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Mar 1, 2019

April 2019 Movie Releases: Everything Coming to Theaters

Thanks to recent movies like the last couple of Fast & Furious sequels and 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War, April has become the month where Hollywood can start their summer box office movie season a little earlier than the usual first weekend in May.

Marvel and Disney plan to do just that again with Avengers: Endgame at the end of the month. On the way there, however, April unspools plenty of must-see movies worthy of checking out in theaters. Horror movie fans, especially those partial to the works of Stephen King, are in for a treat this month – as are DC and Dark Horse Comics fans. Here’s a breakdown of the wide releases coming to theaters this April.

‘Pet Sematary’ – April 5

 

Cast: Jason Clarke, John Lithgow, and Amy Seimetz

Directors: Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer

A retelling of Stephen King’s classic (and terrifying) novel, which was previously adapted by Paramount for the big screen in 1989, this new version of Pet Sematary aims to capitalize on the box office frights stirred up by 2017’s IT. Jason Clarke stars as a father who relocates his family to a small Maine town that is home to a woods where the dead can be buried and resurrected. When his child suffers a fatal tragedy, Clarke’s character tempts fate and courts a horrifying set of consequences that follow him home.

See it with: A friend or six that can hold your hand during the scary parts.

‘Shazam’ – April 5

 

Cast: Zachary Levi and Asher Angel

Director: David Sandberg

DC and Warner Bros. follow up their successful Aquaman with a movie that is best described as a superhero version of Tom Hanks’ Big.

Zachary Levi, of NBC’s Chuck fame, plays Shazam/Captain Marvel (the other Captain Marvel), the super-powered, Superman-like alter ego of 14-year-old Billy Batson (Asher Angel), who can summon his adult-sized heroic self – who still retains the mindset of a teenager – by shouting the word “Shazam!” The trailer for this movie hints to a very funny and action-packed outing, unlike anything the DC Extended Universe has put out before. Get excited.

See it with: Your squad, friends who are big comic book fans, and anyone who loves comedies.

‘The Best Of Enemies’ – April 5

 

 

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Taraji P. Henson, Wes Bentley, Anne Heche

Director: Robin Bissell

In the vein of Green Book and BlacKkKlansman, STX Entertainment is bringing us another movie set in the past yet still relevant to our current times. The Best of Enemies explores the relationship between Durham, North Carolina activist Ann Atwater (Taraji P. Henson) and KKK member C.P. Ellis (Sam Rockwell) as the two are forced to work together to manage the city’s transition to integrated schools in 1971. Can anyone truly change? Considering this is based on a true story, the answer to that is hopefully “yes.”

See it with: Your politically-minded friends, probably your mom, and anyone who is getting tired of big, CGI-heavy flicks.

‘Hellboy’ – April 12

 

Cast: David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, and Ian McShane

Director: Neil Marshall 

Guillermo del Toro first introduced audiences to Hellboy on the big screen 15 years ago this month, in a PG-13 adaptation that was a big hit with audiences. Now, fans of Mike Mignola’s Dark Horse character are finally getting the R-rated take they’ve always wanted. David Harbour (Stranger Things) plays the titular Dark Horse superhero, caught in a battle between good and evil. The new movie is directed by Neil Marshall and co-starring Milla Jovovich as the evil Big Bad, Nimue the Queen of Blood. Lots of action and snarky banter ensues in this much-anticipated reboot of Hellboy on the big screen.

See it with: Fans of action movies, comic books, and Hellboy fans that are 17 or older.

‘Little’ – April 12

 

Cast: Regina Hall, Marsai Martin, Issa Rae

Director: Tina Gordon

Speaking of Big, Little offers an interesting take on that successful premise. Regina Hall (Girls Trip) and child actor Marsai Martin both play the ambitious Jordan Sanders. At age 13, Martin’s Jordan aspires to be her adult-self, and gets the chance when she wakes up in older Jordan’s penthouse on the eve of a very important presentation of the now-tech mogul – and in her adult body. The trailer had us hooked, thanks to this inspired premise – which was all Martin’s idea. Issa Rae (HBO’s Insecure) co-stars as adult Jordan’s beleaguered assistant, who is the only one who knows what’s really going on with her boss and her younger self.

