Sci-fi games, biopics and a sinister Mr. Ripley

From psychological thrillers to action comedies, April boasts a wide range of new films and television shows. Two iconic video games are adapted as new series. Meanwhile, a classic thriller gets a modern makeover, and a biopic tells the backstory of one of the most shocking interviews in modern journalism history. Get your couch ready for the best streaming offerings next month.

‘Ripley’

If you remember Tom Ripley only as a character from Matt Damon’s 1999 film “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” be prepared for a captivating second look. Academy Award-winning screenwriter Steven Zaillian (“Schindler’s List,” “The Night Of ”) offers a new adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s 1955 novel.

This take is shot in stark black-and-white, adding a period feel to the sinister story of a con artist who progresses to murder. Andrew Scott (“All of Us Strangers”) plays Ripley with a deeply unsettling sociopathy, finally giving an underrated literary monster the menace he deserves.

Watch it: All episodes available on Netflix starting Thursday, April 4.

‘Scoop’

The 2019 BBC “Newsnight” interview with Prince Andrew, Duke of York, was one of the most shocking moments in the scandal involving Jeffrey Epstein’s pedophilic sex ring. How the program’s investigative news team got the interview in the first place is a riveting story, which is now a Netflix film. Gillian Anderson (“The Crown”) and Billie Piper (“I Hate Suzie”) star as two television journalists negotiating the twisted world of royal etiquette and high society crime. Rufus Sewell plays Prince Andrew.

Watch it: Biopic. On Netflix starting Friday, April 5.

‘Fallout’

It’s a golden age of prestige video game adaptations, and “Fallout” looks like another win. Based on the postapocalyptic role-playing game, the show follows a young woman (Ella Purnell) who emerges from a bomb shelter 200 years after a nuclear war to discover that America has gotten extremely weird.

The show (co-developed by “Westworld” director Jonathan Nolan) maintains the franchise’s trademark dark humor while adding some humanity through its naive main character. Walton Goggins (“Justified”) plays a skull-faced gunslinger who has been alive since before the war.

Watch it: Science fiction series. All episodes available on Prime Video starting April 11.

‘Knuckles’

Another video game adaptation hitting streaming this month is“Knuckles,” a spinoff of the recent “Sonic the Hedgehog” films as a six-episode adventure. Idris Elba (“The Suicide Squad”) reprises his role as an alien echidna who stays on Earth to battle evil.

This time, he takes a hapless sheriff (Adam Pally) under his wing as a new supervillain (Rory McCann) schemes to steal Knuckles’ powers. Elba, as he did in the films, plays Knuckles completely serious despite the goofy cartoon circumstances.

Watch it: Action comedy series. All episodes available on Paramount+ starting April 26.

‘Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story’

Jon Bon Jovi is one of the few rock stars of the 1980s hairmetal scene who managed to stay one of the biggest acts in the world. The New Jersey native has remained relevant well into the 21st century, even beating out Beyoncé for highest-grossing tour in 2013. The band’s decadeslong story is being chronicled in a four-part miniseries by director Gotham Chopra (“Man in the Arena: Tom Brady”). The series will look at the group’s success as well as high-profile low points, like the departure of guitarist Richie Sambora.

Watch it: Docuseries. All episodes available on Hulu beginning April 26.

Peter Mountain/Netflix Keeley Hawes as Amanda Thirsk, former aide to Prince Andrew, in “Scoop.”

Netflix Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley in the new series “Ripley.”