February is less than 24-hours away, so below you’ll find Frame Rated’s pick of the best new/returning television shows, cinema releases, and video-on-demand exclusives debuting next month in the UK and US….
HAIL, CAESAR!
5 February – US & UK Cinemas
Comedy-drama set in 1950s Hollywood about a ‘fixer’ called Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin) who’s tasked to find a missing actress working on Hail, Caesar! with superstar Baird Whitlock (George Clooney). Directed by the Coen Brothers, co-starring Alden Ehrenreich, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Scarlett Johansson, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Channing Tatum.
PRIDE & PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES
5 February – US & UK Cinemas
Adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2009 parody novel, set in an alternate universe where the events of Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice coincides with a 19th-century zombie plague. Starring Lily James, Sam Riley, Jack Huston, Bella Heathcote, Douglas Booth, Matt Smith, Charles Dance and Lena Headey.
DAD’S ARMY
5 February – UK Cinemas
Remake of the beloved 1960s BBC sitcom, about a platoon of elderly Home Guard protecting the idyllic English village of Walmington-on-Sea from Nazi invasion. Starring Bill Nighy, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Toby Jones, Tom Courtenay, Michael Gambon, Blake Harrison, Daniel Mays and Bill Paterson.
THE X-FILES
8 February – Channel 5
Continuation of the hit 1990s paranormal drama, set 14-years after the TV series finished, consisting of six hour-long episodes. Former FBI agents Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) are drawn back to the Bureau by an online webcaster with an extraordinary new conspiracy theory. Read Dan Owen’s review of the first two episodes here.
DEADPOOL
12 February – US & UK Cinemas
Dark superhero action-adventure about cancer patient Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds); an ex-special forces operative whose treatment endows him with unsightly skin, accelerated healing powers, and an unstable mind. Brutal violence and meta-comedy ensue. Co-starring Morena Baccarin (Gotham), Ed Skrein, T.J Miller, Gina Carano and Brianna Hildebrand.
ZOOLANDER No.2
12 February – US & UK Cinemas
Belated sequel to the 2001 cult comedy hit, with a now middle-aged Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) recruited by Interpol to stop an organisation that are assassinating celebrities from the music industry. Co-starring Owen Wilson (No Escape), Will Ferrell, Penélope Cruz, Kristen Wiig and Fred Armisen.
THE WALKING DEAD – Season 6, Part 2
14 February – AMC • 15 February – Fox UK
The sixth season of the popular zombie drama continues. Starring Andrew Lincoln, Norman Reedus, Steven Yeun, Lauren Cohan, Chandler Riggs, Danai Gurira, Melissa McBride and Michael Cudlitz.
VINYL – Season 1
15 February – HBO & Sky Atlantic
New drama set in the 1970s, about a record executive called Richie Fenestra (Bobby Cannavale) trying to resurrect his American Century label. Created by Terence Winter (Boardwalk Empire) and produced by Martin Scorsese (Goodfellas). Co-starring Olivia Wilde, Ray Romano, Ato Essandoh, Max Casella, P.J Byrne and J.C MacKenzie.
BETTER CALL SAUL – Season 2
15 February – AMC • 16 February – Netflix UK
Return of the comedy-drama prequel to Breaking Bad, with attorney Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) continuing down a criminal path to become Saul Goodman. Co-stars Jonathan Banks, Rhea Seehorn, Patrick Fabian and Michael McKean.
11.22.63
15 February – Hulu • Spring – Fox UK
Eight-part miniseries adapting the Stephen King best-seller, about an English teacher (James Franco) who finds a portal to the 1960s and is tasked with preventing the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Produced by J.J Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Bryan Burk (Fringe), Stephen King and Bridget Carpenter. Co-stars Chris Cooper, Cherry Jones, Sarah Gadon, Lucy Fry and George MacKay.
THE NEW YORKER PRESENTS
15 February – Amazon Prime
New weekly series of high-brow documentary featurettes, based on the famous magazine’s output.
LOVE – Season 1
19 February – Netflix
Romantic comedy series produced by Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, Trainwreck) charting the male and female perspectives of a relationship between lovers Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) and Gus (Paul Rust).
CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON: SWORD OF DESTINY
26 February – Netflix
Straight-to-VOD sequel to Ang Lee’s martial arts classic, with Michelle Yeoh returning as Yu Shu-Lien, joined by Donnie Yen as Silent Wolf. Sword of Destiny concerns the search for a legendary weapon with the power to change the world. Directed by Yuen Wo-Ping, choreographer of the action sequences from the original film and The Matrix.