The spring movie season is the perfect time to start a new chapter. TheOscar winners have finally been announced, so all our focus can be paid to the highly anticipated new releases both inthe theatersand at home onstreaming. These aren’t just filler months, either. Some of the best movies of all time, fromThe GodfathertoFargo, debuted in March. And in more recent years, major tentpole releases likeThe BatmanandDune: Part Twohave launched in just the third month of the year.
As the summer movie season continues to expand earlier and earlier every year, seemingly, April has housed some of the biggest movies in recent memory, fromAvengers: EndgametoThe Super Mario Bros. Movie. This year, thrillers, unique A24 gems, and big-budget streaming movies dominate, but there are plenty of theatrical blockbusters on the horizon fromMickey 17toSnow White, Jason Statham’s next big action flick and the highly-anticipated continued collaboration of Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan.
This is MovieWeb’s Spring Movie Preview for 2025.
‘Mickey 17’ - March 7
Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho (Parasite) continues to prove he’s one of the most unique storytellers working today withMickey 17. Even if this sci-fi comedy about an expendable worker who can be reprinted after each death is not the sort of thing that appeals to you, it’s hard to deny that the Oscar-winning director isn’t telling some of the most creative stories out there.
The First Big Film of the Spring
Initially slated for a 2024 release,Mickey 17’s debut has moved around quite a bit in recent months. Still, that hasn’t dampened our excitement for the film, as it has been gettingoverwhelmingly positive word of mouth from early reviews. Not to mention, seeing an acclaimed director like Bong Joon-ho working with big-name talent like Robert Pattinson, Steven Yeun, Toni Collette, and Mark Ruffalo is enough to warrant a trip to the theater. Throw in a fun sci-fi premise, and you have a recipe for one of Spring’s most anticipated films.
Where Robert Pattinson Got Inspiration for His ‘Mickey 17’ Accents
Trailers for ‘Mickey 17’ depict another strange accent from Robert Pattinson, and this is where he got the inspiration for it.
‘Plankton: The Movie’ - March 7
Plankton: The Movie
For those who would rather stay home and enjoy a nice family film on March 7, Netflix has you covered withPlankton: The Movie. Just last year, Netflix shifted focus from the titular sponge to everyone’s favorite squirrel from Texas, Sandy Cheeks, for her movie, aptly titledSaving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie. This year, the streamer is giving the owner of the Chum Bucket his own time in the spotlight.
Plankton: The Hero?
While Plankton has regularly been positioned as a lovable antagonist in theSpongeBobuniverse, the upcoming Netflix film has him positioned as the reluctant hero opposite his longtime girlfriend, Karen the Computer, who seems intent on world domination. Like Netflix’s Sandy Cheeks movie,Plankton: The Moviepromises to be a wacky feature-length adventure for kids, families, and die-hard franchise fans.
‘Bloat’ - March 7
Fans of the more recent take on found-footage movies, as seen in thrillers likeMissingandSearching,will likely recognizeBloat’s storytelling style immediately. While the same producer from both movies is returning,Bloatis the feature debut of up-and-coming director Pablo Absento, known for her Japanese horror shorts.
MissingandSearchingMeets J-Horror
Absento looks to bring her award-winning talent for writing and directing horror shorts into the feature film space withBloat,a story about a boy who becomes possessed by a Japanese demon while vacationing with his mom and brother. His father (Ben McKenzie), who is unable to travel with his family, is forced to watch and investigate from his computer in another country via webcam. BothMissingandSearchinghave proven to be much more than mere gimmicks in the found-footage genre, as both serve as some of themost underrated thrillers in the last decade.
‘Seven Veils’ - March 7
Seven Veils
IfSeven Veilssounds familiar, that’s probably because the film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023. Nearly 18 months after its festival debut, the psychological thriller is finally making its way to theaters in the States. MovieWeb critic Jericho Tadeo called the film “an evocative psychodrama” in hisSeven Veilsreview, praising the performance of lead Amanda Seyfried.
Amanda Seyfried Thriller Finally Gets Its Release
Seyfried stars as a theater director tasked with reviving her mentor’s work. While diving into this piece of her past, disturbing repressed memories resurface and affect her work.Seven Veilsreunites Seyfried with writer and director Atom Egoyan more than a decade after their first collaboration, the erotic thrillerChloe, featuring Julianne Moore and Liam Neeson.
