The Empire Film Podcast

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast brings you Reece Shearsmith — our guest at last week's London Podcast Festival live show at Kings Place, London — on sparkling form, as he tells Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara and Ben Travis all about new film See How They Run, recruiting actors for Inside No 9, working with David Warner, Peter Kay and Steve Coogan, and much, much more. That can be found at around 00:22:49.00, and finishes around 00:49:00.00 Then, in the podbooth, Chris, Helen and Ben are joined by live show absentee James Dyer for an episode in which Chris defends DC League Of Super-Pets, the team discuss their most memorable cinematic queuing experiences, they cast their eyes over the week's movie news, and they review Clerks III, Ticket To Paradise, Do Revenge, and End Of The Road. Enjoy.

'Ello 'ello 'ello, what's all this then? This week's Empire Podcast — recorded before the news about the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II — sees Sam Rockwell, who plays Inspector Stoppard in breezy new whodunnit See How They Run, reunite with his director, Tom George, and tell Chris Hewitt all about howtheydidit. That can be found from 00:51:13.00 - 01:10:39.00 approx. Then, in the virtual podbooth, Chris returns to the host's chair after a couple of weeks 'off', and is armed with tales of what's out there in the world of children's TV. He's joined by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer for a fun episode in which they discuss the week's movie news, review See How They Run, Pinocchio, Crimes Of The Future, Bodies Bodies Bodies, and tackle the big question: if you had to erase the movies of Adam Sandler, Jim Carrey, or Seth Rogen, who would you choose and why? Nobody can ever accuse us of not being highbrow. Enjoy. UPDATE: NOW WITH ACTUAL HELEN. IF YOU HAVE THE VERSION WITHOUT HELEN, DELETE AND RE-UPLOAD.

He is the Lord Of The Dance. The Riveriest of dancers. A man who scares the bejesus out of Chandler Bing. But now Michael Flatley has made the most talked-about movie of the week: his long-awaited motion picture debut, Blackbird, which he also wrote and directed. In a fun and candid interview, Flatley tells Chris Hewitt all about the motivation to make a movie now that his dancing career is behind him, the long delay in getting a release date, and his awareness of the critics lying in wait. Check it out from 00:34:34.00 - 00:52:03.00 (approx.). Then, in the virtual podbooth this week, Helen O'Hara hosts Sophie Butcher and Olly Richards, as they talk about movie pets and the greatest fake ears in movies (yet somehow don't mention Spock; highly illogical), natter about the week's movie news, and review Me Time, George Miller's Three Thousand Years Of Longing, Blackbird, and more. Enjoy.

This week's Empire Podcast sees the ace British actor Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù — memorably seen breaking heads in Gangs Of London — breaking hearts instead as the most eligible bachelor in England, in the delightful Mr. Malcolm's List. He tells Chris Hewitt all about this gear shift, his extensive research for a period role, and his days as a Harry Potter fan. That can be found between 00:32:45.00 and 00:55:19.00, timestamp fans. Then, in the virtual podbooth this week, Helen O'Hara hosts and brings Amon Warmann and John Nugent along for the ride, discussing average films with great scores, the week's movie news (including the trailer for Empire Of Light, the new Sam Mendes film), and reviewing Mr. Malcolm's List, Beast, Samaritan, and Official Competition. Enjoy.

Just like Chorley FM, this week's episode of the Empire Podcast is Cumming in your ears as Chris Hewitt invites the great Alan Cumming — star of this week's excellent documentary, My Old School — into the podbooth for a fun chat about bagels, surnames, and why making this movie felt like fate. Chris also has a lovely chat with Secret Headquarters star, the wowtastic Owen Wilson, and his directors, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, which takes in everything from parental responsibility to how to make a toast. Then, in a two-pronged pod recorded in a couple of different locations this week (circumstances beyond our control, folks, but we're sure you'll agree the blend of both halves is utterly seamless), Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to discuss the movie stunts they would love to perform themselves, the week's movie news, and review My Old School, Day Shift, and Secret Headquarters. And Chris tells a Kenneth Branagh-related story that may still be going on, it's hard to tell. Enjoy. Quick interview timestamps! Owen Wilson runs from 28:05.00 - 43:51.00 (approx.) and Alan Cumming can be found somewhere around 1:01:39.00 - 1:24:21.00

She-Hulk: Attorney At Law is the latest MCU show to hit Disney+, and introduces us to Bruce Banner's cousin, Jennifer Walters, a high-flying lawyer who also happens to be a Hulk. The show launches on August 18 on Disney+, and in this episode Chris Hewitt (who is crazy about the show) sits down across Zoom for chats with Jessica Gao, the show's head writer/creator; Kat Coiro, the show's lead director; and the brilliant Tatiana Maslany, who plays both Jen and She-Hulk. Don't worry, this isn't a spoiler special but a preview of the show, but some mild spoilers for the first episode lurk within, so it's your call if you want to listen now, or wait until episode one has aired. Either way, the interviews are fun dives into the show, which feels fresh and different and unlike anything we've seen in the MCU, and the character (ditto), and we hope you enjoy.

