Get ready for a new sports obsession as GOAT slamdunks us into the all-animal world of roarball, where a small rookie gets a shot at glory. Disney and Pixar unleash a wild tale, too, as groundbreaking tech opens a window into the animal kingdom… but, watch out!
The dangers of tech hit hard in Mercy, where Chris Pratt races to convince an AI judge of his innocence. Turning up the terror, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple ushers in a new age of Rage, Scream 7 brings Ghostface slashing back, and Send Help turns office politics into extreme survival for Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien in Sam Raimi’s horror return. Relationships and reanimated life get monstrously complicated for Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley, starring as Frankenstein’s Monster and The Bride! Discover the life of a British boxing legend in Giant, witness one woman’s extraordinary journey through grief in H Is For Hawk, and raise a glass to community spirit with a best-of-British cast in Mother’s Pride. That’s not all – Hamnet tells the untold story behind Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and even a tale from across the pond has British roots as comedian John Bishop inspires Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On?
From a failing marriage to a romance doomed from the start, Margot Robbie andJacob Elordi ignite the Saltburn director’s steamy take on Wuthering Heights.
Make a date, you won’t want to miss a moment.
Lee Curtis Editor
THE UNMISSABLE NEW RELEASES
IF IT SPREADS… YOU’RE DEAD
COLD STORAGE
IN CINEMAS 13 FEBRUARY
Director Jonny Campbell / Starring Joe Keery, Georgina Campbell, Liam Neeson / Genre Comedy, Horror, Sci-Fi
Stranger Things’ Joe Keery is Travis “Teacake” Meacham and Barbarian’s Georgina Campbell is Naomi Williams, and they’re about to find out how one bad day can be contagious.
They’re two young, restless employees at a self-storage company built on the site of an old, decommissioned U.S. military base with plenty of secrets below the surface.
When a parasitic fungus escapes the lowest sublevel of the base, where it was sealed by the government decades before, they must survive the wildest night shift ever.
As the temperature rises underground, the highly contagious microorganism multiplies and unleashes its terrors on all the facility’s inhabitants – human or otherwise.
With time running out, it’s down to two unlikely heroes, with the help of a grizzled, retired bioterror operative –played by action veteran and all-round screen legend Liam Neeson – to contain the rapidly mutating menace before it spreads beyond the facility, destroys everything in its path, and triggers the explosive extinction of mankind itself.
From Jonny Campbell, the director of BBC’s Dracula; Gavin Polone, the producer of Zombieland; and David Koepp, the screenwriter of Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, and Spider-Man, Cold Storage is an infectious, pulse-pounding thrill ride with action, terror, and pure popcorn fun.
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
IN CINEMAS 14 JANUARY
Expanding upon the world created by 28 Years Later, and turning it on its head, Nia DaCosta continues the epic story. Dr Kelson finds himself in a shocking new relationship that could change the world as they know it, while Spike’s encounter with Jimmy Crystal spirals into a nightmare he can’t escape. In the world of The Bone Temple, the infected are no longer the greatest threat.
Wasteman
IN CINEMAS 20 FEBRUARY
A convict’s chances for early release from prison come under threat from his ruthlessly violent new cellmate in a new, brutal British thriller. Cal McMau’s feature debut is an intense and claustrophobic portrait of a merciless prison eco-system, featuring standout performances from rising British stars David Jonsson and Tom Blyth.
HE’S FRIGHTENINGLY FRIENDLY
STITCH HEAD
IN CINEMAS 24 JANUARY
Director Steve Hudson / Starring Asa Butterfield, Joel Fry, Rob Brydon / Genre Animation, Family, Fantasy, Horror
In a castle laboratory high above a little town, a Mad Professor brings monstrous creations to (almost)-LIFE... then promptly forgets all about them. So who looks after the castle? Who takes care of the monsters? Who teaches them NOT to be monstrous, so the townsfolk don’t form an angry mob and burn the castle to the ground? Meet Stitch Head: the professor’s very first creation. Based on the bestselling books by Guy Bass, illustrated by Pete Williamson, Stitch Head is an action-packed animated adventure about an adorable misfit who leaves the safety of his castle home to find fame and fortune. He’s joined by an ensemble of weird and wonderful monsters, voiced by an exciting British cast that includes Asa Butterfield, Joel Fry, Tia Bannon, Rob Brydon, Alison Steadman, Fern Brady, and Jamali Maddix.
Hoppers
IN CINEMAS 6 MARCH
What if you could talk to animals and understand what they’re saying? In Disney and Pixar’s all-new film, scientists have discovered how to “hop” human consciousness into lifelike robotic animals, allowing people to communicate with animals as animals! Mabel, an animal lover, seizes the chance to use the tech to uncover mysteries within the animal world that are beyond anything she could have imagined.
Kangaroo
IN CINEMAS 30 JANUARY
Stranded in the Outback, ex-TV star Chris Masterman befriends twelve-year-old Indigenous girl Charlie. Together, the unlikely friends work together to rescue orphaned joeys in a heartwarming family comedy.
