There are changes to Sky Cinema with fewer premieres going forward but big name blockbusters promised nonetheless.
Updated 24-Jan-2022: The Tiger Rising (6th Feb) - Space Jam: A New Legacy (11th Feb, confirmed) - Dream Horse (13th Feb, confirmed) - The Forever Purge (18th Feb) - Kimi (19th Feb) - Old Henry (20th Feb) - Lakewood aka The Desperate Hour (25th Feb) - Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (26th Feb) - In the Earth (27th Feb, confirmed)
Updated 28-Jan-2022: Murder in the Valleys (6th Feb) - Into the Big Blue Heart (6th Feb) - Dating No Filter S2 (11th Feb, confirmed) - Jacqueline Wilson's Little Darlings (11th Feb) - The Devil's Advocate (15th Feb, confirmed) - Frayed S2 (23rd Feb, confirmed) - Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman (23rd Feb, confirmed) - Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes (28th Feb)
It was inevitable really, the era of ‘a new premiere everyday’ had to end at some point. Even without the added pressures of Covid induced production hold-ups and heavy duty competition hoovering up large swathes of available content, the sheer logistics of delivering a new film not previously seen on UK TV screens every day of the year was leading to diminishing quality returns. Though, to be fair, it did also mean some smaller gems surfaced too.
So, given the new challenges of accruing enough quality material, perhaps pulling the plug on the initiative was the sensible thing to do, and that‘s seemingly what Sky has done behind the scenes. The new marketing talks of 'an unrivalled range of movies' and ‘a new Sky Original every week’ which gave viewers Rock Dog 2, Mass, Save The Cinema and One Shot during January. However, there have also been some noticeable gaps where new movies would have once populated the ‘Today’s Premiere’ slot.
In response to comments posted in Sky’s forums a spokesperson responded, “Sky Cinema continues to bring the best new film releases from our partner studios, is investing more in exclusive Sky Original films and curates the best on demand catalogue of Box Office hits.
From January 2022 we will now schedule premieres across weekends to meet our customer’s needs and later this year Paramount+ will be included with Sky Cinema at no extra cost.”
Paramount+ is due for launch on the Sky Q platform later in 2022.
This means that high profile releases will be targeted at the weekends - likely when most viewers plan their movie viewing sessions anyway. Waiting in the wings for these slots are the likes of The Boss Baby: Family Business, Dune, Venom: Let There Be Carnage, Sing 2, Fast & Furious 9, Last Night in Soho, Dear Evan Hansen, Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Halloween Kills.
Also coming are Sky Originals Blazing Samurai and The Amazing Maurice, both family animated features with impressive voice casts including the likes of Samuel L. Jackson, Michelle Yeoh, Mel Brooks, George Takei, Hugh Laurie, Emilia Clarke and Gemma Arterton. No release dates for any of these upcoming films have been announced but as soon as they are, we’ll bring them to you.
Meanwhile, away from the movie channels, Sky’s big new drama series is an adaptation of Robert Harris’s The Fear Index starring Josh Hartnett as a computer scientist who is ready to make a killing on the stock market when things go sideways. There’re returning drama series in the form of The Equalizer and SEAL Team while The Righteous Gemstones sends up Evangelical dynasties. Also returning are new seasons of South Park and the essential Last Night Tonight with John Oliver, while sports fans can enjoy a late night watching of Super Bowl 56 (with the associated Monday morning hangover!).
So, here’s a closer look at what Sky’s bringing to its subscribers in February 2022 and remember to check back as we’ll be updating the listing when new content is announced or if scheduled programmes are changed.
Movie Premieres
(Requires Sky Cinema subscription or Now Cinema Pass)
4th February (Friday)
Freaky (2020, Horror, Comedy, Thriller, R. Vince Vaughn, Kathryn Newton, Celeste O'Connor, Misha Osherovich, Dir. Christopher Landon)
Just as put-upon seventeen-year-old Millie Kessler is about to become the latest victim of The Butcher, the local town’s infamous serial killer, a freak occurrence and a mystical dagger means instead of dying, she swaps bodies with the deranged killer. Now the frightened teen learns she has just 24 hours to get her body back before she looks like the middle-aged maniac forever. Her first problem though is persuading her school friends that the lumbering 6-foot 5-inch bloke in front of them is really her and the doppelganger Millie is really an insatiable murderer who will kill them all.
