The Empire Film Podcast

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt go on a rollercoaster ride as he has a natter about Meryl Streep, Eddie Murphy, and ice-skating uphill with Wesley Snipes, star of next week's big comedy release, Coming 2 America, and then pivots to talking docs and directing with Alex Winter, the former Bill S. Preston, Esq., about his new movie, Zappa, which tells the tale of Frank Zappa's life thanks to unpredecented archive access. Then, in the virtual podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Beth Webb for a fun episode in which they talk about the best spaceship landings and space dockings in movies, discuss the week's movie news including the new title for Spider-Man 3 and the launch of Paramount Plus, and review The United States Vs Billie Holiday, Dead Pigs, and Archenemy. Oh, and James makes his latest bid to derail the wildly popular and beloved segment, The Three Fact Structure. Enjoy.

This week's Empire Podcast is brought to you even remotely in lockdown than usual (all will be revealed within), as Chris Hewitt convenes over Squadcast with Helen O'Hara and James Dyer for another, we're told, fun-filled episode. As well as talking about Helen's new book, Women Vs Hollywood, and a particular Empire milestone for Chris, our three colleagues of such lethal cunning talk about the week's movie news, review I Care A Lot, Willy's Wonderland and The Map Of Tiny Perfect Things, and answer a listener question about bad guys who get away with it. Speaking of which, Chris has a lovely chat with Rosamund Pike, who gives a wicked performance in the wonderful I Care A Lot (although be warned, there are spoilers lurking within), and who becomes the first guest to appear on the show twice during the global pandemic. Hopefully next time she's on, life will be back to something approaching normality. And our other guest this week is also a returnee to the show, as Hugh Bonneville talks to Amon Warmann about playing Roald Dahl in the new Sky Cinema Original film, To Olivia. They also have a natter about Jingle Jangle, and Paddington 3, of course. In fact, there's much Paddington chat in this week's episode. Not all of it wholesome. You may want to cover the little bear's ears. Enjoy.

We may have missed George C. Wolfe, director of Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, when it first hit Netflix just before Christmas, but with the film one of the major awards contenders, we put that right in this week's episode, as Amon Warmann sits down for a chat with him about the movie, its impact, and working with the late Chadwick Boseman. Our second guest this week is the wonderful British actress, Juno Temple, who talks to Chris Hewitt about her Justin Timberlake experience on the new film, Palmer, and much more besides. Then, in the virtual podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Ben Travis for another round of The Three Fact Structure, discussion of the week's movie news including a tribute to Christopher Plummer and a breakdown of the big Super Bowl trailers, and they review News Of The World, Palmer, and get all kinds of giddy about Barb & Star Go To Vista Del Mar. And they also discuss the thorny, and topical, issue of being able to separate the art from the artist in this week's Listener Question section. Enjoy.

Happy birthday to us! It's a landmark episode for the Empire Podcast, folks, as we go 450 up. Due to the pandemic, this episode isn't a live show, as had been originally intended, but that will happen, we promise you. But it's a cracking episode, as Chris Hewitt, James Dyer, and Helen O'Hara take a little trip down memory lane to recall the early days of the pod. Then they also discuss the best stock market movies, indulge in a lightning round of the Three Fact Structure, discuss the week's movie news, including the Golden Globes nominations, and review Greenland, Malcolm And Marie, and Bliss. Our guests this week are two fantastic British directors. First, Kevin Macdonald, director of Life In A Day 2020, tells Chris all about how he made the ultimate crowd-sourced movie, and then old pod friend Paul Greengrass has a natter with Chris about his new movie, News Of The World. And if you've ever wanted to hear Paul Greengrass quote Step Brothers, this is the pod for you! Enjoy.

The new issue of Empire, curated by Edgar Wright, features a celebration of the type of amazing movie-going moment that can shake an audience to its very foundations. It features contributions from some of the biggest names in the business, and is so special that we decided that we would only do a companion podcast if we could make it just as special. We think we've succeeded. Join your host, Chris Hewitt, for this incredible THREE-HOUR behemoth, in which Edgar Wright (in London) and his good friend, Mr. Quentin Tarantino (in Tel Aviv) get together over Zoom and natter about movies until the cows come home, or their batteries run out. They talk about the movie moments that moved them; how they, as writer-directors, cultivated those moments in the likes of Shaun Of The Dead, Django Unchained, and Once Upon A Time In Hollywood; and the importance of subversion on a massive level. But that's not all. The second half of the pod is a dizzying back-and-forth in which the duo dive deep into the annals of British cinema. What, exactly, is The British Book Club? How is Martin Scorsese involved? And just who did direct the Clint Eastwood vehicle (and vehicle), Pink Cadillac? For the answers to these questions, and more, listen to find out. Enjoy.