Song Sung Blue
IN CINEMAS 1 JANUARY
Director Craig Brewer / Starring Hugh Jackman, Kate Hudson, Ella Anderson / Genre Biography, Musical, Romance
Based on a true story that dares you to dream huge, Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star as Mike and Claire, two down-on-their-luck musicians who form a joyous Neil Diamond tribute band. Drawn together by a shared love of Diamond’s music, they embark on a life changing journey by taking to the stage as Lightning & Thunder – proving it’s never too late to find love, rediscover your purpose, and follow your dreams.
Hamnet
IN CINEMAS 9 JANUARY
Director Chloé Zhao / Starring Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Emily Watson / Genre Biography, Drama, Romance
England, 1580. William Shakespeare pursues a budding theatre career in London, while his wife Agnes raises their three children at home. When tragedy strikes, the couple’s once-unshakeable bond is tested, but their grief sets the stage for creation. From Academy Award and BAFTA-winning writer-director Chloé Zhao comes the powerful story of love and loss that inspired Shakespeare’s timeless, tragic masterpiece, Hamlet.
GOAT
IN CINEMAS 13 FEBRUARY
Directors Tyree Dillihay, Adam Rosette / Starring Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union / Genre Animation, Action, Sport
In Sony Pictures Animation’s original allstar action-comedy set in an all-animal world, Will, a small goat with big dreams, gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball – a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals. Will’s new teammates aren’t thrilled to have a little goat on their roster, but he’s determined to revolutionise the sport and will prove once and for all that “smalls can ball!”
Mother’s Pride
IN CINEMAS 27 FEBRUARY
Director Nick Moorcroft / Starring Martin Clunes, James Buckley, Mark Addy, Gabriella Wilde / Genre Comedy
The makers of Fisherman’s Friends return with the heady story of a failing West Country pub, a divided community, and a grieving family whose lives are changed by entering the Great British beer awards. Mother’s Pride features an ensemble overflowing with beloved faces from British film and television, including Martin Clunes, James Buckley, Mark Addy, Jonno Davies, Gabriella Wilde, Luke Treadaway, Miles Jupp, and more.
Giant
IN CINEMAS 9 JANUARY
Director Rowan Athale / Starring Pierce Brosnan, Amir El-Masry / Genre Biography, Drama, Sport
Amir El-Masry and Pierce Brosnan star in an inspiring biopic of one of the greatest showmen the sporting world has even seen. Based on the remarkable real-life rags-to-riches underdog tale of legendary BritishYemeni boxing champion and global nineties icon Prince Naseem “Naz” Hamed and his Irish trainer, Brendan Ingle, Giant reveals the untold true story of the boy behind The Prince.
Wuthering Heights
IN CINEMAS 13 FEBRUARY
Director Emerald Fennell / Starring Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau / Genre Drama, Romance
Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi star as Catherine and Heathcliff in Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights.” From her own adapted screenplay, the Oscar and BAFTAwinning writer-director of Promising Young Woman and Saltburn delivers a bold retelling of Emily Brontë’s tale of passionate, forbidden, and ill-fated romance with an ensemble cast and new, original songs by Charli XCX.
PRIMATE THEY THOUGHT HE WAS FAMILY
IN CINEMAS 30 JANUARY
Director Johannes Roberts / Starring Johnny Sequoyah, Gia Hunter, Jessica Alexander, Troy Kotsur / Genre Horror
A group of friends’ tropical holiday turns into a terrifying, primal tale of horror and survival in a rabid new nightmare from the director of 47 Metres Down, The Strangers: Prey At Night, and Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City. Johnny Sequoyah stars as Lucy, who invites her friends to her family’s idyllic Hawaiian home for the perfect getaway. It’s a chance to relax, party, and meet Ben, the family’s beloved pet chimpanzee. Gia Hunter plays her sister Ellie and CODA’s Academy Award-winner Troy Kotsur portrays their father, who has raised all three as family. But after a shocking overnight incident occurs, Ben is changed from adorable would-be baby brother into a savage predator, hunting them all down one by one. What started as the
PLUS
Return To Silent Hill
IN CINEMAS 23 JANUARY
Shelter IN CINEMAS 30 JANUARY
The Strangers –Chapter 3
IN CINEMAS 6 FEBRUARY
Solo Mio
IN CINEMAS 6 FEBRUARY
Scarlet IN CINEMAS 6 FEBRUARY
Whistle IN CINEMAS 13 FEBRUARY
Crime 101
IN CINEMAS 13 FEBRUARY
Director Bart Layton / Starring Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo, Barry Keoghan / Genre Crime, Thriller
In this stylish, twist-filled crime thriller, an elusive thief plans his biggest – and hopefully final – score when his path collides with a disillusioned insurance executive and a ruthless rival thief with far more disturbing methods. As the multi-million-dollar heist draws near, a relentless detective closes in, raising the stakes even higher. Now, they must each confront their choices and face the chilling truth: there’s no turning back.