Freaky is another high-concept comedy horror film directed by Christopher Landon after his well received murder-loop movies Happy Death Day (2017) and Happy Death Day 2U (2019).
5th February (Saturday)
The Birthday Cake (2021, Crime, Thriller, R. Shiloh Fernandez, Ewan McGregor, Val Kilmer, William Fichtner, Dir. Jimmy Giannopoulos)
Every year since his father’s mysterious death, Giovanni takes a birthday cake lovingly prepared by his mother round to the home of Uncle Angelo, Brooklyn's last Mafia boss, to commemorate the loss at a family gathering. Now, on the tenth anniversary, Gio’s trip round to the annual memorial with the traditional cake is interrupted by federal agents and the witnessing of a murder. As the kind of violence and chaos he has been trying to avoid all his life closes in on Gio, so too does the truth about his father’s death.
6th February (Sunday)
The Tiger Rising (2022, Family, PG. Dennis Quaid, Christian Convery, Queen Latifah, Katharine McPhee, Dir. Ray Giarratana)
When Rob, a young boy who uses his imagination to escape from the grief of recently losing his mother, discovers a caged tiger in the woods near his home, his life changes in the most unexpected ways. With the help of a wise and mysterious Willie May and the stubborn new girl in school, Sistine, Rob navigates through childhood memories, heartache and wondrous adventures as he wrestles with whether he should set the beast free.
Based on the New York Times best-selling book by Kate DiCamillo.
11th February (Friday)
Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021, Animation, Adventure, Comedy, PG. LeBron James, Don Cheadle, Cedric Joe, Khris Davis, Dir. Malcolm D. Lee)
When superstar basketball icon LeBron James and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue AI, LeBron must get them home safely by leading Bugs and Lola Bunny and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the AI’s digitised, powered-up professional basketball stars.
12th February (Saturday)
Book of Love (2022, Comedy, Romance. Sam Claflin, Verónica Echegui, Lucy Punch, Horacio Garcia Rojas, Dir. Analeine Cal y Mayor)
When uptight English writer Henry’s dull and unsuccessful novel becomes a surprise hit in Mexico, his publicist insists he travel there on a promotional tour. Upon arrival, a confused Henry discovers the reason behind his book's unexpected popularity: translator Maria has rewritten his stodgy narrative as a steamy erotic novel. Henry is furious but must now embark on a tour across the country with a reluctant Maria, where he learns a little more about real life and real love.
An Amazon Original in the US.
13th February (Sunday)
Dream Horse (2020, Comedy, Drama, True Life, PG. Toni Collette, Owen Teale, Damian Lewis, Siân Phillips, Dir. Euros Lyn)
Middle aged Jan Vokes has hit a wall with the drudgery of life in a depressed Welsh village that has fallen on hard economic times. Seeking something to help her and her community feel positive about life again she hits upon an unlikely idea when a formerly successful horse owner comes into the bar where she works.
With very little money and no experience, Jan convinces her neighbours to chip in their meagre earnings to help raise their very own horse and train it to compete with racing elites.
Named as 'Dream Alliance' to reflect the village’s emotional and financial investment, the young horse rises through the racing ranks and becomes a beacon of hope in their struggling community.
Based on a true story, Dream Alliance was previously featured in the documentary Dark Horse: The Incredible True Story of Dream Alliance after it competed in the Welsh Grand National.
18th February (Friday)
The Forever Purge (2021, Action, Horror, Thriller, R. Ana de la Reguera, Tenoch Huerta, Josh Lucas, Leven Rambin, Will Patton, Dir. Everardo Gout)
Juan works as a ranch hand for the wealthy Tucker family in Texas, impressing patriarch Caleb but fuelling the jealous anger of Caleb’s son, Dylan. However, on the morning after The Purge, a sect of lawless marauders decides to break the rules and continue the Purge on into the next day. They invade the ranch and attack Dylan’s wife and sister forcing Dylan to team up with Juan and his wife Adela as they fight back against the out of control killers while the country spirals into chaos around them.
Fifth entry in The Purge franchise.
