The Best Sci-fi and Fantasy to Watch This Week
As we enter into March, let’s take a look at some of the best things to watch this week, in film, TV, and streaming, from new superhero shows to George R.R. Martin adaptations, and a sci-fi classic from the 1980s you won’t want to miss.
Daredevil: Born Again
Releasing March 4 on Disney+
One of the most anticipated Marvel shows for some time, ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ is a continuation of the show which first began on Netflix back in 2015, and follows the character or Matt Murdock, a brilliant lawyer, who’s been blind since he was a child, but uses his heightened senses to fight crime in New York City as his alter-ego Daredevil.
Charlie Cox and Vincent D’Onofrio are returning to their roles as Matt Murdock and crime lord Kingpin respectively. The Netflix show was a big hit with critics and fans, so Disney will be hoping they have another success on their hands with this one.
Mickey 17
Releasing March 7 in theatres
On the cinematic side of things, March looks like it will be a busy month, as usual. This year, there are several big sci-fi and fantasy releases coming in the next few weeks. One of the first is sci-fi comedy ‘Mickey 17’, which comes from South Korean director Bong Joon-ho, who won an Oscar back in 2019 for his movie ‘Parasite’.
‘Mickey 17’ stars Robert Pattinson as Mickey, a man who goes to work on a dangerous colony. Whenever he’s killed while working there, a new clone of him is brought in to replace him. After being thought dead, a new clone is activated, but it turns out he’s actually still alive, which is a problem, as only one clone is allowed to exist at one time.
It certainly looks like it will be a unique movie experience this year!
In the Lost Lands
Releasing March 7 in theatres
An adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s short story, and unconnected to his Game of Thrones series, ‘In the Lost Lands’ follows a witch and a bounty hunter who journey into the desolate wastes known as the “lost lands” to find a secret power, having to fight the monsters that live there.
This has largely gone under the radar, despite the names attached to it. It stars Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista, and is directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, who made sci-fi horror ‘Event Horizon’, so it could be an entertaining movie, especially if you’re a GRRM fan looking for something to fill the gap until the next Westeros project arrives.
It’s only getting a limited release in theatres, according to Movie Insider, which suggests it might be available on VOD and digital before too long.
Plankton: The Movie
Releasing March 7 on Netflix
March 7 is a popular release date, so put that in your diary, but if you’re not in the mood for a cinema outing, or want something that the whole family can watch, then Netflix has you covered, as always, with ‘Plankton: The Movie’.
Based on the characters from the ‘Spongebob Squarepants’ franchise, the official synopsis says Plankton’s “world is flipped upside down when his plan for world domination is thwarted”.
The movie uses a mix of computer and 2D animation, mixed in with live-action elements, to bring this underwater world to life.
Dune (1984)
Releasing March 1 on Paramount+
Finally, if you’re looking for something a little older, then Paramount+ has a great choice, with the 1984 adaptation of ‘Dune’ coming to the platform on March 1, one year since Denis Villneuve’s ‘Dune: Part Two’ was released in theatres, and became a smash hit.
The ‘84 version never reached the same popularity, and was a commercial and critical failure when it released, but in the years since, it’s been reevaluated as a bold attempt to bring the world created by Frank Herbert to the big screen.
It’s also a chance to revisit a David Lynch classic, following the filmmakers death back in January this year, and whether you’re a fan or not, seeing this version of ‘Dune’ is an unforgettable experience.
Anyway, those are the biggest and best releases, old and new, for this week. We’ll have another round up next week, so you’ll always know what to watch if you’re a fan of fantasy and science fiction!