Showtime has announced the movies, TV shows and sports programming coming to the service in April. The Showtime April 2023 lineup includes docuseries Catching Lighting, documentaries 2nd Chance and Personality Crisis: One Night Only, and new series Waco: The Aftermath.
Four-part docuseries Catching Lighting reveals how mixed martial arts fighter “Lightning” Lee Murray brawled his way from the mean streets of South London all the way up to the UFC – and then nearly pulled off one of the largest bank robberies in history.
Each episode of the docuseries uncovers riveting details about the complex heist that included hostages, disguises and cross-border escapes as Murray fought his way through this wild escapade.
2nd Chance allows viewers to explore the life and legacy of Richard Davis, the brash inventor of the modern-day bulletproof vest as he attempts to gain the trust of the US Government, determined to prove his product is worthwhile.
Davis obtains his goal after traveling the country and shooting himself 192 times, but when safety questions arise and a business partner turns into a whistleblower, it’s Davis who won’t be able to outrun the gun.
The New York City music scene and ’70s glam punk collide in Personality Crisis: One Night Only as the revolutionary story of New York Doll’s punk singer David Johansen is brought to life by director Martin Scorsese. Johansen pushes the boundaries of the music scene and influences the art and cultural evolution of New York City.
Framed around an intimate cabaret performance at Café Carlyle and filmed in January 2020, Johansen’s enormous influence is indisputable. Stream the cultural evolution on Friday, April 14.
The Showtime April 2023 slate also includes five-part drama series Waco: The Aftermath. The series portrays the searing aftermath of the devastating FBI 1993 standoff at the Branch Davidian compound. For those unfamiliar with the events of the clash, the original Waco series is available to stream on Showtime as well.
During the month of April, Showtime is highlighting the eclectic talent that frequently appears in its vast library of films. Including collections featuring stars like DMX, Harrison Ford, Natalie Portman, Seth Rogen, Ari Gaynor, Robert De Niro and Laura Linney, this assembly of movies is just a snapshot of the talent that the network offers.
You can view the Showtime April 2023 originals, followed by the movie release schedule and streaming collections, below.
SHOWTIME APRIL 2023 ORIGINALS
CATCHING LIGHTNING – Docuseries Premiere: Friday, April 7
Directed by two-time Emmy Award winner Pat Kondelis, “Catching Lighting” tells Murray’s story in his own words and features interviews with his wife, daughter, and closest friends, as well as mixed martial arts legends Anderson Silva, Chuck Liddell, Pat Miletich, Tony Fryklund and more, some of whom have never spoken publicly about the crime.
The series vividly dissects the daring heist and investigation that dominated British headlines for months using previously unreleased evidence, dramatic recreations filmed at the scenes of the crime and exclusive testimonies from a rogues’ gallery of conspirators, police investigators and attorneys to tell this tale like never before.
2ND CHANCE – Documentary Premiere: Friday, April 7
An exploration of the life and legacy of Richard Davis, the brash inventor of the modern-day bulletproof vest. Determined to prove his risky product worked, Davis traveled the country shooting himself at least 192 times, gaining the trust and business of the US Government along the way.
No one believed in his product more than Davis, but when safety questions arose, a key partner turned federal whistleblower and Davis went to inexcusable lengths to obscure defects in both the vest and his business.
PERSONALITY CRISIS: ONE NIGHT ONLY – Documentary Premiere: Friday, April 14
“Personality Crisis: One Night Only” tells the definitive story of the culture-defying David Johansen, notorious ’70s glam punk lead singer of the New York Dolls.
Framed around an intimate cabaret performance filmed in January 2020 at New York City’s storied Café Carlyle, “Personality Crisis: One Night Only” reveals Johansen’s enormous influence, transcending the walls of music as a window into the art and cultural evolution of New York City.
WACO: THE AFTERMATH – Series Premiere: Friday, April 14
“Waco: The Aftermath” focuses on the fallout of the Waco disaster: the trials of the surviving members of the Branch Davidian sect and the rise of homegrown terrorist, Timothy McVeigh.
The five-episode limited series also provides a broader context for the escalation of the American militia movement, which foreshadows the infamous attacks of the Oklahoma City bombing and the storming of the U.S. Capitol on January 6.
NEW MOVIES
A look at the movies that will be available as part of the Showtime April 2023 lineup.
AVAILABLE APRIL 1
April Fool’s Day
Avarice
Awakenings
Big Top Pee-Wee
Bio-Dome
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Bullets Over Broadway
Carrie
Casino
Charlotte’s Web
Clear and Present Danger
Defiance
Drinking Buddies
Free State of Jones
Gladiator
Grizzly II: Revenge
Harlem Nights
Hart’s War
Keeping Company
Loneliest Boy in the World
Marvelous and the Black hole
Mean Girls
Mission: Impossible
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Mission: Impossible 2
Mission: Impossible III
Operation Odessa
Pride
Selma
Senseless
Sliver
Sniper: The White Raven
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
The Freshman
The Guilt Trip
The Manchurian Candidate
The Rage: Carrie 2
The Squid and the Whale
The Truman Show
Universal Soldier
Valley Girl
Walkaway Joe
World Trade Center
AVAILABLE APRIL 12
3 Days To Kill
AVAILABLE APRIL 15
Anvil! The Story of Anvil
Gods and Monsters
STREAMING COLLECTIONS
In addition to the Showtime April 2023 schedule, you can check out these collections on the streaming service next month.
DMX
Beyond the Law, Pimp & Top Five
HARRISON FORD
American Graffiti, Clear and Present Danger, Patriot Games & The Conversation
NATALIE PORTMAN
Annihilation, Beautiful Girls & Cold Mountain
SETH ROGEN
The Disaster Artist, The Guilt Trip, Zack and Miri Make a Porno & Zeroville
ARI GRAYNOR
Celeste and Jess Forever, The Disaster Artist & The Guilt Trip
ROBERT DE NIRO
Awakenings, Casino, Last Vegas, The Family & The Untouchables
LAURA LINNEY
Falling, The House of Mirth, The Nanny Diaries, The Squid and the Whale & The Truman Show
Mirko Parlevliet has been reporting on the entertainment industry since 1998 and founded Vital Thrills to provide the latest news on streaming, movies, and TV shows. He previously created the websites ComingSoon, SuperHeroHype, and ShockTillYouDrop.