19th February (Saturday)
Kimi (2022, Crime, Drama, Thriller, R. Zoë Kravitz, Erika Christensen, Rita Wilson, Devin Ratray, Dir. Steven Soderbergh, Scr. David Koep)
Angela Childs is an agoraphobic voice stream interpreter who uncovers what seems to be a crime in one of the audio files she’s working on. Faced with indifference, even resistance, from her bosses, she realises that to help the victim she must confront her greatest fear by venturing out of her apartment and into the city streets which are teeming with anti Covid restriction protestors.
20th February (Sunday)
Old Henry (2021, Thriller, Western. Tim Blake Nelson, Scott Haze, Stephen Dorff, Trace Adkins, Dir. + Scr. Potsy Ponciroli)
Widower, Old Henry, lives and works on his ranch with his son, Wyatt. When the pair discovers a mysterious, injured man with a satchel full of cash, they decide to take him in and help him recover. Soon after, riders claiming to be lawmen in pursuit of a dangerous criminal appear and Henry must decide who to trust and whether to reveal his secret past in order to save his son and his farm.
25th February (Friday)
Lakewood aka The Desperate Hour (2021, Thriller. Naomi Watts, Colton Gobbo, Sierra Maltby. Dir. Phillip Noyce)
After a recent tragedy, Amy Carr is doing her best to restore some normality to her children’s lives in their small town. While on her routine run in the woods, she discovers the town has been thrown into chaos by an active shooting incident at her teenaged son's school. Miles away, on foot in the dense forest, Amy desperately races against time to save her son as the police lock down the surrounding area.
26th February (Saturday)
Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021, Action, Adventure, Horror, PG-13. Taylor Russell, Logan Miller, Deborah Ann Woll, Thomas Cocquerel, Dir. Adam Robitel)
Six people unwillingly find themselves locked in a series of escape rooms, slowly uncovering what they have in common to survive and joining forces with two of the original survivors. They soon discover they've all played the game before but are now faced with a series of even more deadly rooms.
27th February (Sunday)
In The Earth (2021, Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller, R. Joel Fry, Reece Shearsmith, Hayley Squires, Ellora Torchia, Dir. + Scr. Ben Wheatley)
As the world searches for a cure to a disastrous virus, Martin Lowry, a scientist experimenting with increasing crop efficiency, and park scout Alma venture deep in the forest for a routine equipment run. Having recently learned of the local legend of the woodland spirit Parnag Fegg, their journey becomes a terrifying voyage through the heart of darkness with the forest coming to life around them.
In the Earth was conceived, written, produced and released during the Covid-19 lockdown period between August 2020 and January 2021.
TV Shows
(Requires Sky TV subscription, Now Entertainment Pass)
1st February (Tuesday)
The Equalizer (2021, S2, CBS Procedural/Action Series, 10 weekly episodes - Sky Witness)
Robyn McCall is an enigmatic woman with a mysterious background who uses her extensive skills to act as a guardian angel and a defender for those who cannot fend for themselves, all while raising her teenaged daughter in New York.
As season two kicks off, McCall is considering ending her work as The Equalizer but is pulled back in when she takes on Detective Marcus Dante as a new client who needs her help to find an untraceable group of bank robbers.
With Queen Latifah now taking on the role of The Equalizer on TV and Denzel Washington confirming a third movie in the separate cinematic franchise, does this mean there’s room for a crossover event featuring the two versions of McCall? Stranger things have happened in Hollywood, that’s for sure!
2nd February (Wednesday)
SEAL Team (2021, S5, CBS Action/Drama Series, 14 weekly episodes - Sky Max)
David Boreanaz stars as Jason Hayes, the leader of Bravo Team, an elite group of Navy SEALs. The show follows the team as they train, plan and execute the most dangerous, high-stakes missions the United States of America can ask.
Season five sees Bravo team shocked to learn a training exercise is really cover for a covert mission to rescue a weapons expert. And when the operation is compromised, they must figure out how to escape undetected from one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
3rd February (Thursday)
The Righteous Gemstones (2022, S2 HBO Comedy Series, nine weekly episodes - Sky Comedy)
The Gemstones are a world-famous televangelist family with a long tradition of deviance, greed and, of course, charitable work. Season 2 opens as Jesse eyes a business opportunity with an evangelical couple on the rise, however, the family is soon threatened by outsiders from both the past and present who wish to destroy their empire.