Send Help
IN CINEMAS 6 FEBRUARY
Director Sam Raimi / Starring Rachel McAdams, Dylan O’Brien / Genre Comedy, Horror, Thriller
Rachel McAdams is Linda Liddle and Dylan O’Brien is Bradley Preston, two feuding colleagues who find themselves stranded on a deserted island together as the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it becomes an unsettling and darkly humorous battle of wills and wits to make it out alive as Sam Raimi returns with a wild survival horror thriller.
Marty Supreme
IN CINEMAS 1 JANUARY
Director Josh Safdie / Starring Timothée Chalamet, Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion / Genre Comedy, Drama, Sport
Timothée Chalamet is Marty Mauser, a young man chasing a dream that no one believes in. Driven by obsession, defiance, and the pursuit of greatness, his journey to become a ping-pong star takes him through hell and back. From the co-director of Good Time and Uncut Gems, this electrifying original sports saga also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Odessa A’zion, Kevin O’Leary, Tyler Okonma, Abel Ferrara, and Fran Drescher.
Mercy
IN CINEMAS 23 JANUARY
Director Timur Bekmambetov / Starring Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Annabelle Wallis / Genre Action, Sci-Fi
In the near future, a detective stands on trial accused of murdering his wife. He has ninety minutes to prove his innocence to the advanced AI Judge he once championed, before it determines his fate. Hollywood titans Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson go head to head in an action-packed sci-fi thriller from Timur Bekmambetov, the visionary filmmaker best known for Night Watch, Wanted, and screenlife thriller Profile.
Scream 7
IN CINEMAS 27 FEBRUARY
Director Kevin Williamson / Starring Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox, Isabel May / Genre Horror, Mystery
When a new Ghostface killer stalks the quiet town where Sidney Prescott has built a new life, her darkest fears are realised as her daughter Tatum becomes the next target. Determined to protect her family, Sidney must face the horrors of her past to put an end to the bloodshed once and for all. Neve Campbell reprises her role as the franchise’s final girl for a new chapter from the architect of Scream.
The Bride!
IN CINEMAS 6 MARCH
Director Maggie Gyllenhaal / Starring Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale / Genre Horror, Romance
A lonely Frankenstein’s Monster travels to 1930s Chicago to ask scientist Dr Euphronious to create a companion for him. Together, they revive a murdered young woman and The Bride is born. What ensues is beyond what either of them ever imagined in a bold new take on one of the world’s most compelling stories starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale as the outlaw lovers.
H Is For Hawk
IN CINEMAS 23 JANUARY
Director Philippa Lowthorpe / Starring Claire Foy, Brendan Gleeson / Genre Biography, Drama
After losing her beloved father, Helen finds herself saved by an unlikely friendship with a stubborn hawk named Mabel. Based on Helen Macdonald’s award-winning memoir, this incredible true story of memory, nature, and how it might just be possible to reconcile death with life and love stars BAFTA-nominee Claire Foy and Academy Award and BAFTA-nominee Brendan Gleeson.
The Testament Of Ann Lee
IN CINEMAS 20 FEBRUARY
Director Mona Fastvold / Starring
Amanda Seyfried, Lewis Pullman / Genre Biography, Drama, History
From the writer of The Brutalist comes the extraordinary true legend of the founder of the religious sect known as the Shakers. Amanda Seyfried stars as Ann Lee, the Shaker’s irrepressible leader, who preached gender and social equality and was revered by her followers as the female incarnation of Christ.
Is This Thing On?
IN CINEMAS 30 JANUARY
Director Bradley Cooper / Starring Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Bradley Cooper, Andra Day / Genre Comedy, Drama
As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex and Tess Novak find themselves at a crossroads. Facing middle age and the spectre of impending divorce, Alex seeks renewed purpose in the New York stand-up comedy scene, while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family. Together, they’re forced to navigate co-parenting, shifting senses of identity, and a burning question: Can love and commitment take a new form?
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die
IN CINEMAS 20 FEBRUARY
Director Gore Verbinski / Starring Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña / Genre Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi
A man who claims to be from the future takes an iconic LA diner hostage to find unlikely recruits in a quest to save the world. That’s the gloriously unhinged premise as The Ring, Pirates Of The Caribbean, and Rango director launches Sam Rockwell, Haley Lu Richardson, Michael Peña, Zazie Beetz, Juno Temple, and Asim Chaudhry on a frenetic ride.
Rental Family
IN CINEMAS 16 JANUARY
Director Hikari / Starring Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Akira Emoto / Genre Comedy, Drama
Set in Tokyo, Rental Family follows a struggling American actor who lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese “rental family” agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients’ worlds, he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality. Facing the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers his purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.
The History Of Sound
IN CINEMAS 23 JANUARY
Director Oliver Hermanus / Starring Paul Mescal, Josh O’Connor / Genre Drama, History, Romance
In 1917, young, talented music student Lionel meets David where they bond over a deep love of folk music. Years later, Lionel receives a letter from David, leading to an unexpected reunion and an ensuing love affair. Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor play star-crossed lovers in a sweeping, moving, and tender queer romance from the director of Living.
