Spring has sprung and so has a new batch of first-class film and television from the internet’s biggest streamer ready for you to start binging. Let's be real, is there a better way to spend your Easter holiday than chowing down on chocolate eggs and bunny-shaped candy whilst taking full advantage of Netflix’s newest movies and TV shows? We think not!
April's streaming highlights include the dramatic retelling of one of the biggest Royal scandals in British history, Part 2 to Zack Snyder’s sci-fi epic Rebel Moon, and a brand new alien horror show Parasyte: The Grey. And, of course, it wouldn't be a true Netflix round-up without a thrilling documentary and a few dramatic series, so we’ve got those too!
So, what are you waiting for? Read on as we take you through the latest releases that the streaming giant has on offer this season.
New on Netflix in April 2024
Files of the Unexplained
Release date: April 3
From My Lover, My Stalker, My Killer to American Nightmare, Netflix has brought us some top-notch true crime documentaries this year, so it is no surprise the streamer has yet another one up its sleeve, this time focusing on the strange, the paranormal, and… the unexplained.
The eight-part docuseries Files of the Unexplained investigates several mysterious events, from eerie encounters to bizarre disappearances, mysterious hauntings to chilling cold cases, to try and get to the bottom of the truly perplexing and unexplainable. The upcoming series looks to be a revamping of Netflix’s popular show Unsolved Mysteries, so if you are a fan of that, we recommend this one.
Ripley
Release date: April 4
Based on the Tom Ripley novels by Patricia Highsmith, Netflix’s new thriller series Ripley sees All of Us Strangers star Andrew Scott morph into suave conman Thomas Ripley. The series, set in the ‘60s, follows the grafter who suddenly gets hired by a wealthy man to travel to Italy and to convince his vagabond son to return home. However, the too-good-to-be-true job is not what it seems, and soon Tom is caught in a tangled web of deceit, fraud, and murder. If that all seems a bit too familiar, that's probably because the novel was already adapted way back in 1999 with Anthony Minghella's The Talented Mr. Ripley, starring Matt Damon as the grifter.
The series is directed and written by Steven Zaillian and boasts an impressive cast including Dakota Fanning, Johnny Flynn, and Maurizio Lombardi. For more, check out the first trailer for Ripley here.
Parasyte: The Grey
Release date: April 5
If you have been enjoying Netflix’s 3 Body Problem, then we have something truly exciting in store for you with new sci-fi drama Parasyte: The Grey, based on the widely popular manga series Parasyte by Hitoshi Iwaaki. Written and directed by Train to Busan's Yeon Sang-ho, the series follows savaged remains of the human race after parasitic creatures fall to Earth from outer space and begin to embed themselves into people's bodies and brains, using them as hosts and controlling them to grow their power. However, one woman manages to resist a parasite who latches onto her, and in a Tom Hardy-Venom-like way, she must coexist with the creature, and find her place in a newly divided world.
For more, see the official Parasyte: The Grey trailer here.
Scoop
Release date: April 5
Inspired by Prince Andrew's infamous BBC Newsnight appearance in 2019, Scoop explores one of the most pivotal examples of compelling journalism that shook the nation.
Starring Gillian Anderson as interviewer Emily Maitlis and Rufus Sewell as the Prince, Scoop takes the audience behind the curtain, inside the story of when the Prince was put under scrutiny for his friendship with known pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. The drama focuses on what was going on both behind and in front of the cameras on that fateful day, from the high-stakes negotiations with Buckingham Palace to the shocking forensic showdown.
The film is directed by Philip Martin, known for helming documentary-style dramas such as Hawking, and Einstein and Eddington, and written by Peter Moffat. The cast also includes Keeley Hawes as Amanda Thirsk, Billie Piper as Sam McAlister, and Romola Garai as Esme Wren.
Baby Reindeer
Release date: April 11
Move over Kathy Bates, there’s a new Misery in town! Could you ever believe that one single act of kindness could lead to hundreds of hours of voice messages, 40,000 emails, and a case of serial stalking? Well, Netflix’s new seven-episode limited series is just that, and worse, its based on a true story. The upcoming dark, yet weirdly funny, drama follows a struggling comedian named Donny who meets a seemingly friendly woman who soon begins to stalk him relentlessly, forcing him to live in a state of trauma and paranoia.
What is most interesting about this show, is that it is written by and starring the real life Donny who actually lived through this harrowing tale. If you’re looking for a real life story of human behaviour and complex relationships, than Netflix’s April wildcard Baby Reindeer is the show for you.
The Grimm Variations
Release date: April 17
Taking inspiration from the classic fairy tales by The Brothers Grimm, Netflix’s new anime horror series The Grimm Variations turns our beloved stories completely on their heads, giving them the full bloody and brutal animated treatment. The show follows two brothers named Jacob and Wilhelm who for a long time collected fairy tales from across the land and made them into a book. Seemingly innocent enough, until their younger sister Charlotte, who has a rather unique and dark perspective on life, decides to retell the stories quite differently from her brothers. The eight-part series twists fairytales such as Cinderella, Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and the Pied Piper, rehashing them in a much darker format.
Rebel Moon - Part 2: The Scargiver
Release date: April 19
Now, the one that everyone has been waiting for, the second half of Zack Snyder’s Netflix epic, Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver. Following on from Rebel Moon - Part 1: A Child of Fire, which introduced us to Snyder's faraway sci-fi fantasy world full of fearless fighters, the saga of the surviving warriors continues as they prepare to defend Kora’s once peaceful village. However, on the eve of the big battle, they each must face the truths of their own pasts, and join together in rebellion to face the full force of the Realm, led by the formidable Admiral Atticus Noble brought back from the dead.
Returning cast members include Sofia Boutella as Kora, Ed Skrein as Noble, Fra Fee as Regent Balisarius, Doona Bae as Nemesis, Staz Nair as Tarak, Cleopatra Coleman as Devra Bloodaxe, and Djimon Hounsou as Titus, to name a few. For more on Rebel Moon, check out the trailer for Part Two, or refresh your memory with Part One’s ending explained.
Looking for more to watch? Here are the best shows on Netflix.
