“The Batman” focuses on iconic Batman characters that haven’t had the spotlight in a while, like Catwoman, the Riddler, and the Penguin. Photo courtesy of Warner Brothers Pictures
March is surprisingly quiet for movie theaters, with “The Batman” likely to make waves in the first week, and nothing else on the horizon. There’s also a ton of video games coming out this month, following what has been a busy first quarter this year. Perhaps the most interesting releases are Disney’s “Moon Knight” and Paramount’s “Halo,” two ambitious streaming series that are flying a bit under the radar.
It’s been almost a decade since the last solo Batman film, although Ben Affleck kept the hood warm for a few years in the middle. This new take on the iconic superhero, with Robert Pattinson as Bruce Wayne and ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes’ directed Matt Reeves at the helm, looks to be spectacular. The movie looks sleek, with a color palette that mixes dark grays with striking red, and composer Michael Giacchino’s new Batman theme is tense and catchy. This movie will get a lot of attention when it hits theaters exclusively on March 4, and I have a feeling it can live up to expectations.
“Turning Red” is the third consecutive Pixar film to be released exclusively on Disney+, held in theaters. It’s a shame for Pixar’s prestige, but probably a win for families who don’t have to drag the kids to the theater. The film tells the story of a 13-year-old Chinese-Canadian girl named Mei, who discovers that strong emotions turn her into a giant red panda. She’s like the Hulk, but cuter. She must keep her secret while navigating high school, which is of course notorious for being totally cold. The film will be available exclusively on Disney+ on March 11.
Movie Highlights
“The lost cityis a comedy starring Sandra Bullock as a novelist and Channing Tatum as a cover model. When Bullock is kidnapped by super-rich Daniel Radcliffe, Tatum gets his chance to play the romantic hero, until a “It’s eclipsed by Brad Pitt, a true romantic hero. It’s probably standard action-comedy fare, with a great cast and a silly premise. That’s enough for me to check it out when it hits theaters on the 25th. March.
Game Highlights
“Kirby and the Forgotten Land” is a colorful new entry in the long-running franchise that seems like a smooth relaunch for the character. Traditionally, “Kirby” games were 2D side-scrollers, but this is a more 3D platformer. large scale, with a wide range of abilities making comparison to Nintendo’s other flagship “Super Mario Odyssey”, and new systems like city building. In addition, the game is curiously set in a post world -apocalyptic reclaimed by nature.It’s been over a decade since I last played a “Kirby” game, but “Forgotten Land” has my full attention.
“The wonders of Tiny Tinais a spinoff of the hit “Borderlands” franchise, lifting the shooting, looting and unique tone of that series and putting a fresh coat of paint on it. Instead of the sci-fi wasteland of the original series , this spin-off is billed as a game of something like “Dungeons and Dragons,” where abrasive demolition expert Tiny Tina plays the role of the dungeon master. Historically, I haven’t been able to connect with the franchise, but they certainly have an audience that will likely jump into Wonderland when the game launches on March 25.
There are also several important titles for a more niche audience dropping this month, such as “Gran Turismo 7“for the March 4 simulation racing crowd,”Stranger from Heaven: Final Fantasy Originon March 18, a “Dark Souls” style game that looks completely absurd, but which I will play because of the “Final Fantasy” in the title, and a surreal first-person horror game”Ghostwire: Tokyoon March 25.
Streaming Highlights
Netflix is putting a lot of promotion behind their new movie”The Adam Projectwhich stars Ryan Reynolds atop a star-studded cast and premieres March 11. In it, a young boy meets his future self and they do action comedy for a few hours to save time. Netflix also has a second season of “Bridgertonout March 25.
Disney+ is headlined by the previously mentioned release of “Turning Red”, but also brings a remake of Steve Martin’s 2003 film “Cheaper by the dozen“, starring Gabrielle Union and Zach Braff on March 18. Last Fall was very well received”West Side Story“The remake hits the service on March 2. »Moon Knightthe latest series in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, premiering March 30, and follows Oscar Issac as a man seemingly unaware he’s a superhero. It’s the first of these MCU series to not focus on existing characters from the movies, and it’ll be interesting to see how it’s received.
HBO Max is showcasing several of the biggest movies from the past year this month, with “West Side Story,” “F9,” “Dune,” “Halloween Kills,” and “King Richard” all coming to the platform.
Paramount+ brings science fiction to life with the second season of its ‘Star Trek: The Next Generation’ sequel series.Picard Star Trek“on March 3, then its adaptation of the video game series”Haloon March 25. Film and television adaptations of “Halo” have been in various stages of development since 2005, and this is the first to be released. The story of “Halo”, the series is deleted from the games, featuring familiar characters and concepts, but not taking place in this canon. I really hope it’s good.