COMING UNDONE
Two of Hollywood’s hottest stars turn up the heat this Valentine’s Day in a bold retelling of a classic romance, one that smoulders with desire and dares to burn brighter than ever.
WORDS CHLOE HOWARD
“Wuthering Heights”
IN CINEMAS 13 FEBRUARY
Director Emerald Fennell / Starring Margot Robbie, Jacob Elordi, Hong Chau / Genre Drama, Romance
Set against the windswept beauty of the Yorkshire Moors, Emerald Fennell – the genius behind Saltburn – breathes new life into Emily Brontë’s literary classic with her “Wuthering Heights.”
Everyone’s beloved Barbie, Margot Robbie, stars as the fierce and haunted Catherine Earnshaw, who’s swept up in a turbulent romance as wild as the landscape itself. Her love is a young man named Heathcliff, played by heartthrob Jacob Elordi, whose brooding intensity can’t be resisted, even when it’s forbidden.
Brontë’s nineteenth-century tale of obsession, jealousy, and doomed romance needs no introduction, but it’s a different story for this bold reimagining that promises something thrilling and dripping with passion. Expect the same aching desire and emotional volatility that will always remain true to the timeless tale, but with a new lease of life. With original music from Charli XCX that pulses with contemporary urgency, the allconsuming gothic romance blends its Brontë roots with a modern edge.
Fennell’s Saltburn was a cocktail of shocks, seductions, and plot twists that left us breathless. With her “Wuthering Heights,” she promises to haunt us all over again – in ways we’ll never see coming.
The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s iconic story of love, lust, and luxury comes to life, led by a dazzling Leonardo DiCaprio. In the roaring twenties, as envisioned by Baz Luhrmann – where bubbly flows and jazz blares – you can’t help but have a good time.
Little Women
Greta Gerwig’s modern take on Louisa May Alcott’s story of sisterhood warms with emotional depth and a fresh perspective. Saoirse Ronan, Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Eliza Scanlan star as the March sisters, each pondering big decisions about their futures.
Emma
Anya Taylor-Joy shines with satirical flair in Autumn de Wilde’s vibrant adaptation of Jane Austen’s cherished romantic comedy about love, social class, and the pursuit of happy endings.
HOPPING MAD
When scientists invent tech that puts the human brain into robo-animals, a young animal lover “hops” at the chance to walk on the wild side – literally. WORDS AARON POTTER
Hoppers
IN CINEMAS 6 MARCH
Director Daniel Chong / Starring Piper Curda, Bobby Monihan, Meryl Streep, Jon Hamm / Genre Animation, Adventure, Family, Sci-Fi
You can always rely on Pixar for wildly inventive story concepts that other studios simply wouldn’t touch. Case in point: Hoppers. The latest offbeat family comedy from the creators of Toy Story and Inside Out isn’t the A Bug’s Life spin-off the title might suggest, it’s in fact a far more high-concept and original tale.
This one’s about angsty teenager Mabel who discovers she can “hop” into the mind of a robotic beaver via nifty newfound tech that allows her to befriend a whole forest of creatures. What begins as a wild experiment becomes a journey of unexpected connection and discovery as Mabel
learns more about the animal kingdom, and herself, than she ever bargained for.
Hoppers marks the second feature-length movie from director Daniel Chong, the creative force behind Cartoon Network’s We Bare Bears and an experienced Pixar artist with credits on favourites: Cars 2, Inside Out, Turning Red, Elemental, Elio, and more.
With rich animation, colourful critters of all kinds, and a voice cast that includes Meryl Streep, Dave Franco, Jon Hamm, and more, Hoppers is a throwback to the kind of weird and wildly imaginative Pixar comedies some say they don’t make anymore: one that’s as crazy as it is creative.
So “hop” to it, lose yourself in a zany adventure where nature and technology collide.
Here’s your blueprint to the brilliant body-swapping tech at the heart of Pixar’s latest. Think Avatar meets Doctor Dolittle, where human consciousness can now be transferred into extremely lifelike robotic animals. For Mabel, it’s a dream come true: going undercover as a beaver and being able to talk to, and understand, animals! However, the infamous cinema adage about scientists being so preoccupied with whether or not they could that they didn’t stop to think if they should still rings true. The consequences may not be quite as deadly as Jurassic Park, but the dangers are real. As Mabel meddles with the natural order and risks breaking the circle of life, she’ll learn the hard way what happens when tech goes too far.
POWER SHIFT
Sam Raimi returns to the genre he helped redefine with a darkly comic and chilling thriller where disaster gives a disgruntled employee the chance to turn the tables on her tyrannical boss. WORDS SCOTT J. DAVIS
Whether you grew up in the 1980s or not, you’ll no doubt know the seismic impact Sam Raimi had on horror and cinema as a whole with his electric, unique, and hugely influential filmmaking style. The Evil Dead and its sequel remain glittering jewels in cinema’s crown.
