'Kung Fu Panda 4,' 'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,' 'The Fall Guy' and 19 more to catch this spring
Step into a movie theater this spring, and it might feel a bit like fall.
No, the culprit isn’t climate change. In the wake of the monthslong strikes by writers and actors, Hollywood is finally releasing several movies left over from late last year. And some of the new release dates have led other films to move their dates to avoid competition or claim a better spot.
Take “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” for example. The fifth film in the paranormal-comedy series scrapped its original December 2023 release due to the actors’ strike; it’s now arriving in March. Likewise, “Challengers,” a tennis-themed comedy-drama starring Zendaya, waited out the strike last fall and is now scheduled for April. “The Fall Guy,” an action-comedy featuring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, got pushed back from March 1 to May 3 — but that’s because Marvel’s hotly anticipated “Deadpool & Wolverine” vacated the May date after the strike ended. (You’ll have to wait until July for that one.)
There are also some movies that feel somewhat summery, including “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” the unnerving-looking “Civil War” — not the 1860s one but a potential one — and “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” a May entry in a franchise that has traditionally staked out the deeper summer months.
Release dates have been changing even in recent weeks. For now, though, here are some of the big movies coming out this spring:
MARCH 1
Timothee Chalamet in "Dune: Part Two." Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
DUNE: PART TWO
On a desert planet, a young foreigner (Timothée Chalamet) leads a rebellion against a colonial power. Denis Villeneuve's pandemic-delayed sequel features Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson and Austin Butler. Shot in IMAX.
MARCH 8
Pyper Braun as Alice in "Imaginary." Credit: Lionsgate/Parrish Lewis
IMAGINARY
When a woman moves back to her childhood home, her daughter becomes strangely fixated on a stuffed bear named Chauncey. It’s a horror film from Blumhouse, the studio behind “M3GAN” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”
CABRINI
From the director of last year’s faith-based hit “Sound of Freedom” comes a biopic of Frances Xavier Cabrini (Cristiana Dell’Anna), the first U.S. citizen to be canonized a saint by the Catholic Church.
KUNG FU PANDA 4
Our animated roly-poly hero (voice of Jack Black) meets a shape-shifting new villain, the Chameleon (Viola Davis). Awkwafina joins the cast as Zhen, a slippery fox.
LOVE LIES BLEEDING
An indie thriller about a reclusive gym manager (Kristen Stewart) who falls for an ambitious bodybuilder (Katy O’Brien). Directed and cowritten by Rose Glass (“Saint Maud”).
MARCH 15
Justice Smith, David Alan Grier and Aisha Hinds in "American Society of Magical Negroes." Credit: Focus Features/Tobin Yelland
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES
A comedy about a secret society of Black people who have devoted their lives to making white people’s lives easier. With Justice Smith, David Alan Grier and Michaela Watkins. Written and directed by Kobi Libii.
ARTHUR THE KING
Over the course of 435 miles, an adventure-racing team picks up a new member — a stray dog named Arthur. With Mark Wahlberg, Simu Liu and Juliet Rylance. Based on a true story.
MARCH 22
Phoebe (Mckenna Grace), Podcast (Logan Kim), Ray (Dan Aykroyd) and Dr. Hubert Wartzki (Patton Oswalt) in "Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire." Credit: Sony Pictures/Jaap Buitendijk
GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE
Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd are back as the DIY paranormalists, along with recent additions Paul Rudd, McKenna Grace and Finn Wolfhard. Gil Kenan returns to direct.
IMMACULATE
Sydney Sweeney, of the hit rom-com “Anyone But You,” hangs a U-turn into horror as Cecilia, an American nun whose journey to a remote Italian convent turns into a nightmare.
MARCH 29
Godzilla and Kong in“Godzilla X Kong: The New Empire.” Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures
GODZILLA X KONG: THE NEW EMPIRE
The two behemoths meet in this fifth MonsterVerse installment. This movie also features an adorable “mini-Kong.” With Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry and Dan Stevens.
APRIL 5
THE FIRST OMEN
This prequel to the 1970s horror franchise follows a young woman who uncovers a dark conspiracy to bring about the birth of evil. Starring Nell Tiger Free, Bill Nighy and Charles Dance.
MONKEY MAN
In his directing debut, Dev Patel (“Slumdog Millionaire”) plays Kid, a bare-knuckle boxer and professional punching bag who finally decides to fight back. With Sharlto Copley. Patel also co-wrote the screenplay.
APRIL 12
Kirsten Dunst in "Civil War." Credit: A24 Films/Murray Close
CIVIL WAR
A journalist struggles to survive in an America torn apart by secessionist states. With Kirsten Dunst, Cailey Spaney (“Priscilla”) and Jesse Plemons. Written and directed by Alex Garland (“Ex Machina”).
APRIL 19
THE MINISTRY OF UNGENTLEMANLY WARFARE
Guy Ritchie’s action-comedy, inspired by true events, follows the first special forces organization formed during World War II. With Henry Cavill, Eiza González, Alex Pettyfer and Freddy Fox. Not to be confused with Ritchie’s 2009 film, “The Gentlemen,” or his new Netflix series of the same name.
ABIGAIL
After criminals kidnap a tween girl and hold her for ransom, they begin to vanish one by one. Melissa Barrera and Dan Stevens star in this thriller with a horror twist; it’s directed by the duo known as Radio Silence (“Ready or Not”).
APRIL 26
Zendaya as Tashi in "Challengers." Credit: Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/Niko Tavernise
CHALLENGERS
Three tennis players — a former prodigy (Zendaya), her struggling husband (Mike Faist, “West Side Story”) and her ex-boyfriend (Josh O’Connor) — make a complicated trio in the latest from director Luca Guadagnino (“Call Me by Your Name”).
UNSUNG HERO
The story of the Smallbone family that produced two major Christian pop acts: The duo For King & Country (brothers Joel and Luke Smallbone), and the solo artist Rebecca St. James. Joel, a co-writer and co-director, plays his own father.
MAY 3
Ryan Gosling is Colt Seavers in "The Fall Guy." Credit: Universal Pictures
THE FALL GUY
The 1980s ABC action-series starring Lee Majors as a stuntman comes to the big screen with Ryan Gosling in the lead. Directed by David Leitch (“Atomic Blonde”), a former stuntman. Also starring Emily Blunt.
MAY 10
KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
The fourth film in the modern series is set generations in the future, when apes rule and humans hide in the jungle. Wes Ball, of the “Maze Runner” series, steps in to direct. With Owen Teague and Freya Allan.
MAY 17
Cailey Fleming and Blue in "If." Credit: Paramount Pictures
IF
The title is an acronym for Imaginary Friend — and if you’ve ever had one, this little girl (Cailey Fleming) has the power to see it. The live cast includes Ryan Reynolds; the voice cast includes Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Written and directed by John Krasinski (“A Quiet Place”).
BACK TO BLACK
English actor Marisa Abela plays the self-destructive singer Amy Winehouse in a biopic directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (“Nowhere Boy,” “Fifty Shades of Grey”). Nick Cave and Warren Ellis provide the score. With Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan and Lesley Manville.
THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 1
In a remote cabin in the woods, a young woman and her fiance are terrorized by a gang of masked killers. Based on the 2008 horror film. Starring Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez. Renny Harlin (“Cliffhanger”) directs.
