What to watch in ultra HD this month

Ready for a month of great telly like you’ve never seen before? Then read on to discover some of the ultra HD highlights coming up on the Virgin TV Ultra HD channel (CH 175/999) throughout April. There’s a wide variety of film entertainment, from biographical drama First Man to action movies Atomic Blonde and Twister, and from the unsettling Split and Us to raucous comedy The 40-Year-Old Virgin, as well as period dramas Mary Queen Of Scots and The Beguiled – all in stunning, crystal-clear ultra-high definition.

And don’t miss the brilliant first season of the Karate Kid continuation Cobra Kai, featuring the original movie’s stars, or the fascinating documentary Mother Nature.

Your eyes are in for a real treat this month on our dedicated ultra HD channel. Don’t worry about missing any of these when they’re first on: there are plenty of opportunities to see these films on the Virgin TV Ultra HD Channel, while many are available in On Demand, still in eye-popping ultra HD on compatible TVs.

Wednesdays from 1 April, 8.10pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

Enter the wild world of Zambia’s Kafue National Park in this jaw-dropping series that captures the incredible matriarchs that rule over the animal kingdom. Walk alongside a pride of lionesses, see an African wild dog defend her young pack from a deadly leopard, and more – all in crystal clarity.

Thursday 2 April, 10pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

This unsettling chiller was writer/director Jordan Peele’s follow-up to the award-winning Get Out. A family with dark times in their past are terrorised by a mysterious group of visitors – an ordeal that becomes all the more disturbing when they realise their tormentors are doubles of themselves. Lupita Nyong’o (A Quiet Place: Day One) and Winston Duke (The Fall Guy) star, and the film’s sinister shadows and scary visuals are even more disconcerting in ultra HD.

Season 1, Fridays from 3 April, 9pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

After Johnny (William Zabka) lost the All-Valley Karate Tournament in the original Karate Kid, his life went nowhere fast – until, years later, he uses his karate skills to stop a neighbour (Xolo Maridueña) being beaten up. He’s inspired to teach the kid martial arts and reopen the Cobra Kai dojo. But this attracts the attention of Daniel (Ralph Macchio) and their rivalry is rekindled. Can they work through their issues without anyone getting kicked in the head? A heartfelt comedy drama, with fast-paced fight scenes that look amazing in ultra HD.

Good Friday, 10pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

Enjoy a tour de force performance from James McAvoy (It: Chapter Two) in this psychological thriller in which he plays a man with 23 distinct personalities, many of them not very nice at all. When three young women (including Furiosa’s Anya Taylor-Joy) are abducted and imprisoned, they must hope that one of these personas might show mercy. It’s a shocking, jump-inducing and visually striking movie, as you’d expect from M Night Shyamalan, the writer/director of The Sixth Sense.

Easter Sunday, 9.30pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

It’s the end of the Cold War and a KGB agent has just stolen a list of all the active intelligence agents in Berlin. Top MI6 spy Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron, The Old Guard) is sent in to recover the document and prevent any harm coming to key assets.  Cue a sequence of high-tempo, nail-biting action scenes as the uncompromising Broughton punches, kicks and shoots her way through a ton of bad guys as she carries out her mission… or does she? Can anyone be trusted? Strap in for a wild ride of an action thriller.

Easter Monday, 9pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

Two queens clash over the future of their neighbouring nations in this imaginative period drama brought vividly to life by powerhouse performances from Margot Robbie as Elizabeth I of England and Saoirse Ronan as the titular Scottish monarch. Fearful of the threat posed by her Catholic cousin with a claim to the English throne, Elizabeth schemes to bring her in line. With opulent castles, dramatic landscapes and Oscar-nominated costumes and make-up, this is a real feast for the eyes.

Saturday 11 April, 9pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

This huge hit helped establish Steve Carell as one of the biggest comedy stars of the 21st century. He stars as Andy, who has reached 40 without ever quite managing to lose his virginity – and when his co-workers find out, they resolve to help him solve his little problem. With a hilarious supporting cast including Seth Rogen, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Catherine Keener, Jane Lynch, Romany Malco and Leslie Mann, it’s frank, raunchy and uproariously funny, but also an insightful glimpse into modern masculinity. The waxing scene demands to be viewed in ultra HD.

Sunday 12 April, 9pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

Everyone knows Neil Armstrong as the man who was first to step on the Moon, but this biographical drama explores his life before the Apollo 11 mission. He’s deeply afflicted by tragedy, to the point where some question his suitability for lunar travel. But, as played by Ryan Gosling, Armstrong is also shown to be a man of quiet determination who refuses to deviate from his goal. Oscar-winning La La Land director Damien Chazelle captures the majesty of an extraordinary feat but also the bravery and modesty of an ordinary man. Gosling shines in the lead role, as does Claire Foy (The Crown) as Janet Armstrong.

Sunday 19 April, 9.30pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

Eminem was already a hip-hop superstar when he exploded onto the big screen, taking the lead role in this gritty drama based on elements from his own life. Factory worker Jimmy is a wannabe rapper with undoubted talent, trying to make it big in an environment hostile to him, while his miserable home life and his stage fright present constant obstacles to his success. It’s an absorbing tale of courage and hope amid poverty, and truly comes alive during the pulsating rap battle scenes.

Saturday 25 April, 9pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

The groundbreaking weather effects in this 1996 disaster movie still hold up pretty well on screen, and they’re aided by superb, knife-edge directing from Jan de Bont (the action master who also made 1995’s Speed). Helen Hunt (As Good As It Gets) is a meteorologist attempting to deploy high-tech equipment to track and analyse tornados, but her trauma-born obsession leads her to put herself and her team in danger. It’s nail-biting stuff from start to finish – and after this, you’ll never moan about the weather again. Bill Paxton (Apollo 13) co-stars.

Sunday 26 April, 9pm, Virgin TV Ultra HD (CH 175/999)

During the US Civil War, an injured Union soldier is found outside a small girls’ school in Confederate Virginia. The principal decides that they will allow him to heal before handing him over as a prisoner of war, but his presence disrupts the school’s harmony in unforeseen ways… Nicole Kidman (Babygirl), Colin Farrell (The Banshees Of Inisherin), Kirsten Dunst (Civil War) and Elle Fanning (Sentimental Value) make up an impressive cast, but the real star is director Sofia Coppola (Priscilla), who brings grace, wit and a sense of menace to her adaptation of Thomas Sullivan’s novel, previously filmed with Clint Eastwood.

Go to CH 175 or CH 999 to access Virgin TV Ultra HD. Don’t have a 4K TV? Never fear, because you can also watch the Virgin TV Ultra HD channel through your HD TV.

Please note, if you watch TV on our TiVo^® box, you will not be able to access the Virgin TV Ultra HD channel. But it’s super-simple to upgrade to our latest Virgin TV box by contacting us on 0345 454 1111 (or call 150 from a Virgin Media phone).