After his stint in the MCU, Raimi returns with Send Help, a wild story he fell in love with immediately and has already been hailed as “outrageous.” Groovy!
Rachel McAdams, who stole the show in Game Night, delivers wicked laughs again as Linda Liddle, a loyal, but underappreciated employee who’s relentlessly bullied and vilified by her power-hungry boss, Dylan O’Brien’s Bradley Preston.
But what if their office dynamic took a drastic turn? Well, when a plane crash leaves them stranded together on a desert island, Linda seizes the perfect chance to get one – or more –over on her horrible boss and show him just what kind of employee she really is.
Part Cast Away, part What Lies Beneath, part Drag Me To Hell, but all Raimi, it promises to be one of the filmmaker’s very best and is easily an early highlight of the year.
THE EVIL
If you’ve never experienced even the first film, let alone the full, magnificent trilogy, you’re missing genre-defining, cinema-shaping moments. These films put Raimi on the map, forevermore.
Just as he revolutionised horror, Raimi redefined the comic-book movie by putting heart, soul, humour, and grace – not to mention incredible action – into everyone’s favourite friendly neighbourhood webslinger.
SH
Fifteen years after Spidey, he returned to superhero cinema with something altogether more out there: a Multiverse machinery, it’s still distinctly Raimi.
Days… Weeks… Years…
The infected were only the beginning. The real monsters are the ones who survived in a world where Rage rules. WORDS LEE CURTIS
28 Years Later: The Bone Temple
IN CINEMAS 14 JANUARY
Director Nia DaCosta / Starring Ralph Fiennes, Alfie Williams, Jack O’Connell / Genre Horror
Last year, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland plunged us back into their Rage-infected Britain… 28 Years Later. The wait for this sequel spanned over two decades, the wait for the next is already nearly over.
Shot back-to-back with its predecessor, the second film in the trilogy drops us deeper into the chaos, with the island causeway’s safety already a fading memory.
After a sensational rescue in the gorge, Alife Williams’ Spike finds uneasy refuge among his saviours –but safety is anything but guaranteed in the company of Jack O’Connell’s peculiar Jimmy Crystal and his band of track-suited blonds. The cult’s spray-painted warnings and scattered
corpses hint at a new nightmare –one where the living may be more dangerous than the living dead.
Meanwhile, Ralph Fiennes’ Dr Kelson continues his solo survival, building his tower of skulls and studying the infected – particularly his number one subject: the colossal Alpha, Samson.
As with 28 Weeks Later, Boyle steps back from directing and makes room for an exciting new voice.
Candyman and The Marvels director Nia DaCosta takes the helm as the franchise twists into darker, stranger, and more unpredictable territory.
Boyle will be back to direct the final instalment and whispers of a Cillian Murphy comeback grow louder. Could Jim’s fate be one of the many shocks waiting in this chapter… and the next?
Now,Then
The Jimmys’ jaw-dropping entrance – fighting off infected in Power Rangers fashion, backed by a death metal cover of the Teletubbies theme – is a surreal clash of nostalgia and brutality, and the biggest talking point of 28 Years Later. Feral children shaped by Rage-infected chaos around them and the nineties TV they cling to for comfort, they’re locked in a state of arrested development as the would-be “lost boys” of this post-apocalyptic world. They survive together in the image of their leader, Sir Jimmy, who witnessed his family’s death during the initial outbreak – a trauma that forged a cult of personality that manifests in shell suits, blond hair, and gold chains. As the story unfolds, a chilling truth emerges: they’re not to be trusted.
AGAINST THE CLOCK
Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson go head-tohead in a super-charged suspense thriller where AI is judge, jury, and executioner.
Mercy
IN
CINEMAS 23 JANUARY
Director Timur Bekmambetov / Starring Chris Pratt, Rebecca Ferguson, Annabelle Wallis / Genre Action, Crime, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Step into 2029 Los Angeles, a city governed by a powerful artificial intelligence justice system. Homicide detective Chris Raven, played by Chris Pratt, is accused of a crime he insists he didn’t commit: his wife’s murder. Dragged before Judge Maddox, the ultra-sophisticated AI being he helped design, he’s given ninety minutes to prove his innocence or face a death sentence.
WORDS JIM ROBERTS
chillingly precise arbiter of justice programmed for zero error. Zero bias. Zero compassion. But when glimpses of empathy and doubt emerge, it becomes clear: even she may be vulnerable to forces beyond her control.
With its relentless tension and unsettling ideas, Mercy is one of the most provocative explorations of AI yet. Questions loom large: Can truth be programmed? Would you trust a machine with justice? And when the system becomes judge, jury, and executioner, will it show Mercy?
Building on the Screenlife technique he helped pioneer in Searching and Unfriended, Bekmambetov tells Mercy almost entirely through digital screens. The story unfolds in real time, within the confines of an interrogation chamber where the clock ticks intensely. To escape his virtual prison, Raven must navigate a maze of video calls, text threads, social media feeds, and surveillance footage. Traditional scenes give way to a fully immersive digital landscape, where the screen itself becomes a living, watching presence. The result is a film that blurs the boundary between human and machine, reality and data, truth and lies. Mercy is immediate, claustrophobic, and disturbingly plausible, putting you into the shoes – and mind – of a man racing against both time and the code.
