There’s nothing quite like that feeling when you sink into the welcoming embrace of a plush seat – arms hugging a giant bucket of popcorn – and disconnect from reality for a couple of hours…
Cinema is one of the best forms of escapism, bringing otherworldly adventures, heart-rending romances and spine-chilling horrors to life, and there’s no better place to see these stories unfold than on the big screen. Luckily, London has no shortage of cinemas – from epic IMAX screens to historic movie theatres – for you to see the latest film releases. Whether it’s an eye-popping 3D showing, a special cinematic event or, if you’re happiest on your sofa, a new streaming flick, here’s what film fans should look out for this month…
What’s new in cinemas this March
Mickey 17 (March 7)
Last month it was seeing double of Theo James in The Monkey, this month you can see eighteen iterations of Robert Pattinson as takes on the role of Mickey Barnes in Mickey 17. From the Oscar-winning Parasite filmmaker Bong Joon-Ho, the film adaptation of Edward Ashton’s 2022 novel Mickey 7, sees Pattinson’s financially desitute protagonist sign up to be an expendable clone worker sent on a journey to colonize the ice planet Niflheim. Every time he dies he is regenerated with most of his memories intact, but after one regeneration goes wrong, things start to spiral out of control.
Prepare for an egomaniacal, toothy and tangerine-tanned Mark Ruffalo, a devious and scheming Toni Colette and otherworldly, oversized insects with mysterious motives.
Black Bag (March 14)
Witness a test of loyalties, a web of lies and an affinity for black polar necks – not it’s not The Traitors – it’s Steve Soderbergh spy thriller Black Bag. The film follows the killer duo (in more ways than one) of legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse (Michael Fassbender) and his wife Kathryn (Cate Blanchett). After discovering there is a traitor in their midst and Kathryn is one of the suspects, Woodhouse must decide between loyalty to his wife or his country.
With an all-star cast (think Pierce Brosnan, Naomie Harris, Tom Burke, Rege-Jean Page…), secretive searches under the cover of darkness and explosive action sequences, this ticks all the boxes for an intriguing spy thriller – Spying? Check. Thrills? Check. Thick-rimmed glasses and trench coats galore? Check.
Snow White (March 21)
Mirror, mirror on the wall, shall we do a live-action musical adaptation about the fairest of them all? Yes, seems to have been the answer for Disney, as the tale of the apple-eating, dwarf-befriending, animal-serenading princess is coming to life on the big screen once more. This time, West Side Story‘s Rachel Zegler takes on the role of Snow White while Gal Gadot swaps Wonder Woman heroics for a dabble in villainy as the evil queen.
Novocaine (March 28)
Jack Quaid seems to have no luck with on-screen girlfriends. First, in The Boys his love meets a shocking end (honestly, I was speechless), and now, in his new flick Novocaine, the girl of his dreams has been kidnapped by a group of bank robbers. Thankfully, mild-mannered everyman Nate is not about to leave girlfriend Shari (Amber Midthunder) to her fate, and instead channels his inner Liam Neeson-from-Taken as he embarks on a rescue mission.
Oh, and did I mention due to a rare condition he can’t feel pain? So, yeah, you might want to brace yourself for a few wince-inducing injuries and blood splatter as the well-meaning, but ultimately unskilled in the art of combat, protagonist takes on a load of bad guys.
Stay home and see what’s streaming
The Electric State (Netflix – March 14)
From the Russo brothers comes The Electric State, a sci-fi adventure loosely based on Simon Stålenhag’s illustrated novel. The Netflix film unfolds in an alternate version of 1997, a strange retro-futuristic world where giant robots roam a remote wasteland after a technological war. The story follows Michelle (Millie Bobbie Brown) as an orphaned teenager who teams up with a mysterious robot and eccentric drifter (Chris Pratt) to journey cross-country through the American West in order to find her brother.
What else can film fans do in London this month?
London Soundtrack Festival 2025
Music can play a pivotal role in film: evoking emotions and helping to shape the scene – whether that’s instilling a sense of dread with ominous tones, building tension with quickening beats or playing tear-jearking melodies. This March 19-26, you can celebrate the often unsung artists behind these musical masterpieces as the London Soundtrack Festival 2025.
This is the capital’s first festival dedicated to film, TV and games music, with highlights including an exclusive conversation between the headline Oscar-winning composer Howard Shore and his long-time collaborator, iconic director David Cronenberg, as well as a performance of his key work by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Shore will also introduce a back-to-back screening of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and there will a be a selection of screenings with live orchestras – including the first ever live-in-concert screening of The Silence of The Lambs. Find out the full schedule and book your tickets here.
Taste Film
Have you ever watched a film and found yourself salivating as a character chomps into a gooey cheese toastie, tucks into a meal in a fancy restaurant or even just takes a bite out of a juicy apple? Well, Taste Film is no stranger to that feeling and they have just the thing to satisfy your cinematic cravings. This March, you can eat your way through films such as The Princess and The Frog, Hunger Games and Ratatouille in an immersive dining experience. Find out more about what to expect and where to get your tickets here.
Catch a classic at a golden oldie
The Big Lebowski Day of the Dude (March 6) screening at The Ritzy
The Grade II-listed Ritzy first opened in Brixton in 1911, under the name ‘The Electric Pavillion’, and was one of London’s first cinemas. It has lived through a World War and multiple restorations to become a staple of the area, now it is a multi-screen complex complete with a cafe and bar.
As I’m sure fans are already aware, March 6 is the Day of The Dude, aka the day The Big Lebowski was released, aka the annual celebration of dudeism where you embrace a laid-back lifestyle. So, what better day to settle into a comfy seat, scoff some popcorn and catch a screening of the film itself at The Ritzy. The film is showing at 5.30pm, and you can grab your tickets here.