Legend Channel April Film Premieres Line Up

By Jon Donnis

It is action, suspense and high stakes drama all the way as LEGEND presents eleven star studded Channel premieres in April, led by Brian De Palma's brutal crime classic CARLITO'S WAY, starring Al Paciino, the high octane action comedy MR. AND MRS. SMITH, starring Bratt Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Spike Lee's critically acclaimed heist thriller INSIDE MAN, and Timor Bekmambetov's all guns blazing WANTED, starring James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman and Terence Stamp.

Then there is the Cold War spy thriller BULLET TO BEIJING, starring Michael Caine as a retired Harry Palmer, the buddy cop film MONEY TRAIN, starring Wesley Snipes and Jennifer Lopez, and two explosive action thrillers directed by Peter Hyams, THE PRESIDO, starring Sean Connery, and SUDDEN DEATH, starring Jean Claude Van Damme.

Further Channel premieres include the revenge driven Western SHOOT OUT, starring Gregory Peck, the science fiction action adventure CONGO, based on the 1980 novel by Michael Crichton, and the gangster thriller MOBSTERS, inspired by the rise of notorious New York City mobsters during the 1920s, starring Christian Slater as Charlie Lucky Luciano.

Thursday 2 April at 21:00, BULLET TO BEIJING (1995), Channel Premiere. When former British agent Harry Palmer, played by Michael Caine, is forced out of retirement after the Cold War ends, he is drawn into a covert mission involving a stolen biochemical weapon and a dangerous journey by train towards Beijing.

Saturday 4 April at 21:00, MONEY TRAIN (1995), Channel Premiere. Foster brothers John and Charlie, played by Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson, work as NYC transit cops, but when gambling debts and pressure from loan sharks push Charlie to plan a robbery of the heavily guarded money train, loyalty and survival collide.

Sunday 5 April at 21:00, INSIDE MAN (2006), Channel Premiere. Detective Frazier, played by Denzel Washington, enters a tense battle of wits with bank robber Dalton Russell, played by Clive Owen, while Madaline White, played by Jodie Foster, adds another layer of manipulation to an already unstable hostage situation.

Thursday 9 April at 21:00, SHOOT OUT (1971), Channel Premiere. Clay Lomax, played by Gregory Peck, is released from prison and seeks revenge on the former partner who betrayed him, while unexpectedly taking responsibility for a young girl named Decky during his journey.

Saturday 11 April at 21:00, CONGO (1994), Channel Premiere. Scientist Karen Ross, played by Laura Linney, travels to the Congo to investigate the disappearance of a diamond hunting expedition, only to uncover a far more dangerous threat than anyone anticipated.

Sunday 12 April at 21:00, MOBSTERS (1991), Channel Premiere. This crime drama follows the rise of Lucky Luciano, Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel and Frank Costello as they move from street level crime into building a powerful empire during the Prohibition era in New York.

Saturday 18 April at 21:00, MR. AND MRS. SMITH (2005), Channel Premiere. John and Jane, played by Bratt Pitt and Angelina Jolie, discover their marriage hides a deadly secret when both are revealed to be assassins working for rival organisations, forcing their relationship into violent confrontation and unexpected renewal.

Sunday 19 April at 21:00, THE PRESIDO (1988), Channel Premiere. Lt. Col. Caldwell, played by Sean Connery, is forced to work alongside Inspector Jay Austin after a murder investigation, despite a history of conflict between them, complicated further by Austin's growing relationship with Caldwell's daughter Donna.

Sunday 19 April at 23:05, CARLITO'S WAY (1993), Channel Premiere. Carlito Brigante, played by Al Paciino, attempts to leave his criminal past behind after early release from prison, but is gradually pulled back into the New York underworld through his connections and circumstances that refuse to let him go.

Thursday 23 April at 21:00, SUDDEN DEATH (1995), Channel Premiere. Darren McCord, played by Jean Claude Van Damme, finds himself at the centre of a hostage crisis during a major hockey final, as a terrorist plot threatens to destroy the arena unless demands are met.

