Showtime has announced the movies, TV shows, and sports programming coming to the service in April. The Showtime April 2022 lineup includes The First Lady, a brand-new anthology series that highlights the impact of America’s first ladies on U.S. politics and peers behind the walls of the White House into both their public and personal lives.
The inaugural season zooms in on the stories of Michelle Obama, Betty Ford, and Eleanor Roosevelt, played by Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Gillian Anderson, respectively. They are joined by their presidential counterparts, played by O. T. Fagbenle, Aaron Eckhart, and Kiefer Sutherland.
The Showtime April 2022 slate also includes The Man Who Fell to Earth, in which the fate of the human species is at stake. The show, which is based on the Walter Tevis novel and David Bowie-led film of the same name, follows an extraterrestrial played by Chiwetel Ejiofor, who arrives on Earth at a pivotal moment for humanity.
Laughter is the best medicine in I Love That for You, a new comedy series created by SNL alumna Vanessa Bayer. The show follows Joanna Gold (Bayer) as she balances her efforts to become a home shopping channel TV host, develop her first adult romance, and shed her reputation as “that cancer girl,” all while she juggles her professional relationships with the network’s star and the channel’s owner.
Also included in the Showtime April 2022 schedule is the season six finale of Billions. As Senior and Chuck’s friends take Chuck on a retreat to regroup, Prince looks to consolidate his wins, Wendy tries to figure out Prince’s bigger picture, and Sacker reckons with some old skeletons in her closet.
Additionally, Super Pumped‘s first season comes to an end as Bill Gurley and Travis Kalanick go head-to-head in a final, last-ditch effort for Uber. Gurley and his backers present Travis with an ultimatum that will change the course of the company forever as Travis searches the city for supporters to rally in his defense.
The Emmy-winning Showtime Sports series All Access returns to profile undefeated WBC and IBF world champion Errol Spence Jr. as he prepares for his bout with WBA champion Yordenis Ugás. Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin and rising star Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora also go head-to-head in a 154-pound division fight.
A week later, they are followed by Radzhab Butaev and Elimantas Stanioinis’ high-stakes clash, in which the former attempts to defend his undefeated world title. These matches lead up to the pay-per-view battle between undefeated 147-pound world champion Errol Spence Jr. and fellow world champion Yordenis Ugas on Saturday, April 16.
In an equally exciting lineup for Bellator MMA, unbeaten featherweight champ A.J. McKee takes on two-division champion Patricio Pitbull. A week later, women storm the octagon in back-to-back fight nights in Hawaii featuring brawls between Juliana Velasquez and Liz Carmouche as well as Cris Cyborg and Arlene Blencowe on Friday, April 22 and Saturday, April 23, respectively.
Showtime also celebrates the arrival of C’mon C’mon. In the A24 film from writer-director Mike Mills, radio journalist Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown together on a cross-country road trip in this delicate and deeply moving story about the connections between adults and children and the past and the future.
Additionally, subscribers will have access to a multitude of film collections. The “Politics & The Presidency” collection features in-depth documentaries on presidential history. The “Survival Missions collection” will showcase the power of human perseverance.
You can view the Showtime April 2022 originals below, followed by the movie release schedule and streaming collections.
SHOWTIME APRIL 2022 ORIGINALS
BILLIONS – Season Finale: Sunday, April 10
New king, new war, and new rules: In season six of BILLIONS, the dust from the prior season clears to reveal a world that has evolved. With Axe (Damian Lewis) gone and Michael Prince (Corey Stoll) assuming his place, Chuck (Paul Giamatti) must develop a new strategy that is keener and more sophisticated than before.
All the players, including Wags (David Costabile), Wendy (Maggie Siff), Taylor (Asia Kate Dillon), Sacker (Condola Rashad), and Senior (Jeffrey DeMunn), must sharpen their weapons and look for new alliances in order to survive. The ground is ever-shifting, and the stakes are absolute.