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt have two fascinating natters with two very different directors: first, Jordan Peele talks about his mysterious third movie, Nope (which gets a big Yep from us), and anoints Chris as the new Oprah Winfrey (you'll have to listen for it to make some kind of sense), and then Ari Folman, the director of Waltz With Bashir and new animated movie Where Is Anne Frank, talks about the state of animation, why it took him eight years to make it, and Liverpool Football Club. Yes, fair warning to non-Reds, but this time it wasn't Chris' fault! Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Neel Bhatt, making his pod-debut proper and marking the occasion with a box of freshly-baked cookies. Together, our intrepid quartet discuss a freshly-baked listener question about the DCEU, discuss the week's movie news, and review Nope, Eiffel, and Where Is Anne Frank. Enjoy!

We've got Predator on our minds this week on the Empire Podcast. Which makes a change. Not only do we review Dan Trachtenberg's Prey, his prequel to John McTiernan's 1987 action classic, but Chris Hewitt sits down with that film's star, Amber Midthunder, for a fun interview in which they discuss how Amber, whose parents are an actor and a casting director, wasn't necessarily fated to become an actor, about Prey's commitment to Comanche traditions, going to craft services with a Predator, and using Brazilian jiu jitsu to take out a bunch of feral children. Chris also has a sit-down with the legendary John McTiernan, who came into London last week for The London Action Fest, and while they only talk about Predator a bit, there's plenty of Die Hard and The Hunt For Red October chat to keep you action aficionados happy. Back in the pod booth, Helen O'Hara hosts this week, due to Chris being locked in mortal combat with an alien hunter (or in LA for a set visit; one of the two), and she's joined by James Dyer and Ben Travis to discuss movies which would benefit from gender-flipping their lead from a man to a woman (in the wake of the England Women's team's triumph at the Euros), review Prey, Bullet Train and Luck, and dive deep into the week's movie news, including the Batgirl debacle. Enjoy.

Next week sees the release of David Leitch's latest action movie, Bullet Train, which we're confidently told is not a sequel to The Railway Children Return. Instead, it stars Brad Pitt as an assassin on board a Japanese bullet train, who gets mixed up with a colourful cast of fellow hitpeople, not all of whom have his best interests at heart. Two of those are Tangerine and Lemon, two Cockney killers played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry, both of whom join Chris Hewitt this week for a fun dive into how they cultivated co-star chemistry, how Henry tackled a tricksy accent, and they each give us the scoop on each other's upcoming Spider-Man-adjacent projects. Elsewhere, Chris is joined by old pod-chum Robert B. 'Bob' Weide, making his first appearance on the pod in a while to talk about his new documentary, Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck In Time, how it took him 40 years to finish and became unexpectedly personal along the way, and about how he's probably the most famous director in the world, thanks to a little Curb Your Enthusiasm meme. Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara and, making her pod-debut proper, Ella Kemp (sorry, Dame Emma Kememp), as they talk about the greatest movie scenes set in trees, discuss the week's movie news, and review Ron Howard's Thirteen Lives, DC League Of Super-Pets, Fire Of Love, and Joyride. Oh, and they try not to mention the fact that this is now an AWARD-WINNING podcast. Well, they try not to mention it too much. Enjoy! TIMESTAMPS! (Timings are approx.) Intro/Listener Q -- 0:00.00 - 28:33.00 Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry Interview -- 28:34.00 - 44:38.00 Movie News -- 44:39.00 - 01:07:07.00 Bob Weide Interview -- 01:07:08.00 - 01:30:49.191 Reviews/Outro -- 1:30:50.00 - end

Nature is healing. How do we know? Because Saturday saw Kevin Feige and some of his amazing friends return to Hall H at the San Diego Comic-Con to announce a ton of exciting news about the future of the MCU, including the first trailer for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, an 18-episode Disney+ series for Charlie Cox's Daredevil and not one, but two Avengers movies, due to be released just six months apart in 2025. And while Team Empire wasn't at Comic-Con this year (we were busy picking up a gong at the British Podcast Awards!), we decided that this news was too big to wait until later in the week before discussing it on the pod. (It also spares those who couldn't give a The Tinker's cuss about the MCU) And so, in this very special episode, Chris Hewitt is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, Amon Warmann, and Ben Travis for a deep dive into all the titles and dates confirmed by Feige. There is speculation aplenty, hot takes galore, and the debut of a new prediction phrase that will take the world by storm. And that's an Amon Guarantee. Enjoy.