From action veteran Timur Bekmambetov, Mercy blends highconcept sci-fi fused with the grit of a police procedural. Pratt sets aside his usual disarming charm for a raw, desperate fight to survive. Forced to gather his own evidence, Raven scours memories, CCTV archives, and digital traces – each discovery drawing him closer to a deeper conspiracy.
Rebecca Ferguson commands as the Big Brother-like judge, a
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as this unconventional approach to processing grief leads her down a road of self-rediscovery.
Following her award-winning portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in The Crown, Claire Foy stars as the writer whose memoir inspires this poignant drama. She’s joined by Academy Award-nominee Brendan Gleeson as Helen’s late father, with Denise Gough as close friend Christina, Sam Spruell as seasoned falconer Stuart, and Linday Duncan as neighbour Beryl; all guiding her along the way.
This is the true heartfelt story of a woman’s grief, precious memories, and the powerful healing effect of nature.
MID-LAUGH CRISIS
As a marriage reaches breaking point, a middle-aged man starts a stand-up career. But as the couple navigate new lives, they find out it’s not all laughs. WORDS ROBB SHEPPARD
Is This Thing On?
IN
CINEMAS 30 JANUARY
Director Bradley Cooper / Starring Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Bradley Cooper / Genre Comedy, Drama
Whoever laughs last, laughs the loudest. Unless you’re in the throes of a midlife crisis and reevaluating every life choice you’ve ever made. That’s exactly where we find Will Arnett’s Alex Novak: one foot on the comedy stage, the other in the divorce court. Life has a funny way of working out. Inspired by the life of Liverpudlian laugh machine John Bishop, Is This Thing On? was born from a chance meeting between the beloved British comic and Hollywood heavyweight Bradley Cooper, who co-wrote the story with him.
Cooper adds another string to his bow, continuing his streak of turning real-life stories into cinematic gold after A Star Is Born and Maestro.
Will Arnett, best known for his comedy chops in Arrested Development and the voice of LEGO Batman, steps into the spotlight as Alex, with Oscar-winner and living legend Laura Dern starring as his wife, Tess. Naturally, Cooper joins the onscreen action, too.
The result? A definitive comedy drama experience that’ll split your side one minute and leave you reaching for the tissues next. Just remember: in the cinema, they can hear you laugh, but they can’t see you cry.
COMEDIANS ON CAMERA
The King Of Comedy
Martin Scorsese’s pitch-black comedy follows Robert De Niro as a delusional stand-up hopeful who’ll do anything to prove he belongs in showbiz – when really, he has no business being there.
Man On The Moon
Andy Kaufman’s humour was as subjective as they come, but this brilliant biopic is almost universally adored. Jim Carrey delivers a career-defining, method-driven performance that gets under the skin of the madcap comic. Paired with behind-the-scenes doc Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond, it’s essential viewing.
Joker
Before Batman, ostracised loner Arthur Fleck attempts to make his name on Gotham’s comedy circuit. What follows is a chilling descent into chaos, with an emaciated, Oscar-winning Joaquin Phoenix giving a very different take on the Clown Prince of Crime.
CROSSROADS
Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, and Halle Berry. Big names, but the stakes are even bigger in the gripping ensemble crime thriller from the director of American Animals. WORDS ANDREW DEX
Crime 101
Manhunt
IN CINEMAS 13 FEBRUARY
Director Bart Layton / Starring
Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry, Mark Ruffalo / Genre Crime, Thriller
A criminal. A detective. A businesswoman caught in the crossfire. Not a setup to a bad joke, they’re the key players in an intense new crime-thriller from American Animals director Bart Layton.
Following his smart real-life heist story, Layton unleashes a blockbuster cast in a high-octane crime story led by Chris Hemsworth as Mike Davis, a cunning criminal, and Mark Ruffalo as Lou Lubesnik, the dogged
detective determined to bring him down. In four short years, Davis has caused carnage along Los Angeles’ 101 Pacific Coast Highway with a string of audacious heists.
Just as Davis sets his sights on his biggest score and Lou closes in, Halle Berry enters the fray as a disgruntled insurance broker whose firm happens to be Davis’s next target. For him, she’s the perfect path to the ultimate prize. For her, it’s a chance to get back at the company that’s long undervalued her. For all three, it’s a collision there’s no turning back from.
They’re not the only ones at play. The headline trio are joined by Monica Barbaro, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte, and Layton usual suspect Barry Keoghan – all poised to steal a scene at any opportunity.
It’s a staggering ensemble worth watching on its own, but throw in dazzling chase sequences, delicious tension, and a razor-sharp cat-andmouse dynamic, and this is a score that’s impossible to ignore.
Catch Me If You Can
Steven Spielberg’s unforgettable rollercoaster ride through the spectacular world of fraud and FBI pursuit. Tom Hanks and Leonardo DiCaprio deliver a superb dynamic in the true-to-life story of Frank Abagnal Jr.
