(This article first appeared in the March print edition of the Hendersonian.)
The year has its first official $100 million opener with “Captain America: Brave New World,” which briefly gives Disney/Marvel and the rest of the industry some momentum heading into March. While the rest of the February openers didn’t fare as well, especially the multiple Valentine’s Day releases that couldn’t find a wide audience like “Love Hurts,” “Heart Eyes,” and “Paddington in Peru,” the box office is in better shape when compared to this time last year. While it’s unlikely that March will provide any blockbuster relief on the scale of Captain America, several titles could bring in some solid box office returns as the true moviegoing season approaches. Here are a handful of releases to keep an eye on this month and remember to always check the up-to-the-minute listings at your favorite Showplace Cinemas and AMC Theaters location for accurate release dates and showtimes.
Mickey 17 (March 7) – When a film release gets delayed, that’s typically not a good sign of things to come. But what happens when it’s been delayed four times? Perhaps the studio (Warner Bros. Discovery, in this case) doesn’t quite know how and when to market and release a sci-fi/adventure/comedy about a dystopian future that clones “expendables” to explore other worlds, even it’s from a proven, Oscar-winning director (Parasite’s Bong Joon Ho) and superstar actor (Robert Pattinson). Budgets are high and expectations are unfortunately low for what is sure to be one of the most fascinating films of the year.
Black Bag (March 14) – Steven Soderbergh is one of only three directors ever to have two Best Director nominations in the same year. While Soderbergh may not duplicate that feat in 2025 with his second release (after January’s low-budget haunted house film Presence), he certainly has an amazing cast behind this highly anticipated spy thriller. Cate Blanchett and Michael Fassbinder star as husband-and-wife intelligence agents who must choose between loyalty to their country or their marriage when she is suspected of betrayal. Tom Burke (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga), Naomi Harris (Skyfall), Regé-Jean Page (The Gray Man, Bridgerton), and 007 himself, Pierce Brosnan, co-star. Legendary screenwriter David Koepp (too many classic films to mention) reteams with Soderbergh for the third time, writing the script for this European thriller.
Novocain (March 14) – In this comedic actioner, a lame office worker (Jack Quaid) who can’t feel physical pain uses this to his advantage when he attempts to rescue the girl of his dreams (Amber Midthunder) after she is kidnapped. Definitely watch the trailer before you go, as this looks to be a hard R-rating. If you’re not into gross-out visual violence, this may not be the movie for you. Or you’re going to love it! Dan Berk and Robert Olsen (Significant Other, Villains) co-direct this feature film from a script by Lars Jacobson (Day of the Dead: Bloodline).
Snow White (March 21) – On the heels of Mufasa: The Lion King’s solid box office result, Disney quickly gets back on the live-action remake train by updating the classic 1937 tale of a princess (Rachel Ziegler) who is exiled deep in the woods by her wicked stepmother (Gal Gadot) and saved by seven dwarfs that welcome her into their household. Marc Webb (The Amazing Spider-man 1 & 2, 500 Days of Summer) directs, with veteran scribe Erin Cressida Wilson (The Girl on the Train, Secretary) adapting the original screenplay.
The Alto Knights (March 21) – Twenty years ago, an Italian mob drama starring Robert DeNiro (in a dual role, nonetheless), written by Nicholas Pileggi (who previously wrote Goodfellas and Casino), and directed by Barry Levinson (Rain Man, Bugsy, and Sleepers) would have been a highly publicized event. Times have changed, unfortunately, so this $110 million gangster epic about rival crime family bosses in the 1950s is relegated to an inauspicious release during the opening weekend of NCAA March Madness.
Death of a Unicorn (March 28) – This madcap, high-concept story revolves around a father (Paul Rudd) and daughter (Jenna Ortega) who accidentally hit a unicorn with their car and bring it to the wilderness preserve of a scheming and eccentric pharmaceutical CEO and family for help. Téa Leoni (The Family Man, TV’s Madame Secretary), Will Poulter (Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3, We’re the Millers), and Richard E. Grant (Saltburn, Withnail and I) co-star, with Alex Scharfman making his feature debut as writer and director.
Henderson resident 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.