SUPER PUMPED: THE BATTLE FOR UBER – Season Finale: Sunday, April 10
“Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber” tells the story of one of Silicon Valley’s most successful and most destructive unicorns, Uber. Pivoting on Travis Kalanick (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his sometimes-tumultuous relationship with his mentor Bill Gurley (Kyle Chandler), the Showtime series depicts the roller-coaster ride of the upstart transportation company, embodying the highs and lows of Silicon Valley.
Even amid the radical upheaval generated within the global tech capital, Uber stands out as both a marvel and a cautionary tale, featuring internal and external battles that ripple with unpredictable consequences. “Super Pumped” is the first installment of an anthology series in which each season explores a story that rocked the business world to its core and changed culture.
LA MADRINA: THE SAVAGE LIFE OF LORINE PADILLA – Documentary Premiere: Friday, April 15
“La Madrina: The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla” chronicles the legacy of Lorine Padilla, former “first lady” of the infamous Savage Skulls street gang in the Bronx. Directed by Raquel Cepeda and executive produced by Sacha Jenkins, the documentary follows the evolution of Padilla into a community matriarch who fights gentrification and advocates for firearm legislation after her grandson is murdered.
“La Madrina: The Savage Life of Lorine Padilla” is part of Hip Hop 50, a multiyear, cross-platform Showtime programming initiative celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop in collaboration with entertainment company Mass Appeal.
THE FIRST LADY – Anthology Series Premiere: Sunday, April 17
“The First Lady” is a revelatory reframing of American leadership, told through the lens of the women at the heart of the White House. In the government’s East Wing, many of history’s most impactful and world-changing decisions have been hidden from view, made by America’s charismatic, complex, and dynamic first ladies.
The series peels back the curtain on the personal and political lives of three unique, enigmatic women and their families, traces their journeys to Washington, dips into their pasts, and follows them past the White House into their greatest moments. Through interweaving storylines so intimate it’s as if The White House walls are talking, season one stars Oscar, Emmy, and Tony winner Viola Davis as former first lady Michelle Obama, Oscar and Emmy nominee Michelle Pfeiffer as Betty Ford and Emmy and Screen Actors Guild winner Gillian Anderson as Eleanor Roosevelt.
CYPRESS HILL: INSANE IN THE BRAIN – Documentary Premiere: Wednesday, April 20
This definitive Cypress Hill documentary tracks the lives and careers of the groundbreaking West Coast group whose unique sound, built on a hill of social consciousness and self-awareness, is cemented in the musical landscape of hip-hop. From cultivating the flower to smoking it, Cypress Hill invented a movement with a unique sound that captures an intensity yet calmness for which the world was yearning.
Directed by Estevan Oriol, “Cypress Hill: Insane in the Brain” is produced by Sony and Mass Appeal for Showtime and is part of Hip Hop 50, a multiyear, cross-platform Showtime programming initiative celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop.
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH – Series Premiere: Sunday, April 24
Based on the Walter Tevis novel of the same name and the iconic film that starred David Bowie, “The Man Who Fell to Earth” follows a new alien character played by Chiwetel Ejiofor who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution and must confront his own past to determine our future.
The new series also stars Naomie Harris as Justin Falls, a brilliant scientist and engineer who must conquer her own demons in the race to save two worlds. Additional stars include Clarke Peters, Jimmi Simpson, Bill Nighy, Sonya Cassidy, Rob Delaney, Joana Ribeiro, and Annelle Olaleye.
I LOVE THAT FOR YOU – Series Premiere: Friday, April 29
Inspired by Bayer’s own story of overcoming childhood leukemia, “I Love That for You” centers on Joanna Gold, played by Vanessa Bayer, who dreams of becoming a TV host at a home-shopping channel. As she works to shed her life-long label as “that cancer girl,” she moves away from her parents, starts a budding romance for the first time in her adult life, and forms a meaningful friendship with her idol, Jackie, played by Molly Shannon, the charismatic star of the network, all against the backdrop of a highly competitive workplace where people play dirty to succeed.
