The Batman, Morbius, The Phantom of the Open and more - we preview March's best new movies...
The Batman, Morbius and The Phantom of the Open are among the best new movies coming to cinemas in March 2022...
The Batman
Released: March 4
Undoubtedly one of March’s most anticipated cinematic releases, The Batman finally arrives this month and sees Robert Pattinson become the latest to tackle the dual roles of Bruce Wayne and his crime-fighting alter-ego in Matt Reeves’ new, reimagined take on one of DC’s most iconic superheroes.
Eschewing the tendency of many a Batman reboot to put its own spin on a well-worn origin story, in Reeves’ version we instead find Pattinson’s Batman in the early stages of his development, still fuelled by vengeance, and a Bruce Wayne that seems much more vulnerable, troubled and altogether more human compared with Christian Bale’s cocksure playboy.
Following the Dark Knight trilogy is no easy task, but Reeves brings a new sense of gritty realism to a typically foreboding Gotham City and its inhabitants, while Pattinson makes the lead role his own and is supported by some gripping performances, particularly Paul Dano’s quietly maniacal Riddler and John Turturro’s coolly menacing gangster Carmine Falcone.
Also starring Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, Jeffery Wright as Police Commissioner Gordon and an unrecognisable Colin Farrell as the Penguin, The Batman arrives in UK cinemas on March 4 and if you only head to the cinema once this month, this is the film to see.
The Phantom of the Open
Released: March 18
Arguably the most charming new film set to arrive in cinemas this month, The Phantom of the Open sees Paddington co-writer and Ghosts creator Simon Farnaby telling the strange-but-true story of Maurice Flitcroft. A prankster and amateur golf enthusiast, Flitcroft became briefly famous – or at least infamous – following his successful attempt to infiltrate the sport’s 1976 Open Championship, where he posted a record-breakingly high score and was dubbed ‘The World’s Worst Golfer’ by an unforgiving press.
Mark Rylance delivers a predictably magnetic performance in this joyful if eccentric tale, which also stars Sally Hawkins, Rhys Ifans and Mark Lewis Jones. Craig Roberts directs from Farnaby’s script, with their new film due to hit UK cinema screens on March 18.
X
Released: March 18
Jenna Ortega follows her recent role in the refreshed Scream with a return in an altogether different kind of slasher film, this time directed by horror specialist Ti West. Set in 1979, the film’s story revolves around a group of young filmmakers who head out to a remote location in rural Texas in order to create their own porn film.
Things soon take a dark an unexpected twist, however, when it emerges that there is far more than meets the eye to both their location and its owners, a mild-mannered elderly couple hiding a terrible secret.
Also starring Brittany Snow, Martin Henderson, Mia Goth and rapper Kid Cudi, X promises to be a treat for horror fans when it arrives in cinemas on March 18.
Ambulance
Released: March 25
The films of Michael Bay may have become easy to parody as a result of their high-octane, often explosive nature, but if you’re a fan of tense, head-spinning action - or just heist movies in general – Bay’s latest edge-of-your-seat ride Ambulance is one you might want to mark your calendars for.
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Yahya Abdul Mateen II and Eiza González, the film follows two bank robbers as they hijack an ambulance while making their escape from their latest job, one that quickly turns from robbery to hostage situation when they find their getaway vehicle occupied by a paramedic and a critically-injured police officer.
If you’ve seen Bay’s movies before then you’ll know what to expect here, and Ambulance will be serving up plenty of it when it arrives in cinemas on March 25.
Morbius
Released: March 31
Based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name created by Roy Thomas, Morbius follows the likes of Venom and Spider-Man: No Way Home in becoming the latest of Sony’s Marvel properties to arrive on the big screen, with Jared Leto stepping into the starring role of Dr. Michael Morbius, whose attempts to cure himself of a rare blood disease end up having a somewhat different effect than anticipated.
In this new film adaptation directed by Daniel Espinosa, Morbius struggles to adapt to his new life as a vampire with superhuman abilities, while facing an upcoming head-to-head with the film’s villain, The Vulture, for which Michal Keaton returns to reprise a role we first saw him play in Spider-Man: Homecoming.
Starring alongside them are Jared Harris, former Doctor Who star Matt Smith, Good Omens’ Adria Arjona and singer-turned actor Tyrese Gibson. You’ll be able to see them all in action when Morbius arrives in UK cinemas on March 31.