Country For Old Men
Adapted from the brilliant prose of Cormac McCarthy, the Coen brothers’ masterpiece is an unpredictable and brutal desert thriller that captures many career-changing performances, but at its core is the haunting duel between Tommy Lee Jones and Javier Bardem.
The Fugitive
It turns out Tommy Lee Jones just loves hunting criminals. In this classic, he’s U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard, relentlessly pursuing Harrison Ford’s wrongly accused Richard Kimble – all leading to that iconic dam sequence.
IF IT SPREADS... YOU’RE DEAD
FROM THE SCREENWRITER OF JURASSIC PARK AND THE PRODUCER OF ZOMBIELAND
COMING SOON TO CINEMAS
THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE
IN CINEMAS 27 MARCH
Director Ben Gregor / Starring Claire Foy, Andrew Garfield, Rebecca Ferguson / Genre Adventure, Family, Fantasy
The BAFTA-winning writer of Wonka and the Paddington sequels brings Enid Blyton’s bestselling children’s classic to life in an enchanting big-screen adventure for all the family.
The beloved story follows Polly and Tim Thompson and their children – Beth, Joe, and Fran – who are uprooted from the city and relocated to the remote English countryside. There, they discover a magical tree and embark on a series of adventures with its extraordinary and eccentric residents.
Andrew Garfield and Claire Foy star as Tim and Polly, with newcomers Delilah Bennett-Cardy, Billie Gadsdon, and Phoenix Laroche as the Thompson children. The tree’s inhabitants, who can transport visitors to fantastical faraway lands, include Nicola Coughlan as Silky, Nonso Anozie as Moonface, Jessica Gunning as Dame Washalot, and Dustin Demri-Burns as Saucepan Man. British icons Sirs Lenny Henry, Michael Palin, and Simon Russell Beale are a trio of mystical wise men from the Land of Know-Alls, while Jennifer Saunders plays the kids’ ruthless Grandma. Rebecca Ferguson rounds out the cast as Dame Snap, their scary headmistress and one of Blyton’s most iconic villains.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
IN CINEMAS 3 APRIL
Directors Aaron Horvath, Michael Jelenic / Starring Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Brie Larson / Genre Animation, Adventure, Fantasy
From Nintendo and Illumination – the powerhouse behind Despicable Me, Minion, Sing, The Secret Life Of Pets, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie – comes the highly-anticipated sequel to the highest-grossing video game adaptation of all-time. With the Mushroom Kingdom saved and Bowser contained, the all-star voice cast reunites as the adventure blasts into a new dimension and launches Mario, Luigi, Princess Peach, and Toad on a cosmic journey where they encounter new friends and a formidable new foe.
Reminders Of Him
IN CINEMAS 13 MARCH
Director Vanessa Caswill / Starring Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers, Rudy Pankow, Lauren Graham / Genre Romance
After seven years in prison, Kenna returns home hoping to reunite with the daughter she’s never known. When her attempts are blocked, she finds unexpected comfort in Ledger, a former NFL star turned bar owner. As their secret romance deepens, so do the risks, leading Kenna toward the hope of a second chance. The latest adaptation of a Colleen Hoover novel explores motherhood, forgiveness, and love’s power to overcome even the biggest mistakes.
IN CINEMAS 24 APRIL
Director Antoine Fuqua / Starring Jaafar Jackson, Nia Long, Laura Harrier, Juliano Krue Valdi, Miles Teller, Colman Domingo / Genre Biography, Musical
Discover the making of a king in the epic cinematic portrayal of the life and legacy of one of the most influential artists the world has ever known. Get a front-row seat to Michael Jackson as never before in a powerful story that goes beyond the music, tracing his extraordinary journey from child prodigy fronting the Jackson Five, to the visionary artist whose creative ambition fuelled a relentless pursuit to become the biggest entertainer in the world.
Project Hail Mary
IN CINEMAS 20 MARCH
Directors Phil Lord, Christopher Miller / Starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung / Genre Action, Sci-Fi
The directors that launched the Jump Street, LEGO, and Spider-Verse franchises bring The Martian author Andy Weir’s new bestseller to the big screen. Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a science teacher who wakes up on a spaceship light years from home with no recollection of who he is or how he got there. As his memory returns, he remembers his mission. He must find out what’s causing the sun to die out, but an unexpected friendship means he may not have to do it alone.
The Drama
IN CINEMAS 3 APRIL
Director Kristoffer Borgli / Starring Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie / Genre Comedy, Romance
Just days before they say “I do,” buried secrets come to light and threaten to end a picture-perfect romance in this starcrossed rom-com starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya.
Samara Weaving is back as the bride who beat her in-laws’ deadly game, now joined by Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Elijah Wood for the next level of murderous fun.
