(This article first appeared in the April print edition of the Hendersonian.)
After an interstellar performance by Amazon/MGM’s release of Project Hail Mary (which exceeded all pre-release expectations with an $81 million opening weekend), and solid business for both Disney/Pixar’s Hoppers and Paramount/Skydance’s Scream 7 (both hovering around a domestic cume of over $115 million for the month), March continued the box office’s positive trajectory. Even with the costly, high-profile misfire from Warner Bros. Discovery’s release of The Bride!, the North American total is about 20% higher than the same period last year, a much-needed sign of growth as we move closer to a summer box office season filled with highly anticipated releases. April looks to keep the momentum going straight out of the gate with a major pre-summer release, so make sure you check the local listings for your favorite Showplace Cinemas and AMC Theaters location, and don’t miss a showtime. We wouldn’t want you to get caught in an April shower that wasn’t forecasted, after all!
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (April 1) – Please don’t be fooled by the release date. Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and the rest of the gang are back for a brand-new adventure! This time around, things get cosmic as they explore galactic worlds far from the comfort of the Mushroom Kingdom. The stellar voice cast from the first installment returns (including Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day, and Keegan-Michael Key). Joining the game are the voice talents of Brie Larson, Donald Glover, Luis Guzman, and Issa Rae. Co-directors Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic, Pierre Leduc, and Fabian Polack return to the helm, with writer Matthew Fogel once again penning the screenplay.
The Drama (April 3) – When she isn’t saving the universe in the Dune series, or being the voice of reason to Peter Parker in the Spider-Man series, Zendaya finds her way back to low-key, independently spirited projects like this latest effort from the rising king of absurdist cringe cinema, writer/director Kristoffer Borgli (Dream Scenario, Sick of Myself). Zendaya is joined by none other than Robert Pattinson as her fiancée in this tale about a happy couple put to the test after an incident sends their wedding week off the rails. Alana Haim (Licorice Pizza, One Battle After Another) and Mamoudou Athie (Jurassic World: Dominion) co-star.
You, Me & Tuscany (April 10) – After a few years of co-starring in action films and thrillers (including an amazing performance in Steven Soderbergh’s cat-and-mouse spy mystery Black Bag), Bridgerton heartthrob Regé-Jean Page returns to the romance genre in this modern fable directed by Kat Corio (Marry Me). The romantic comedy follows Anna (Halle Bailey), who poses as the owner of an empty Italian villa while on vacation, discovering an unexpected and transformative romance in the process.
Mother Mary (April 17) – Anne Hathaway stars as the title character, an iconic pop star who reconnects with her former best friend and costume designer (I May Destroy You’s Michaela Coel) on the eve of her comeback performance. Co-starring in this dramatic thriller are Hunter Schafer (HBO’s Euphoria), Kaia Gerber (Bottoms), and Sian Clifford (Amazon’s Fleabag). Top pop artists Charli XCX, Jack Antonoff, and FKA twigs contributed to the soundtrack of writer/director David Lowery’s return to intimately scaled filmmaking. This is also the second release of the month for A24, mirroring a similar, successful release pattern from 2025.
Over Your Dead Body (April 24) – In this comedic thriller from director Jorma Taccone (Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping), an unhappily married couple hopes to repair their relationship with a remote cabin retreat. Instead, both secretly plot to murder the other! Jason Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Samara Weaving (the Ready or Not series) star, with Timothy Olyphant (A Perfect Getaway, FX’s Justified) and Juliette Lewis (Natural Born Killers, Cape Fear) co-starring in an audience favorite from this year’s South by Southwest Film Festival.
Henderson resident Dr. McManus Woodend is an Assistant Professor of Digital Media at the University of Southern Indiana and has worked in film, television and commercials for more than 20 years. To see some of his work, visit www.mcmanuswoodend.com.