Created by Danny McBride, who also stars, The Righteous Gemstones also features John Goodman, Adam DeVine and Walton Goggins. Directing duties have been split between McBride and his Halloween Kills writing partner David Gordon Green.
4th February (Friday)
South Park (2022, S25 Comedy Central Animated Series, six weekly episodes - Comedy Central)
Returning for a truncated 25th season, everyone’s favourite foul-mouthed ten-year-old boys and oddball inhabitants of the titular mountain town are back to offend just about everybody under the sun. If they haven't got round to you yet, just be patient, Trey and Matt are working their way down the list.
Needless to say any kind of trailer is NSFW
6th February (Sunday)
Into the Big Blue Heart (2022, Documentary - Sky Nature) - added 28th Jan
Journey into our world's majestic oceans, the Big Blue Heart of planet Earth. Experience remarkable new revelations about how our seas and their vast currents sustain not only the life within them, but the
entire world as we know it.
Murder in the Valleys (2022, Docuseries, Sky Crime) - added 28th Jan
On a night in June 1999, three generations of a family were brutally killed in the small village of Clydach, South Wales and for more than twenty years - despite the conviction of a local builder - the case has divided the community.
Filmed over 12 months, the four part, Murder in the Valleys tells the story behind the biggest murder investigation in Welsh history and follows the police as they review the evidence.
7th February (Monday)
9-1-1 (2022, S5a, Fox Network Procedural, Ep1-10 weekly - Sky Witness)
Procedural drama from Ryan Murphy exploring the personal and professional prices that police, paramedics and firefighters pay as they are thrust into the most frightening, shocking and high-pressure situations anyone can imagine.
The first episode of season five opens with a series of ransomware threats that lead to an overabundance of emergencies for the 118, including a medevac helicopter crash at a hospital and an air-traffic control tower system failure. Meanwhile, Athena must revisit her traumatic attack when the case of the realtor serial rapist goes to trial, Eddie suffers a health scare and Maddie's postpartum depression worsens.
10th February (Thursday)
The Fear Index (2022, Limited Season, Sky Original Series - four weekly episodes - Sky Atlantic)
Josh Hartnett stars as Dr. Alex Hoffman, a scientist-turned-wall street tycoon who, along with his friend and business partner, Hugo, is ready to launch a new AI software system to investors which exploits humans’ fear response in order to make billions on the stock exchanges.
However, what follows is the most stressful 24 hours of Alex’s life as he becomes the target of a plot to destroy the world's financial markets.
The series is based on Robert Harris’ book of the same name (The Fear Index is the common name for the Chicago Board Options Exchange Market Volatility Index) but was originally planned as a film to be directed by Paul Greengrass and produced by 20th Century Fox.
11th Feb (Friday)
Dating No Filter (2022, S2, Sky Original Reality Series, 6 weekly episodes - Sky Max)
The month of love sees the return of this non-scripted Sky Original dating show where blind dates are reviewed under the watchful eye of some of the UK’s funniest comedians who deliver an unfiltered critique as to how well the two singletons are doing on their first meeting.
Jacqueline Wilson's Little Darlings (2022, Family Drama Series - Sky Kids) - added 28th Jan
Destiny lives with her mother on a rundown estate and is about to discover she has a sister she never knew existed and that her dad is a famous musician.
Little Darlings is a four part series adapted from the 2010 Jacqueline Wilson novel of the same name and features original music from Lemar.
13th Feb (Sunday)
Super Bowl LVI (56th final, live from the SoFi Stadium, California - Sky Sports)
America’s largest sporting event will be kicking off at around 11:30pm UK time and will feature the traditional glitzy half time entertainment which this year boasts Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Mary J. Blige, and Kendrick Lamar.
14th February (Monday)
Bel-Air (2022, S1, Peacock Original Drama Series, six weekly episodes - Sky Peacock)
Street-wise Philly kid Will moves to Bel Air to stay with his aunt and uncle after an altercation puts his life in danger. Now, in the upmarket gated mansions of Bel-Air and under the watchful eye of his new family, Will has to learn what it really means to take responsibility.
