It's Doomsday on the Empire Podcast, folks. In the wake of the bombshell news that Robert Downey Jr. is going to return to the MCU, not as Tony Stark but as the new big bad, Doctor Doom, many of you asked that we record a special podcast dedicated to the news. Sadly, we were unable to do that, but we make up for it on this week's episode, as Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara and Amon Warmann lock themselves in the podbooth and spend much of the movie news section scratching their heads and speculating wildly about the news and what it means. It's a long section, so if you're an MCU-sceptic, here's a helpful timecode so you can skip ahead. [42:38 - 1:02:20 approx] Elsewhere, our intrepid trio take a listener question about actors who should return to a franchise as a villain (can't imagine why that came up), review Didi, Kensuke's Kingdom and Harold And The Purple Crayon, and our guests this week are the wonderful Joan Chen, star of Twin Peaks and Didi, who talks to Mike Muncer. [22:14 - 39:00 approx] And you also get a lovely slice of a conversation about The Conversation between Chris and that film's editor and sound wizard, Walter Murch. [1:12:25 - 1:29:42 approx] Enjoy — Doom commands it to be so!

Let's effin' go! (We're pretty sure we're not allowed to swear in the blurbs, dagnammit!) This week sees the long-awaited release of Deadpool & Wolverine, in which Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman team up for a swear'n'slash session for the ages, and in this week's episode of the Empire Podcast, Chris Hewitt sits down for a lovely non-spoilerific chat with the film's director, Shawn Levy. -22:04 - 39:18 approx] Our other guest is Joachim Ronning, the director of Young Woman And The Sea, which is now out on Disney+, and Alex Godfrey has a lovely conversation with him about that, star Daisy Ridley, swimming, and more. (And yes, Chris is aware that he mis-pronounced Ronning's forename; Alex got it right!) [57:33 - 1:16:50 approx] Either side of those, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer for a fun pod in which they take some questions from BlueSky (including one about Blue Sky Studios), discuss the week's movie news (bear in mind, this was recorded before Comic-Con!), and review Deadpool & Wolverine, I Saw The TV Glow, and The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare. Enjoy.

It's another guestapalooza on this week's Empire Podcast, as Chris Hewitt has lovely chats with Twisters stars Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Phizzy Pigtails aficionado Anthony Ramos [19:46 - 35:02 approx], and their director Lee Isaac Chung [1:39:17 - 1:56:06 approx]; and Beth Webb has a lovely audience with the marvellous June Squibb, star of Thelma (there are sound issues for the first couple of minutes, but they're quickly resolved). [1:01:03 - 1:13:59 approx] Then, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and returning fourth chairer, Jeremy Dylan, to discuss the ultimate Mount Rushmore question, cast their eye over the week's movie news (including discussion of the rumoured return of the Russo Brothers to the MCU), and review Twisters, Thelma and Blur: To The End, while James bangs on relentlessly about a new Aliens documentary in which he features. This time it's more. Enjoy.

This week's Empire Podcast has another brace of cracking guests, as Maika Monroe returns to the show to talk about her terrifying new horror film, Longlegs [25:43 - 39:01 approx], and inadvertently inspires Chris Hewitt to launch the Empire Podcast Hall Of Fame for repeat guests. Meanwhile, making his debut on the pod is the great Griffin Dunne, star of An American Werewolf In London and After Hours, who sits down with Chris in the podbooth to talk about his memoir, The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir. [59:29 - 1:19:24 approx] It's a conversation that runs the gauntlet from the funny to the tragic, and we hope he comes back many times — a Hall Of Fame spot awaits. Either side of those, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and Alex Godfrey to tackle a listener question that allows them to talk in depth about the Gladiator II trailer, discuss the rest of the week's movie news, including a heartfelt tribute to the Avatar producer Jon Landau (this episode was recorded before we learned of the sad death of Shelley Duvall), and review Despicable Me 4, Longlegs, In A Violent Nature, Eno, Fly Me To The Moon, and Hundreds Of Beavers. Which, despite what you may think, is not the name of the porno that James Dyer was definitely not making in lieu of this week's show. Enjoy.

