There are so many exciting films coming to cinemas in April, and it’s taken me a lot of back-and-forth to even lock in my top three picks for what I’m most excited to watch. But best know, I’m excited to watch A LOT, which will be released in April, from the Dev Patel directional debut Monkey Man to the Australian horror film already taking the world by storm, Late Night with the Devil.

Here are all the new films coming to Australian cinemas in April 2024. Look for the explosion (💥) for the three things I’m most excited to watch this month, and let me know what you’re looking forward to seeing in cinemas this month in the comment section below. 

April 4

  • Monkey Man
    Dev Patel directs and stars in this action film about one man’s quest for vengeance against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother and continue to systemically victimise the poor and powerless.

  • The First Omen
    When a young American woman is sent to Rome to begin a life of service to the church, she encounters a darkness that causes her to question her own faith and uncovers a terrifying conspiracy that hopes to bring about the birth of evil incarnate.

  • Before Dawn
    The journey of fictional WA outback kid Jim Collins and his battalion on the Western Front.

  • Origin (2023)
    Oscar-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay (When They See Us) uses a blend of drama and non-fiction to adapt Isabel Wilkerson’s novel Caste: The Origins of our Discontents, which explores the roots of racial and social hierarchies. Stars Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (King Richard) and Jon Bernthal (The Punisher). Nominated for the Golden Lion at Venice 2023.

  • Goodbye Julia
    Goodbye Julia tells the story of two women who represent the complicated relationship and differences between northern and southern Sudanese communities.

  • The Moon is Upside Down
    In this New Zealand black comedy, three women – a duped mail-order bride, a numbed anaesthetist determined to have a romantic weekend, and an empty nester on an unexpected mission of mercy – each navigates her way through an unfamiliar landscape and the contours of the human heart.

  • The Tiger’s Apprentice
    A young boy in San Francisco meets a talking tiger named Mr. Hu and discovers he is the latest in a long line of guardians who protect an ancient phoenix from evil-doers.

  • Richard the Stork and the Mystery of the Great Jewel
    Not trusted to lead the flock of storks home to the north, Richard decides to go on his own in this family adventure.

  • Viva La Vida
    The “brainless” Luu Tu (Peng Yuchang) and the “grumpy” Ling Min (Li Gengxi), two young individuals suffering from serious illnesses but with drastically different personalities, inadvertently embark on a healing journey filled with love and strength. The film is the conclusion of director Han Yan’s Life Trilogy. 

April 5

  • Family Star
    Vijay Deverakonda and Mrunal Thakur star in this Indian feature directed by Parasuram.

April 6

  • NT Live: The Motive and the Cue
    New play directed by Sam Mendes bringing Burton and Gielgud’s infamous Hamlet rehearsals to the big screen, with Johnny Flynn and Mark Gatiss, from the National Theatre’s 2024 season of live recordings direct from the London stage.

April 10

  • SUGA: Agust D Tour ” D-Day” in Japan
    Join the ARMY with this live viewing of SUGA’s Agust D Tour “D-DAY” in Japan.

  • Bade Miyan Chote Miyan
    Elite soldiers team up to recover a stolen weapon from a masked madman who wants to destroy India.

April 11

  • Late Night with the Devil (💥)
    David Dastmalchian (The Suicide Squad) stars in this horror about live broadcast of a late-night talk show in 1977 that goes horribly wrong, unleashing evil into the nation’s living rooms.

💥1: I’m always going to support Australian cinema, but especially Australian horror films and this one looks super-scary, with an intriguing premise and one location. Plus, David Dastmalchian is a fantastic actor, and seeing him get a chance to lead here is also fantastic. 
We’re giving away X5 double passes to Late Night with the Devil.

  • Civil War (💥)
    Wagner Moura (Narcos) and Oscar nominee Kirsten Dunst (The Power of the Dog) star in this action-drama written and directed by Alex Garland (Annihilation).

💥2: It’s a new Alex Garland film, so I was excited from the get-go. I like all his films, yes, even Men. And even with the mixed reaction the trailer got, it’s been reassuring to see positive reviews coming out of America, especially from many people I follow who seemed to have been going into this expecting to hate it.