Jennifer Lewis plays Patricia, the icy, enigmatic founder and CEO of the popular home shopping network. Additional series regulars include Paul James as Jordan, a charming but dry stage manager; Ayden Mayeri as Beth Ann, an ambitious, insecure host; Matthew Rogers as Darcy, the ingratiating right-hand man to Patricia; and Punam Patel as Beena, an offbeat backstage producer.
BUSHWICK BILL: GETO BOY – Documentary Premiere: Friday, April 29
“Bushwick Bill: Geto Boy” documents the life of the late Richard Shaw, the Jamaican American rapper and music producer professionally known as “Bushwick Bill,” an original member of the iconic, pioneering Houston rap group, The Geto Boys. From his early life in Jamaica to his rise to certified platinum record status, the Gregy Roman-directed documentary executive produced by Richard Shaw and Kyra Kowasic spotlights Shaw’s storied life and controversial career, including his near-death accidental shooting that left him blind in one eye and his fight against music censorship.
“Bushwick Bill: Geto Boy” is part of Hip Hop 50, a multiyear, cross-platform Showtime programming initiative celebrating the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop in collaboration with entertainment company Mass Appeal.
SPORTS
ALL ACCESS: SPENCE VS. UGAS – EPISODES 1 & 2 – Saturday, April 2, 9:30 pm ET & Saturday, April 9, 9:30 pm ET
The Emmy-winning series takes viewers beyond the ring as undefeated WBC and IBF world champion Errol Spence Jr. prepares for one of the year’s most anticipated fights against WBA world champion Yordenis Ugás. The cameras take viewers into the fighters’ private lives and training camps as Spence, who trains under the watchful eye of longtime trainer Derrick James, and Ugás, who is training in Las Vegas under Ismael Salas, ready themselves to battle in front of Spence’s hometown Dallas fans in a rare three-belt world title unification.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING – Saturday, April 9, 10 p.m. ET
Two of the top contenders in the 154-pound division clash as the hard-hitting Erickson “The Hammer” Lubin takes on rising star Sebastian “The Towering Inferno” Fundora in a high-stakes crossroads bout. Lubin has won his last six fights since dropping a world title fight to current champion Jermell Charlo, while the nearly six-foot-six Fundora is unbeaten in 19 pro fights. Plus, former world champion Tony Harrison takes on talented contender Sergio Garcia, and unbeaten super welterweight Kevin Salgado battles Bryant Perrella.
BELLATOR 277: MCKEE VS. PITBULL 2 – Friday, April 15, 10 p.m. ET
Unbeaten BELLATOR Featherweight champ A.J. McKee looks to take the next step toward becoming the sport’s greatest fighter as he battles former top pound-for-pound and two-division champion Patricio Pitbull for the second time in less than nine months. Pitbull, the promotion’s all-time greatest athlete, and McKee, the company’s homegrown superstar, take center stage in one of the most anticipated rematches of all time. Plus, 205-pound champion Vadim Nemkov defends his title for the third time against Corey Anderson in the Bellator MMA Light Heavyweight World Grand Prix final.
SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING – Saturday, April 16, 7 p.m. ET
Prior to the start of the Showtime PPV headlined by Errol Spence Jr. vs. Yordenis Ugás, undefeated 147-pound world titleholder Radzhab Butaev defends his title against Eimantas Stanionis and fast-rising 140-pound knockout artist Brandun Lee takes on Zachary Ochoa in live preliminary bouts.
SHOWTIME PPV – Saturday, April 16, 9 p.m. ET
Undefeated 147-pound world champion Errol Spence Jr. looks to add a third welterweight belt to his resume when he returns to fight at AT&T Stadium in front of his hometown fans against fellow world champion Yordenis Ugás in a rare three-belt world title unification. Spence is one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, while Ugás is fresh off an upset championship victory over the legendary Manny Pacquiao. Plus, power-puncher Isaac Cruz battles former two-division champion Yuriorkis Gamboa in the co-feature.
