April kicks off strong with the premiere of the bloody action thriller “Monkey Man,” directed by and starring Dev Patel. That buzzy energy floats throughout the rest of the month, with other genre-leaning films premiering following initial festival runs. There’s plenty for horror fanatics, from the latest in “The Omen” franchise to another Cronenberg making their directorial debut and the latest from Alex Garland. There’s plenty left over for those looking for something less heavy, from romantic comedies to the latest from Luca Guadagnino starring Zendaya.
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“Música”
Rudy Mancuso (“The Flash”) and Camila Mendes (“Riverdale”) star in the coming-of-age film, “Música.” Mancuso also directs in his feature film directorial debut, co-writing the screenplay with Dan Lagana (“American Vandal”). The film draws on Mancuso’s experiences, as it follows a young creative with synesthesia as he juggles an uncertain future and the pressures that come from love, family, and his Brazilian culture. The film made its debut at this year’s SXSW.
Release Date: April 4, via Amazon Studios.
“The First Omen”
A prequel to the 1976 film “The Omen,” “The First Omen” is the sixth entry into the series franchise. Directed by Arkasha Stevenson, the film joins one of the many revitalized horror series in recent years. Stevenson co-writes the screenplay alongside Tim Smith and Keith Thomas, which follows an American woman set to work at a church in Rome, where there is a plot to bring about the birth of the Antichrist. Nell Tiger Free (“Servant”), Tawfeek Barhom (“The Letter For The King”), Sônia Braga (“Shotgun Wedding”), Ralph Ineson (“The Green Knight”), and Bill Nighy (“Living”) star.
Release Date: April 5, via 20th Century Studios.
“Monkey Man”
If actor Dev Patel vanished from screens in recent years, it’s with good reason: he’s been prepping his ambitious directorial debut, the action thriller “Monkey Man.” In the vein of “John Wick,” the film stars Patel as a man who unleashes a campaign of vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimize the poor and powerless in Mumbai. Jordan Peele produces, and Sharlto Copley, Pitobash, and Sobhita Dhulipala co-star (read our review).
Release Date: April 5, via Universal.
“Arcadian”
Nicolas Cage stars in the action horror film “Arcadian” from writer Michael Nilon and director Ben Brewer. Cage plays a father who has had to raise his sons on a decimated earth where, each night, they’re faced with a deadly creature. This post-apocalyptic story leans into the survival lens when, after a near-fatal accident, his teenage sons must come up with their own plan of survival. Jaeden Martell (“Knives Out”), Maxwell Jenkins (“Dear Edward”), and Sadie Soverall (“Saltburn”) also star.
Release Date: April 12, via RLJE Films