April 2022 Entertainment Weekly Recap

Ikhsan Rizki

Photo: Catch up on April 2022's biggest entertainment! Movies, TV, music, gaming, & celebrity buzz – your essential guide to what you missed.
April 2022 Entertainment Weekly Recap: Your Essential Guide to the Month's Biggest Moments
Feeling like you missed out on the hottest headlines and must-see releases from April 2022? In today's fast-paced entertainment world, it's easy for exciting news to slip through the cracks. But don't worry, we've got you covered! This comprehensive April 2022 Entertainment Weekly Recap is your definitive guide to all the major movies, TV shows, music, gaming news, and celebrity buzz that made waves throughout the month. Get ready to catch up on everything you need to know, from long-awaited film premieres to chart-topping albums and groundbreaking gaming announcements.
Blockbuster Hits and Streaming Sensations: April 2022 Movies
April 2022 brought a diverse slate of films to both the big screen and your living room, offering something for every movie buff.
Major Theatrical Releases
The month kicked off with the long-delayed Marvel-adjacent film, Morbius, starring Jared Leto, which finally premiered on April 1st. Shortly after, audiences were treated to the high-octane action of Ambulance on April 8th, featuring Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a thrilling bank heist gone wrong.
Family audiences rejoiced with the release of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 on April 8th, continuing the adventures of the beloved blue blur. Mid-month, the Wizarding World expanded with Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, which premiered on April 15th, delving deeper into the conflict between Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
Later in the month, two critically anticipated films arrived on April 22nd: Robert Eggers' Viking epic The Northman, praised for its authenticity and intense storytelling, and The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, a meta-comedy starring Nicolas Cage as a fictionalized version of himself.
Notable Streaming Movie Premieres
Streaming platforms also delivered fresh content. Netflix debuted Judd Apatow's pandemic-era parody The Bubble on April 1st. Amazon Prime Video offered the spy thriller All the Old Knives on April 8th, starring Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton. Netflix also released the musical comedy Metal Lords on April 8th, following two high school friends starting a heavy metal band.
Binge-Worthy Series and Anticipated Returns: April 2022 TV & Streaming
April 2022 was a goldmine for television enthusiasts, with a mix of exciting new series and the much-awaited returns of fan favorites.
New Series to Watch
Several new shows made their debut, capturing audience attention:
- Slow Horses (Apple TV+, April 1) – A spy thriller centered on a group of misfit MI5 agents.
- The Outlaws (Amazon, April 1) – A British comedy-drama about a group of strangers serving community service.
- The Ultimatum: Marry or Move On (Netflix, April 6) – A new reality dating series that sparked much conversation.
- Tokyo Vice (HBO Max, April 7) – A crime drama set in Japan, starring Ansel Elgort and Ken Watanabe.
- The Kardashians (Hulu, April 14) – The highly anticipated return of the famous family to reality television.
- Anatomy of a Scandal (Netflix, April 15) – A British anthology drama focusing on a political scandal.
- The First Lady (Showtime, April 17) – A star-studded historical drama exploring the lives of Michelle Obama, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Betty Ford.
- Heartstopper (Netflix, April 22) – A heartwarming British teen romance series that quickly gained a dedicated following.
- We Own This City (HBO, April 25) – From the creators of The Wire, this miniseries explored police corruption in Baltimore.
- Under the Banner of Heaven (FX on Hulu, April 28) – A true-crime drama starring Andrew Garfield.
- Shining Girls (Apple TV+, April 29) – A mind-bending sci-fi thriller starring Elisabeth Moss.
Returning Favorites
April also marked the comeback of several beloved series:
- Elite Season 5 (Netflix, April 8)
- iCarly Season 2 (Paramount+, April 8)
- Better Call Saul Season 6 (AMC, April 18) – The beginning of the acclaimed Breaking Bad prequel's final season.
- Russian Doll Season 2 (Netflix, April 20) – Natasha Lyonne returned in the mind-bending comedy-drama.
- The Flight Attendant Season 2 (HBO Max, April 21) – Kaley Cuoco reprised her role in the thrilling comedy.
- Barry Season 3 (HBO, April 24) – Bill Hader's dark comedy made its long-awaited return.
- Ozark Season 4, Part 2 (Netflix, April 29) – The highly anticipated conclusion to the hit crime drama.
- Grace and Frankie (Netflix, April 29) – The final season of Netflix's longest-running original series.
Chart-Topping Sounds: April 2022 Music Releases
The music world was buzzing in April 2022 with significant album drops from a variety of genres.
Highly Anticipated Albums
- Red Hot Chili Peppers released their twelfth studio album, Unlimited Love, on April 1st, marking the return of guitarist John Frusciante.
- Jack White delivered his fourth solo album, Fear of the Dawn, on April 8th.
- Pop sensation Camila Cabello dropped her album Familia on April 8th.
- Electronic dance music supergroup Swedish House Mafia made a historic comeback with their debut studio album, Paradise Again, on April 15th.
- Rock band Shinedown released Planet Zero on April 22nd.
- British rock band Bloc Party unveiled Alpha Games on April 29th.
- Hip-hop artists also had major releases, including Vince Staples with Ramona Park Broke My Heart and Fivio Foreign with his debut album B.I.B.L.E., both on April 8th.
Live Music & Events
Beyond album releases, Coachella was a major music event, with artists like Camila Cabello attending. Hilton also hosted "Secret Socials" concerts, featuring surprise performances, including one by Ellie Goulding on April 20th.
Level Up Your Knowledge: April 2022 Gaming News
April 2022 brought intriguing developments and exciting announcements from the gaming industry.
Major Industry News
- Sony made headlines with a significant investment of $1 billion into Epic Games, aiming to deepen their relationship within the metaverse space.
- Rumors circulated that a Final Fantasy 9 Remake might be in the works.
- Nintendo completed its acquisition of SRD, a long-time development partner, on April 1st.
- Netflix continued its push into gaming by acquiring mobile game developer Boss Fight Entertainment.
- In unfortunate news for many, E3 2022 was officially canceled, both in-person and online, due to the lingering effects of the pandemic.
Game Releases & Updates
Xbox Game Pass announced a new batch of games for April, including Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, F1 2021, Turnip Boy Commits Tax Evasion, 7 Days to Die, Research and Destroy, Unsouled, and Bugsnax.
Quirky & Viral Moments
The gaming world also had its share of unusual stories:
- Dataminers discovered cut content in Elden Ring that would have allowed players to get people drunk.
- A Reddit user's life was reportedly saved when their Razer headset stopped a stray bullet that came through their window.
- April Fools' Day saw a variety of amusing pranks, including Among Us introducing a temporary "Horse Mode" and a Mario clone appearing on the Xbox Store.
Red Carpet Moments & Trending Topics: April 2022 Celebrity News
From lavish weddings to candid interviews, celebrities kept the news cycles busy in April 2022.
High-Profile Events & Personal News
- Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz tied the knot in a star-studded wedding on April 9th, 2022.
- Actress Megan Fox opened up in an interview about motherhood and her dedication to supporting her child's gender identity.
- Various celebrities were spotted at high-profile events, including Christine Lampard celebrating her fashion collection, Tom Felton and Phoebe Dynevor at parties, and Gigi Hadid's 27th birthday bash.
Viral Moments
Chef and actress Paula Patton faced