‘The Rule of Jenny Pen’ - March 7
The Rule of Jenny Pen
Acclaimed actors Geoffrey Rush (The King’s Speech) and John Lithgow (Conclave) clash in this horror mystery thriller set in a retirement community. Lithgow plays against type, starring as the psychopathic resident who uses a doll to inflict abuse on other patients — namely Rush’s character, a former Judge left partially paralyzed after a severe stroke.
A Horror Mystery Thriller With Top-Tier Talent
Like any tense horror film,The Rule of Jenny Penpromises to be a big-screen experience best experienced at the cinema. Still, for those who cannot get around this film on a rather crowded March 7, it will be available to stream on Shudder on March 28. Still, I wouldn’t wait too long asStephen King called it the best horror film he saw in 2024.
‘Control Freak’ - March 13
Control Freak
Control Freaklooks to be the first big appointment viewing on streaming this Spring.Hulu only recently debuted the trailerfor their original film, but it is already giving us an uncomfortable itch (in a good way). Let me explain: Kelly Marie Tran (Raya and the Last Dragon) stars as a motivational speaker who is plagued by an uncontrollable itch, slowly driving her into madness. The trailer plays a bit coy, butControl Freakpromises some skin-crawling body horror.
Hulu Brings the Horror
Control Freakis actually based on a short film from Season 2 of Hulu’sBite Size Halloweenseries. Those curious about the short can check out Season 2, Episode 4 of the series, titled “Control.” It should certainly make for an interesting double feature on March 13.
‘The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie’ - March 14
The Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movie
The very best family movies provide a bit of something for everyone. They’re fun enough for kids to enjoy, but they also have some quality jokes and storytelling for adults. This feat is much easier said than done, of course, butThe Day the Earth Blew Up: A Looney Tunes Movielooks to be one of those rare films that has it all.
Fun for the Kids, Smartly-Packaged Nostalgia for the Parents
The latestLooney Tunesbig-screen adventure is alreadygarnering rave reviews from critics, currently sitting at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics have harkened back to some of Warner Bros.' finest animated films when talking aboutThe Day the Earth Blew Up, includingThe Lego Movieand evenThe Iron Giant.
‘Black Bag’ - March 14
When an Oscar-winning director like Steven Soderbergh makes a movie, people tend to take note. And when Soderbergh works with talent like Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, Pierce Brosnan, and Regé-Jean Page, you definitely start to lean in. Well, that’s all happening here with the filmmaker’s latest thriller,Black Bag. Not to mention,Black Bagadds to this embarrassment of riches by having David Koepp pen the script, the same screenwriter responsible for films likeJurassic ParkandMission: Impossible. Based on the talent alone, this spy thriller based on a true story seems like a must-watch, but it’s also gettingexcellent word of mouth ahead of its releaseas well from early screenings.
A-List Talent in Front of and Behind the Camera
The story ofBlack Baghad been kept under wraps for a while, but the official trailer in December gave us everything we needed to get excited.Black Bagis based on a true story of two legendary intelligence agents who just happen to be married. When Kathryn Woodhouse (Blanchett) is suspected of treason, her husband (Fassbender) is forced to choose between his marriage and his country.
‘Novocaine’ - March 14
When the girl of his dreams gets kidnapped, a man turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected advantage as he fights a bunch of thugs to get her back.
Novocainetells an unconventional love story about a mild-mannered guy named Nathan (Jack Quaid) who meets the girl of his dreams (Amber Midthunder) right before she’s kidnapped. Nathan’s rare condition, which causes him to feel no physical pain, proves to be an asset as he tries to infiltrate the organization responsible for taking her.
A Heartwarming but Brutal Action Comedy
Not only is Nathan’s condition an advantage when fighting trained baddies, but it also allows the filmmakers to put Quaid into some hilariously uncomfortable positions, like reaching into boiling cooking oil to retrieve a gun or catching a knife with his palm. It’s all played for laughs, but the R-rated film certainly isn’t for those with a weak stomach. Quaid will attempt to keep his current hot streak going, coming hot off the heels ofCompanion, one of the best films in the year’s first two months.
