Whether you’re a fan of historical dramatizations, sci-fi epics, or family-friendly animated joyrides, Netflix has a handful of must-see originals dropping in April. From a documentary that dives deep into the digital roots of QAnon to a tale of a grifter scraping by in ‘60s New York, here’s what you need to stream.
‘Ripley’ | April 4
Ripley follows a grifter (Andrew Scott of All of Us Strangers) in 1960s New York City who begins a life of deceit, fraud, and murder when a wealthy man hires him to take care of some business. Scott stars alongside Dakota Fanning and Johnny Flynn (Emma, The Outfit) in the miniseries created, written, and directed by Steven Zaillian — the highly-accoladed filmmaker behind All the King’s Men, Searching for Bobby Fischer, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.
‘Scoop’ | April 5
The Netflix film details how the BBC obtained the shattering interview with Prince Andrew about his relationship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffery Epstein. Based on the memoir by Newsnight Editor Sam McAlister, the film details the efforts that went in to secure the interview — as well as the humiliation the Prince later faced — which ultimately led to his withdrawal from royal duties. Gillian Anderson stars as interview Emily Maitlis alongside Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew and Billie Piper (Penny Dreadful, I Hate Suzie) as Sam McAlister.
Scoop is written by Geoff Busetili (Heart of Stone, Mortal) and Peter Moffat (Criminal Justice, Silk), and co-produced by The Lighthouse and Voltage TV with Philip Martin of The Crown directing.
‘The Antisocial Network: Memes to Mayhem’ | April 5
The Antisocial Network details how a group of bored and isolated teenagers formed an online community that would ultimately lead to a set of reality-warping beliefs — shaping the rise of QAnon and heavily influencing the January 6th riots. The documentary, clocking in at a whopping 2 hours and 3 minutes, has a lot of ground to cover and may be a difficult, yet no less eye-opening, watch. Giorgio Angelini and Arthur Jones direct.
‘Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp’ | April 12
After the upsetting documentary, crime-filled ‘60s saga, and dramatized account of a pivotal moment in our cultural history dropping the first week of April, this film will be a needed reprieve. Woody Woodpecker Goes to Camp is an animated, live-action blend starring the classic character. The premise: Woody must find a new home after he’s kicked out of the forest, and believes he’s stumbled upon just that at Camp Woo Hoo. There’s just one catch: an inspector is doing all in his power to shut down the camp.
Jonathan A. Rosenbaum (The Troop, R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour) directs with Eric Bauza reprising his role as Woody and Chloe De Los Santos (La Brea, The Motherload), Kershawn Theodore (Wakefield), Savannah La Rain (Big Shot, Ocean Boy), Evan Stanhope (Christmas Ransom, While the Men Are Away), and George Holahan-Cantwell (Odd Squad, Born to Spy) rounding out the primary ensemble.
‘Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver’ | April 25
In the second Rebel Moon installment from Justice League director Zack Synder, Kora and the surviving warriors prepare to battle Veldt and defend their new home. The warriors face their past, and their motivations surge to the surface before the Realm arrives to squash the growing forces of the rebellion.
Shay Hadden, Kurt Johnstad, and Zack Synder teamed up to pen the screenplay. The film stars Sofia Boutella (Kingsman: The Secret Service, The Mummy), Charlie Hunnam (Sons of Anarchy, Children of Men), Oscar winner Anthony Hopkins as the voice of Jimmy, Jena Malone (The Neon Demon, Contact), and Ed Skrein (Deadpool, The Transporter Refueled).