BELLATOR 278: VELASQUEZ VS. CARMOUCHE – Friday, April 22, 10 p.m. ET
Undefeated 125-pound world champion Juliana Velasquez makes the second defense of her flyweight title against No. 2 ranked flyweight Liz Carmouche in the first of back-to-back fight nights from Hawaii. Ranked No. 2 on the Bellator women’s pound-for-pound rankings, Velasquez has been a dominant force throughout her unblemished 12-fight pro career, including seven wins under the Bellator banner. Carmouche, a highly skilled veteran of the sport, is 3-0 in a Bellator cage and is ranked No. 4 on the pound-for-pound list.
BELLATOR 279: CYBORG VS. BLENCOWE 2 – Saturday, April 23, 10:30 p.m. ET
The second of back-to-back fight nights from Hawaii is headlined by a rematch between the greatest female mixed martial artist of all time, Cris Cyborg, and Australia’s No. 1-ranked Arlene Blencowe, who aspires to claim gold in her third attempt at a world title. Cyborg has made three straight title defenses, including a submission of Blencowe in 2020. Blencowe has won five of her last six fights. Plus, Juan Archuleta takes on Raufeon Stots in the launch of the highly anticipated $1 million Bellator Bantamweight World Grand Prix.
NEW MOVIES
A look at the movies that will be available as part of the Showtime April 2022 lineup.
AVAILABLE APRIL 1
48 Hrs.
Almost Famous
The Andromeda Strain
An Ideal Husband
An Inconvenient Truth
Another 48 Hrs.
April Fool’s Day
Beverly Hills Cop
Beverly Hills Cop II
Beverly Hills Cop III
Big Top Pee-Wee
Bull Durham
Clue
C’mon C’mon
Congo
Daddy Day Camp
Desperately Seeking Susan
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
East of the Mountains
Event Horizon
Flashdance
Get Over It
Get Shorty
Ghost
Hide and Seek
Hollywoodland
Hood Rat
Internal Affairs
Jimmy Hollywood
John and the Hole
Kinky Boots
Love Story
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom
Match Point
Monsoon Wedding
Murder on the Orient Express
Passenger 57
Red Dawn
Schindler’s List
Selma
Shaolin Soccer
Terms of Endearment
Testament
The Cider House Rules
The Crossing Guard
The Exchange
The Gambler (1974)
The Gambler (2014)
The Gong Show Movie
The Light of the Moon
The Longest Yard
The Man Who Knew Too Little
Them That Follow
The Skulls
The Skulls II
The Skulls III
The Whiz
The Wolf of Wall Street
Troop Beverly Hills
Valkyrie
Weird Science
Whiplash
AVAILABLE APRIL 5
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
AVAILABLE APRIL 6
The Florida Project
AVAILABLE APRIL 15
The Master
AVAILABLE APRIL 16
The Lighthouse
AVAILABLE APRIL 24
Mirror Mirror
AVAILABLE APRIL 27
August: Osage County
STREAMING COLLECTIONS
In addition to the Showtime April 2022 schedule, you can check out these collections next month.
POLITICS & THE PRESIDENCY
An Inconvenient Truth, JFK Revisited: Through the Looking Glass, Lee Daniels’ The Butler, The Circus: Inside the Greatest Political Show on Earth, The Comedy Rule: Night One, The First Lady, The Reagans
SURVIVAL MISSIONS
Aeon Flux, Congo, Da Sweet Blood of Jesus, Event Horizon, High Life, LX 2048, Proximity, The Andromeda Strain, The Green Knight, The Man Who Fell to Earth, The Survivalist
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills in 2018 to cover the latest news on streaming, movies, TV, and video games.