We're back! Yes, after a whole week off for the Christmas holidays, the Empire Podcast has returned to darken your aural doors once more, and the first pod of 2025 is an absolute belter, as Chris Hewitt sits down with four incredible guests. First, he talks carousel horses and chocolate with We Live In Time stars, Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. [24:27 - 36:32 approx] Second, he welcomes Nosferatu star Nicholas Hoult back to the pod, and they talk about embracing fear, giving golf lessons in costume, and Hoult taking over the pod one day. [55:19 - 1:11:23 approx] Third, he has a lovely natter with Giovanni Ribisi about his 15-year overnight success as DP of last year's excellent Strange Darling, which is available now in various formats for your home viewing pleasure. [1:41:51 - 1:57:00 approx] Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara and debutante Becky Darke for a fun episode in which they make bold and no doubt wildly off-kilter box office predictions for the year ahead, discuss Chris Nolan's The Odyssey (and not Draclier, bah!), and then review Nosferatu, Nickel Boys, and We Live In Time. The perfect listening accompaniment to that Celebrations sandwich you're currently making, we reckon. Enjoy.