Maxxxine marks the conclusion of Ti West's horror trilogy that began with X, and continued with the prequel Pearl. Co-stars come and co-stars go, in a bloody fashion more often than not, but Mia Goth is at the centre of all three, as porn star-turned-Final Girl Maxine and elderly psycho killer Pearl in X, a younger Pearl in the prequel, and now an older Maxine, who finds herself the target of a shadowy killer on the streets of mid-80s Los Angeles. And in this week's Empire Podcast, Chris Hewitt has a lovely chat with Goth about Maxxxine, being drenched in prosthetics, and much, much more. [41:11 - 53:59 approx] Then, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer for an episode in which they don't talk about politics, even though it was recorded on General Election Day, and even though this week's listener question is about movie politicians. They also discuss the week's movie news (no politics, just old-fashioned speculation), and review Maxxxine, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, A Family Affair, and Unicorns. All while not talking about politics. Impressive, really. Enjoy!

We're back in the multi-guest business with this week's episode of the Empire Podcast, folks. First, Ben Travis has a very hushed Zoom chat with A Quiet Place: Day One director, Michael Sarnoski. [22:46 - 40:44 approx] Then, Sophie Butcher talks to Kinds Of Kindness director and star duo, Yorgos Lanthimos and Jesse Plemons. [1:00:42 - 1:15:24 approx] And, finally, we bring you an excerpt from our Bad Boys: Ride Or Die spoiler special interview with that film's directors, Adil & Bilall, in which they speak to Chris Hewitt. [1:37:28 - 1:53:14 approx] The full thing is available to subscribers, and you can subscribe at supportingcast.empire.fm. True story. Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Sophie and James Dyer to tackle a listener question that combines two of Chris' obsessions, the MCU and his new love, Taskmaster, which he has only just started watching. In the movie news section, the team pay tribute to Donald Sutherland, while they also review Kinds Of Kindness, A Quiet Place: Day One, and Kevin Costner's Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter One. Oh, and James makes a quite Shrektacular pun at some point. Enjoy.

Vroom vroom! This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is something of a rarity, as we only have one guest. But what a guest it is, as Jeff Nichols, director of Take Shelter, Midnight Special and Mud, tells Helen O'Hara all about working with motorcycles and movie stars on his new movie, The Bikeriders. Then, in the podbooth, Chris Hewitt hosts and is joined by Helen, James Dyer and Amon Warmann for another fun episode in which they discuss which movies deserve to have their visual effects overhauled in special editions, look at the week's movie news, discuss who should direct the MCU's Blade movie, and review The Bikeriders, Federer: Twelve Final Days, Under Paris, and The Exorcism. Enjoy.

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast invites you to settle into a pair of cracking interviews — first, Ben Travis has a sit-down [22:48 - 42:49 approx] with Richard Linklater, director of the excellent Hit Man (now on Netflix), then Chris Hewitt has a bonny time with the wonderfully loquacious Stephen Fry, star of this week's drama, Treasure. [1:06:39 - 1:26:31 approx] By the way, Fry quotes a movie at one point, and we could give you a thousand guesses and we reckon you'd still not get it. Then, Chris — now free of the gammy leg — enters the podbooth and runs rings round Helen O'Hara and James Dyer (literally, not metaphorically) as they discuss the best sunglasses in the movies, a ton of movie news including the Paddington In Peru trailer and the potentially perilous state of being for the MCU's Blade, and review Inside Out 2, Freud's Last Session, Ama Gloria, and the year's barmiest film, Sasquatch Sunset. After all, a Sasquatch's gotta know its limitations. Enjoy.

Legendary producer Jerry Bruckheimer shares secrets of success, Ishana Night Shyamalan discusses horror film The Watched, Viggo Mortensen talks about his Western film The Dead Don't Hurt. Hosts chat about best glasses in movies, movie news, and review latest releases.

The Acolyte is the latest Star Wars live-action show to hit Disney+ (its first two episodes, out of eight, drop on June 5th), and promises to be one of the most exciting additions yet to that galaxy far, far away. Part murder mystery, part exploration of the High Republic and a time when the Jedi were in their pomp, and the Sith were just beginning to rise again, Leslye Headland's show has a lot going on. And in this special preview episode, Ben Travis talks to Headland and her lead, Amandla Stenberg, plus cast members Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett and, via the aid of an interpreter, South Korean star Lee Jung-jae. Then Ben joins Chris Hewitt in the virtual podbooth for a breakdown of what to expect from the show. Two words: Jedi Wookiee. Enjoy — and don't forget to subscribe, if you haven't already, to the Empire Podcast Spoiler Specials feed to hear weekly spoiler pods about the show.