this adaptation fares.
“Renfield” — April 14
Nicolas Cage and Nicholas Hoult star as Dracula and his henchman, Renfield, in this horror comedy take on the vampire classic from director Chris McKay. The film is in the vein of “What We Do in the Shadows,” a parody of the vampire genre. Cage has been in a few sneaky-good films recently, including “Pig” and “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,” as he hopes to continue his hot streak with “Renfield.”
“Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” — April 28
After its initial release of Sept. 16, 2022, got pushed back, “Are You There? It’s Me, Margaret,” is finally going to be released this April. The film is based on the hit Judy Blume novel from 1970, and hopes to be the next classic coming-of-age tale that pleases audiences of all ages. The film stars Academy Award Nominee Rachel McAdams and Academy Award Winner Kathy Bates.