  • Robot Dreams
    The director of 2014’s Blancanieves adapts the popular graphic novel by Sara Varon, following the misadventures of a dog and a robot in 1980s New York City.

  • La Chimera
    This Palme d’Or nominee from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Alice Rohrwacher (Happy As Lazzaro) follows the travails of Arthur (Josh O’Connor, The Crown), an Englishman in Italy with a preternatural ability to connect with the land.

  • Back to Black
    Marisa Abela (Industry) is Amy Winehouse, Grammy-winning music superstar whose life was cut short at age 27 after a long battle with alcohol and drugs, in this music biopic from BAFTA-nominated director Sam Taylor-Johnson (Nowhere Boy) and BAFTA-winning writer Matt Greenhalgh (2007’s Control). 

April 16

  • Pearl Jam: Dark Matter – Global Theatrical Experience
    In this one-night-only global theatrical experience, Pearl Jam fans will be among the first to hear the band’s new record, Dark Matter, on April 16 in select cinemas worldwide.

April 18

  • Abigail
    A group of kidnappers become the prey when they snatch a 12-year-old ballerina who also happens to be a deadly vampire in this tongue-in-cheek horror from the directors of Ready or Not and Scream VI.

  • Challengers
    Emmy winners Zendaya (Euphoria) and Josh O’Connor (The Crown) star alongside BAFTA nominee Mike Faist (West Side Story) for this love triangle tennis drama directed by Luca Guadagnino (Bones and All).

  • Evil Does Not Exist
    Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at Venice 2023, filmmaker Ryûsuke Hamaguchi’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning drama Drive My Car centres on a Mizubiki Village, close to Tokyo were Takumi and his daughter Hana lived. One day, the village inhabitants become aware of a plan to build a glamping site near Takumi’s house, offering city residents a comfortable “escape” to nature.

  • Spy X Family Code: White (Dubbed & Subbed)
    He’s a spy. She’s an assassin. Together, Loid and Yor keep their double lives to themselves while pretending to be the perfect family.

  • Freud’s Last Session
    Anthony Hopkins plays renowned psychologist Sigmund Freud opposite Matthew Goode (A Discovery of Witches) as iconic author CS Lewis in this clash-of-minds drama. 

  • Exhibition on Screen: John Singer Sargent
    Documentary on the life and work of John Singer Sargent, one of the great portrait artist of his era.

  • Jeanne du Barry
    The life of Jeanne Bécu who was born as the illegitimate daughter of an impoverished seamstress in 1743 and went on to rise through the Court of Louis XV to become his last official mistress.

April 19

  • Do Aur Do Pyaar
    A couple on the brink of a breakup are cheating on each other with two sexy outsiders. Whilst they’re waiting to reveal their secret and go their separate ways, life has other plans for them.

April 24

  • The Fall Guy (💥)
    Two-time BAFTA nominee Emily Blunt and two-time Oscar nominee Ryan Gosling lead this action film from the director of Bullet Train and the writer of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.

💥3: This was my third pick for the month and the one where I just had to go with my heart. As much as I’m looking forward to something like Monkey Man, I can’t deny that that getting Ryan Gosling in an action/comedy role is ticking a lot of boxes for me, and every trailer for this has been fantastic.

  • Aespa: World Tour in Cinemas
    Global hitmaker aespa’s first concert movie, showcasing the group’s first world tour from February to September 2023.

April 25

  • The Teacher’s Lounge
    The big winner at the 2023 German Film Awards follows a teacher who, when one of her students is suspected of theft, decides to get to the bottom of the matter. Caught between her ideals and the school system, the consequences of her actions threaten to break her.

  • Full Circle
    Documentary telling two parallel stories of post-traumatic growth, 50 years apart, both revolving around Spinal Cord Injury.

  • Mad About the Boy: The Noel Coward Story
    An exploration of Noël Coward’s expansive career which features credits across the stage and screen.

Am I missing anything from this list? If so, please let me know in the comment section below, and I’ll be sure to add it!  

You can also check out what’s coming to streaming services like Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, and more on our ‘What’s Streaming’ page. 

[Descriptions & cinema dates gathered from Flicks.com.au]