Reboot of the Will Smith 90’s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel Air which helped him become a global superstar. This new version started life as a mock YouTube trailer created by Morgan Cooper which caught Smith’s attention and intrigued him with the idea of the story adopting a dramatic rather than comedic tone. He subsequently came on board to co-develop the project with Cooper as a drama. A second season is already in production.
15th February (Tuesday)
The Devil’s Advocate (2022, Sky Original Docuseries - Sky Documentaries)
Over three parts, The Devil’s Advocate tells the epic, stranger-than-fiction tale of flamboyant international movie mogul and businessman turned criminal defence lawyer, Giovanni di Stefano - a man with no formal legal qualifications whatsoever, yet who came to represent some of the most infamous criminals and tyrants on the planet, including Harold Shipman and Saddam Hussein.
What unfolded was a seven-year-long, international investigation to track him down and bring him to justice for his fraudulent behaviour.
Traces (2022, S2, Procedural Drama Series, weekly episodes - Alibi)
Three female forensic professionals, Emma Hedges, Sarah Gordon and Kathy Torrance, work together at the Scottish Institute of Forensic Science (SIFA) in Dundee, Scotland, as they uncover the truth of various murder cases and help bring the killers to justice.
Season two of Traces is the first ever original drama commissioned by the UKTV owned British television channel Alibi which has previously only broadcast first-run exclusive crime dramas imported from the United States, Canada and Australia and second run showings of crime dramas from the BBC and ITV.
17th February (Thursday)
Resident Alien (2022, S2, SyFy Comedy/Drama Series, weekly episodes - Sky Max)
After crash-landing on Earth, an alien sent to wipe out humanity kills and takes on the identity of the local doctor, Harry Vanderspeigle. Gradually, he insinuates himself in the community where everyone assumes he’s the real Harry. As he becomes more familiar with humans and their customs, he starts to wrestle with the moral dilemma of his secret mission, while also dealing with a 9-year-old boy who can see his true appearance.
Now Harry, the alien, has crash landed on Earth for a second time but doesn't remember who he is and only his friend Asta Twelvetrees can keep him safe - again! As his memory returns Harry realises he still has his dubious mission to complete and even if he doesn’t, his race will just send someone else to do it instead. Plus, US government agencies are closing in on him. He should just leave Earth for good and save himself all the stress… if only pizza wasn't so delicious.
21st February (Monday)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (2022, S9, HBO Current Events/Satire Series. Weekly episodes - Sky Comedy)
John Oliver returns with the multi-Emmy award winning show that takes a satirical look at US and global news, politics and current events, often revealing an unpalatable truth. He does this with the help of celebrity contributions and outrageous stunts such as getting a sewage plant in Danbury, Connecticut named after him or buying rat erotica at auction.
23rd February (Wednesday)
Frayed (2022, S2, Sky Original Comedy Series. Weekly episodes - Sky Max)
In 1988, when wealthy London housewife Sammy’s husband dies exposing the real state of their finances, she is forced to return home to Australia to confront her past.
Now having returned to London, Sammy is living in a tiny flat frantically trying to prove that her lawyer has stolen her house. Barely able to make ends meet, she’s desperate to find a way to reclaim her opulent UK life while dissuading her kids from returning to Oz and hiding the truth about what happened to their neighbour down under.
Meanwhile, back in Australia, Detective Sergeant Fairbank has the Cooper family firmly under the microscope.
Great Escapes with Morgan Freeman (2021, S1, 8 weekly episodes)
Morgan Freeman unearths the true stories behind famous jailbreaks from notorious prisons like Alcatraz, the Pittsburgh State Penitentiary and Northern Ireland’s The Maze with others involving high profile prisoners such as El Chapo and James Earl Ray.
Featuring dramatic recreations, dynamic storytelling and cutting-edge visual effects to bring the daring escapes to life in immersive detail.
28th February (Monday)
Chernobyl: The Lost Tapes (2022, Documentary - Sky Documentaries) - added 28th Jan
Directed by Emmy Award winner James Jones, the full story of the 1986 Chernobyl disaster is told through newly discovered archive footage and original witness accounts of those who were there which lay bare the tragedy that unfolded and the heroic efforts made to prevent another explosion.
So that’s it for February 2022. Let us know what you think about the lineup in the comments section. As new content is added, we’ll update the listing, so be sure to check back so you don’t miss out
Source: Geektown, South Wales Argus
Image Source: Google