See it With: Friends and family; pretty much anyone who loves a good time at the movies.

‘After’ – April 12

(Credit: Aviron Pictures)

 

Cast: Peter Gallagher, Jennifer Beals, Selma Blair, Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin

Director: Jenny Gage

Based on Anna Todd’s wildly successful novel that first found its success on Wattpad, After is a YA romance to tug on the heartstrings. Good girl Tessa (Langford) has it all figured out as she heads to her first semester of college: She’s a straight-A student, a responsible daughter, and loyal to her high school sweetheart. But her life is flipped upside-down when she meets the rebellious Hardin Scott (Tiffin), who makes her question all she thought she knew – and whether or not the life she has planned is the one she still wants.

See it with: Your girl gang, a date, any fans of the book

‘Missing Link’ – April 12

 

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, Emma Thompson, Timothy Olyphant, Zack Galifianakis 

Director: Chris Butler

Groundbreaking Laika Studios (Kubo and the Two Strings, Coraline)  is back with another stunning work of animation with Missing Link. The story follows the unlikely friendship between famed explorer Sir Lionel Frost (Jackman) and Sasquatch-like creature Mr. Link (Galifianakis). When Frost finds Link alone in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest, Link convinces the world-famous adventurer to help him find his missing family. And so the two begin a journey that will take them to the mythical, magical valley of Shangri-La. With a star-studded voice cast and Laika’s usually stunning stop-motion animation, Missing Link is a film for the entire family.

See it with: Your kids, your mom – seriously, just your whole family. And any animation fan friends you might have.

‘Breakthrough’ – April 17

(Credit: 20th Century Fox)

 

Cast: Topher Grace, Chrissy Metz, Mike Colter, Josh Lucas, Dennis Haysbert

Director: Roxann Dawson

Based on the inspiring true story, Breakthrough is the story of a mother’s love that brought her son back from the brink of death. When Joyce Smith’s son falls through the ice in a frozen Missouri lake, it appears that all hope is lost and recovery impossible. But as she continues to pray, her steadfast refusal to give up inspires everyone around her. Based on Smith’s own memoir, it’s a reminder that hope, faith, and love can create miracles.

See it with: Your church friends, youth group, or family

‘Penguins’ – April 17

(Credit: Disneynature)

 

Cast: Steve the Penguin and his emperor penguins friend, Wuzzo 

Directors: Alastair Fothergill and Jeff Wilson

Disney’s nature documentary branch, Disneynature, is back with another moving documentary about the animals that exist in our world. Penguins follows the story of Steve the Adélie penguin, who is on a quest to find his life mate and start a family of his own. Along the way, he befriends emperor penguin, Wuzzo, but in the wilds of the bleak Antarctic, nothing is easy.

See it with: Your kids and your nature-loving friends

‘The Curse Of La Llorona’ – April 19

(Credit: New Line)

 

Cast: Linda Cardellini, Patricia Velasquez, Raymond Cruz, Sean Patrick Thomas

Director: Michael Chaves

April is going to be ushering in lots of nightmare fuel on the horror side. New Line’s The Curse of La Llorona, from producer James Wan (The Conjuring films), is the latest Hollywood release looking to scare you silly this month. This 1970s-set scare-fest is based on the chilling Mexican folktale of the Weeping Woman – a tortured spectral entity that drags nothing but doom and misfortune in her wake as she haunts the living. Warning: This PG-13 movie comes with a high jump scare advisory.

See it with: All the people you brought with to Pet Sematary. Preferably someone who won’t judge you too harshly when you literally scream every five minutes while watching the movie.

‘Avengers: Endgame’ – April 26

(Credit: Marvel Studios)

 

Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Brie Larson, Paul Rudd, and Mark Ruffalo.

Directors: Joe & Anthony Russo

It’s all been leading to this. Following The Snap that pulverized half the Avengers — and the universe’s population – at the end of last year’s Avengers: Infinity War, what’s left of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes join forces with Captain Marvel to help repair the damage Thanos has done. Fans are eager to get their eyes on Marvel’s most top-secret project yet, which will wrap-up more than a decade’s worth of blockbuster storytelling. After Avengers: Endgame, nothing will be the same.

See it with: Every other Marvel fan out there.

 

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