Top 10 Things Coming to Streaming in April 2021

Netflix: April 23rd, 2021
Network television and streaming services are always looking for the next “Game of Thrones”. Who knows if anything will ever generate that much water cooler talk again, but “Shadow and Bone” is certainly worth checking out! Adapted from Leigh Bardugo’s Grishaverse novels, “Shadow and Bone” takes us into a war-torn world reminiscent of Europe in WWI, but with a few notable changes. The gritty aesthetic is reminiscent of “His Dark Materials”, but here monsters and supernatural forces are put front and center, giving fantasy fans a little bit of everything. Will the newly discovered powers of Alina Starkov be enough to change history? Only time will tell! Either way, this promises to be a tale of action, intrigue and high stakes.

Peacock: April 22nd, 2021
NBCUniversal’s Peacock was late to join the streaming wars. With the help of instantly recognizable stars like Ed Helms, however, it seems intent on making up for lost time. “Rutherford Falls” is a comedy series, but it’s also poised to explore a subject rarely covered in mainstream scripted media. The sitcom will focus on the dynamic between a small town in New York State and the neighboring Native American Reservation. “Rutherford Falls” was co-created by Ed Helms, Michael Schur and Sierra Teller Ornelas. Between the three of them, they’ve collectively given us some of the best TV comedy in recent decades, so we have high hopes for this one.

Netflix: April 22nd, 2021
Has life on Earth got you down? Why not escape to the stars with Toni Collette and Anna Kendrick? In this compelling sci-fi thriller, a crew of astronauts discover that an engineer (played by Shamier Anderson), has accidentally been brought along for the ride. And the ride in question is a two year journey to Mars as part of a larger colonization effort. Unfortunately, faced with mechanical issues and limited resources, questions of ethics, survival and the greater good quickly rise to the surface. With Daniel Dae Kim rounding out the cast as the ship’s biologist, “Stowaway’ is crewed by an all around stellar cast that promises to deliver a tense trip to outer space

Prime Video: April 9th, 2021
In this Amazon original anthology series, you’ll face horrors of a wide variety. Rather than containing stories to a single episode, like “Black Mirror” or “The Twilight Zone”, “THEM” will follow the structure of “American Horror Story” by telling a new story every season. For its inaugural outing, “THEM: Covenant” will center on a Black family, the Emorys, navigating Los Angeles in 1953. After relocating to their new, all-white neighborhood from North Carolina, they’re plagued by not only the racial horrors of the time and setting, but also supernatural threats. Combined, these forces will push the Emory family to the brink of insanity. From the looks of the trailer, this promises to be an extremely tense and harrowing series.

Hulu: April 28th, 2021
Every streaming service is looking for that one series that will really put their brand on the map. Hulu has a number of hits to its name, but there are few properties that have done more to legitimize streaming services quite like “The Handmaid’s Tale”. This show has already made history at the Emmys and taken home Golden Globes. Now, in season 4, it will push forward into bold new territory as June and the resistance fight for freedom in this dangerous world. “The Handmaid’s Tale” has mastered the art of keeping us on the edge of our seats, and so fan theories abound as to what we can expect from season 4. All we can say for sure? It starts April 28th, 2021.

Netflix: April 2nd, 2021
So far, April is shaping up to be a month of sci-fi, horror, fantasy and dystopia. If you’re looking for something a bit more grounded in reality, however, consider checking out “Concrete Cowboys”, which is based on a novel inspired by the real-life Fletcher Street Urban Riding Club. That being said, while this film is rooted in reality, the urban cowboy culture of Philadelphia is the definition of “larger than life”. All the horses and cowboy hats can be distracting at first, but this film is ultimately a story about family, identity, community and the concept of home. Led by Idris Elba and Caleb McLaughlin of “Stranger Things” fame, “Concrete Cowboy” is both a fascinating look into a unique American subculture and an insightful drama.

Netflix: April 9th, 2021
Superheroes… superheroes everywhere! In March, we finished up “WandaVision” on Disney+ and then got “Zack Snyder’s Justice League”. While Marvel and DC tend to have a monopoly on the genre, we’re also seeing an uptick in original superhero stories. On April 9th, 2021, Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer will be suiting up for the Netflix original “Thunder Force”. The film is written and directed by McCarthy’s frequent collaborator and husband Ben Falcone. With plenty of slapstick, absurd situations and wacky hijinks, “Thunder Force” looks like a classic McCarthy comedy, with a rock solid cast and plenty of laughs. These aren’t your conventional superheroes, but maybe Thunder Force is exactly what we need!

Prime Video: April 30th, 2021
Watch out everyone, it’s Michael B. Jordan’s world, we’re all just living in it. Since 2020, he’s been crowned the Sexiest Man Alive and listed on both Time magazine’s “100 most influential people” and the New York Times’ 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century. Hot off the news that he’ll be making his directorial debut with “Creed III”, Jordan is showcasing his talents as a leading man in this action thriller. A spin-off from the Jack Ryan series, “Without Remorse” follows John Clark, a US Navy SEAL, as he navigates an international conspiracy. Driven by the recent murder of his wife, Clark is just about the most dangerous man in any room. This promises to be a tense and visceral experience.

Disney+: April 2nd-23rd, 2021
Production troubles be damned, based on the first episodes, it’s clear that “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” was worth the wait. This series is delivering all the thrilling, high-flying, pulse-pounding action that people loved about the Captain America films. With more time to develop the story and characters, however, it’s also showing us a more intimate side of Bucky Barnes and Sam Wilson. Personal drama has always been part of the MCU formula, but never before have we gone quite this deep; these are heroes at their most vulnerable. Across the month of April, we’ll eagerly await each new weekly episode, but we’re particularly looking forward to a no doubt climactic finale on April 23rd!

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Infinity Train” (2019-) Season 4 Premiere
HBO Max: April 15th, 2021

“The Serpent” (2021)
Netflix: April 2nd, 2021

“Our Towns” (2021)
HBO Max: April 13th, 2021

“Star Wars: Clone Wars” Volumes I & II (2003)
Disney+: April 2nd, 2021

“The Mosquito Coast” (2021-)
AppleTV+: April 30th, 2021

HBO Max: April 16th, 2021
It’s freaking Mortal Kombat, how could we not give it our top spot? With all due respect to the film from the ‘90s, this is the gritty, gory, over-the-top, special effects heavy reboot that fans have been waiting for. Do we expect much in the way of character development? Maybe not. Meaningful dialogue? Unlikely. But hey, they already gave us a “get over here” in the trailer, and that’s really all we need. The combination of visceral combat with the various superhuman abilities of the Mortal Kombat crew makes this a perfect, fist-pumping popcorn flick. With Simon McQuoid of “Mortal Kombat: Rebirth” directing and James Wan as co-producer, this actually seems like a winning recipe. Bring on the fatalities!