The Resurrected
IN CINEMAS 17 APRIL
Director Lee Cronin / Starring Jack Reynor, Veronica Falcón, Laia Costa, May Calamawy, May Elghety / Genre Horror, Mystery
When his missing daughter returns after eight years, a father performs a deadly ritual to stop an ancient spirit in a terrifying new take on The Mummy from the director of Evil Dead Rise.
Ryan Gosling gets a close encounter of the peculiar kind while on a mission to save the world before all light goes out. WORDS LEE CURTIS
Project Hail Mary
IN CINEMAS 20 MARCH
Directors Phil Lord, Christopher Miller / Starring Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller, Ken Leung / Genre Sci-Fi
They launched the Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, Jump Street, LEGO, and Spider-Verse franchises. Now, Lord and Miller are taking us out of this world with an adaptation of The Martian author Andy Weir’s bestseller.
The sun is dying. Humanity’s –no, the entire galaxy’s – days are numbered. Somehow, a science teacher has become our only hope.
The Martian sent Matt Damon to Mars, surviving alone while finding a way home. Ryan Gosling’s Ryland Grace wakes up from hypersleep to find himself even further from home, alone, and with more than just a headache.
Aboard the Hail Mary, lightyears away, he must use all his knowledge to figure out what’s stopping another star from dimming like ours.
Ryland might seem highly unqualified, but this isn’t Gosling’s first flight to the stars – he’s got astro pedigree from Blade Runner 2049 and First Man, and he’s preparing for lift-off in Star Wars: Starfighter after completing this solo mission.
Only, Ryland isn’t alone. He’s made contact with an extraterrestrial companion: a rocklike alien he nicknames “Rocky.” After solving their small problem of how to communicate, he learns Rocky’s been sent on exactly the same mission – and together, they set out to solve their biggest problem of all.
What follows is a story of the unlikeliest of friendships – a sci-fi epic with emotional gravity and playful humour in its orbit.
CO-PILOTS
After creative differences grounded their Solo: A Star Was Story, Lord and Miller are finally back in the director’s chair for their first film since 2014 – a comeback that’s long been written in the stars. The duo burst onto the scene with Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs, where a scientist – much more qualified than Ryland – invents a machine to save his town from a flavourless, sardine-filled fate. 21 and 22 Jump Street and The LEGO Movie followed before they stepped away from directing, but not from storytelling. As producers and creative forces, they’ve helped steer sequels, spin-offs, and some recent favourites, including Storks, Smallfoot, Cocaine Bear, and Spider-Man Into and Across The Spider-Verse. In short, everything they touch is awesome.
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WIN GOAT PRIZES!
You’re never too small to dream big! That’s the game-changing spirit of the next slamdunk animation from the studio behind Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse.
From Sony Pictures Animation comes GOAT, an original action-comedy set in an all-animal world. Meet Will, a small goat with big dreams, who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball – a high-intensity, co-ed, fullcontact sport dominated by the fastest and fiercest animals in the world. Will’s new teammates aren’t thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is out to change the game – determined to revolutionise the sport and prove once and for all that “smalls can ball!”
Inspired by the journey of real-life baller turned producer Stephen Curry, GOAT puts a wild spin on the world of sports. Curry also features in an all-star voice cast featuring Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union, Nick Kroll, Nicola Coughlan, David Harbour, Jenifer Lewis, Aaron Pierre, Patton Oswalt, Andrew Santino, Bobby Lee, Sherry Cola, Eduardo Franco, Jelly Roll, and Jennifer Hudson.
Meet the kid who’s got real game, only in cinemas February 13th, and take your shot at proving you’re a true contender by winning GOAT prizes!
Just answer the following question to enter:
Q What’s the name of the all-new, all-animal sport?
Visit www.onscreen.online/win or scan the QR code to enter.
ONSCREEN ON THE GO!
MOVIES
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Lights On. Volume Lowered. No Trailers or Ads.
Parent & Baby Screenings
Enjoy the big screen with your little ones..
Subtitled Screenings
English subs onscreen for the hard of hearing.
Mini Movie Deal
Family films at a discount price, with popcorn and drink included!
Big Movie Deal
Classic films back on the big screen! Tickets include a voucher for snacks and drinks!
Super Saver
Films for just £5! Or £4* for Movie Magic Cardholders!
CEA Cards
A national concessionary card developed by the UKCA allows people with disabilities to obtain one free ticket for a person accompanying them to the cinema. Accepted on all films and event cinema screenings. Visit www.ceacard.co.uk for more details.
Not always available at all locations. Look out for the logos on weekly listings and find more information on the website.
*Coleford & Rhyl only. Super Saver screenings are priced at £3.50 for Movie Magic Cardholders. Booking fees may apply.
25 years of bringing the transformative power of cinema to NHS patients
WINNERS 2025
OUTSTANDING BRITISH
CONTRIBUTION TO CINEMA
Thursday 22nd January 2026 THE DAZZLING DIAMONDS – COMEDY DRAG SHOW
Thurs 26th February 2026
Friday 6th February 2026
BOYBAND IN THE BUFF: STARRING GARETH GATES Saturday 28th February 2026 THE TAKE THAT EXPERIENCE