In case you haven't already bought (and read) this month's issue of Empire magazine, which is a colossal celebration of those incredible movie moments that are best enjoyed with an audience in an actual cinema, Edgar Wright -- who orchestrated the whole shebang -- drops by this episode to tell Chris Hewitt all about it. They talk about Edgar's status as Empire's new unpaid intern, the decision to push Last Night In Soho back by a few months, his upcoming music documentary about Sparks, and how this issue caused him to build a very unexpected bridge with one of Hollywood's biggest names. Then, in the virtual podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Ben Travis for an even more raucous than usual episode (if you're a fan of double, or even single, entendre, this is the episode for you!), as they exchange nuggets of info in The Three Fact Structure; recall their favourite home viewing experiences; discuss the week's movie news; review Synchronic, The Dig, and Assassins; and beat a brand-new joke into the ground, Empire Podcast-style. Enjoy.

This week's Empire Podcast goes Down Under -- metaphorically speaking, of course -- as Chris Hewitt has fun-filled chats with two wonderful Antipodean actors. First off, there's Isla Fisher, the Australian star of Blithe Spirit, who tells Chris all about her affinity for accents, Hot Rod, and working with Judi Dench, while Chris makes an impromptu purchase. Then Chris has a chat, and a Kurt Russell quiz, with Baby Done star, the New Zealander comedian and actor, Rose Matafeo. Then, in the virtual podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer and, for the first time this year, Amon Warmann, as they exchange facts in The Three Fact Structure, talk about actors and directors who deserve a McConaissance, discuss the week's movie news including that big MCU rumour, and review Baby Done, MLK/FBI, Outside The Wire, and The White Tiger. A jam-packed show, and no mistake. Crikey! Enjoy.

This week's Empire Podcast features two interviews with fast-rising British stars, both of whom play icons in films released this week. First off, Chris Hewitt has a chat with actor-musician Johnny Flynn about his experiences playing David Bowie in Stardust, and later has a natter with Kingsley Ben-Adir about playing Malcolm X in Regina King's sensational directorial debut, One Night In Miami. Then, Chris is joined in the virtual podbooth by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to discuss their favourite movie (and real-life) teachers, talk about the week's movie news (this episode was recorded before that rumour about a certain character returning to the Marvel Cinematic Universe), and review One Night In Miami, Stardust, Blithe Spirit, and the first two episodes of WandaVision. In fact, there's quite a bit of TV chat on this week's show, but we're pretty sure we haven't been infiltrated by the Pilot TV podcast. Yet. Enjoy.

We're back! Despite popular demand, the Empire Podcast returns, refreshed after its Christmas break, and ready to tackle 2021. Or, at the very least, trip up 2021 when it isn't looking. In the first episode of the year, Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Ben Travis discuss what they got up to over the long break, and their favourite film-related Christmas presents. They also play another round of The Three Fact Structure, answer listener questions, discuss the latest movie news, and review Sylvie's Love, Pieces Of A Woman, and We Can Be Heroes. Oh, and they play a brand new quiz — Wolff or Wolff — that will soon be sweeping the nation. Sweeping! And our guest this week is the geektastic Wil Wheaton. In a long, and often very frank, interview with Chris, Wil talks about his film, Rent-A-Pal, takes a walk back down Star Trek and Stand By Me memory lane, and talks about Stephen King without treading on the Kingcast's toes. Honest. We should also point out that this conversation touches on topics like emotional abuse and trauma, so be advised. And with that in mind, do please... enjoy.

And so, as the worst year in living memory draws to a close, Team Empire gathers together (virtually, at least) to have a good old natter about it from a cinematic point of view. In this bumper-sized example of 2020 vision, Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, Ben Travis, and Terri White answer listener questions about the year that was, talk about their personal highlights (and lowlights) in the face of the Covid pandemic that rocked the world and has posed such a huge threat to cinemas around the world, discuss the movies that they loved, and then run down Team Empire's top 20 films of the year. And we wanted to thank you so much for continuing to listen to and support the Empire Podcast (and our spoiler specials, if you subscribe to those). This year, more than ever, it's meant so much to us, and we hope to continue to repay you with some great pods in 2021. Which, we can only hope, is a better year for all of us. Happy New Year, listeners! Enjoy.