Saturday 25 April at 21:00, WANTED (2008), Channel Premiere. Wesley Gibson, played by James McAvoy, is pulled from an ordinary life into a secret society of assassins led by Sloan, played by Morgan Freeman, and trained by Fox, played by Angelina Jolie, as he begins to uncover the truth behind his father's death and his own hidden abilities.

TV: Sky 148 / Virgin 149 / Freeview 41 / Freesat 137

LEGEND Turns Up the Heat This July with Explosive Channel Premieres

Images: Clout Communications on behalf of Legend

By Jon Donnis

July on LEGEND is going full throttle, packed with gritty thrillers, sky-high action and a strong dose of '80s nostalgia. With a slate of seven channel premieres taking over primetime, the month promises enough tension, spectacle and chaos to keep viewers hooked all the way through.

Line of Duty (2019)

Leading the charge on Saturday 5 July is In the Line of Duty (2019), a real-time action thriller starring Aaron Eckhart as a disgraced cop chasing redemption after fatally gunning down the only lead in a child abduction case. With the Chief of Police's daughter still missing, things spiral fast when the kidnapper's brother shows up seeking revenge. Courtney Eaton co-stars as a live-streaming reporter caught up in the mayhem.

Kicking off on Thursday 10 July at 7pm, The Fall Guy makes a welcome return. The second season of this classic 1980s series continues Colt Seavers' double life as a stuntman and bounty hunter. Played by Lee Majors, Seavers juggles death-defying action scenes and chasing fugitives, all backed by his iconic theme song. It's bold, unapologetic fun, straight from the heyday of network television.

Best of the Best (1989)

Later that same night at 9pm, the martial arts cult favourite Best of the Best (1989) makes its LEGEND debut. Eric Roberts stars as part of a mismatched American kickboxing team facing off against a relentless Korean squad. What starts as a competition grows into something far more personal, with emotional stakes that match the physical ones.

D.O.A. (1988)

Saturday 12 July sees the arrival of D.O.A. (1988), a neon-lit neo-noir thriller in which Dennis Quaid has just 24 hours to figure out who poisoned him. Everyone is a suspect, including Meg Ryan's character, as they race through a night laced with paranoia and passion. Directed by Max Headroom creators Rocky Morton and Annabel Jankel, the film blends noir tension with late '80s edge.

Best of the Best II (1992)

On Thursday 17 July, the sequel lands. Best of the Best II (1992) shifts the action to Las Vegas where revenge is the only goal. A brutal underground fighting arena known as The Coliseum sets the stage, and with one of their own murdered, the returning team must confront their deadliest opponents yet.

Then, on Saturday 19 July, Nicolas Cage does what only Nicolas Cage can in Primal (2019). As a hunter transporting a rare white jaguar aboard a cargo ship, he ends up facing not one but two deadly predators. When a political assassin escapes and lets the big cat loose, the ship turns into a floating trap filled with teeth, claws and bullets.

Burning Rubber (2019)

More family tension unfolds in Burning Rubber (2019) on Thursday 24 July, with John Travolta taking the wheel. He plays a former racing star forced back into competition when his son joins a rival team. With Michael Madsen and Shania Twain in supporting roles, this high-octane drama blends speed with strained family ties and unforgiving trackside rivalries.

Rounding things off on Saturday 26 July is Terminal Velocity (1994), a high-flying, mid-'90s action spectacle starring Charlie Sheen. What begins as a routine skydiving lesson takes a sharp turn into international espionage when Sheen's character gets pulled into a tangled mess involving the Russian mafia and a suspicious parachuting incident.

Whether it's the martial arts mat, a racing circuit or thirty thousand feet in the air, LEGEND's July line-up doesn't ease off the gas. Packed with cult favourites, classic action and newer thrills, the channel is dialling things up to maximum impact.

LEGEND is available on Sky 148, Virgin 149, Freeview 41 and Freesat 137.