The Playlist Podcast Network

The Yellowstoners, Mike DeAngelo and Rodrigo Perez, are back and there’s an absolute rip roarin’, rootin’ tootin’ ton of "Yellowstone" developments to discuss. During the podcast, the hosts discuss Episodes 7 and 8 of "Yellowstone," and the premiere episodes of the prequel, "1883," and finish off with an interview with actor-musician Tim McGraw.

What came first, the chicken or the egg? And in the case of “The Matrix Resurrections,” was the film conceived purely as a way for Lana Wachowski to tell an epic love story, or was the meta sequel the result of boardroom discussions and urging from the studio? When you watch the film, you can’t really tell, as ‘Resurrections’ truly feels like a film at war with its own existence. But would you expect anything less from a ‘Matrix’ sequel? In this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we discuss “The Matrix Resurrections” and see if the film will be enough to satisfy skeptics and those who have a rocky history with the franchise.

If there are two things American moviegoers love most, the first is football, and the second is a good underdog story. This Christmas, the two are being combined for a touchdown reception on the big screen in the appropriately titled “American Underdog,” starring “Shazam!” himself, Zachary Levi, as Kurt Warner, the talented and dedicated quarterback who fought his way into the NFL in the ‘90s. Warner’s efforts paid off with a twelve-season career that included winning Super Bowl XXXIV, and being named MVP of both that game, and the season as a whole. "Our journeys are multi-layered and dynamic, and one of the coolest things about Kurt's story is how he's been out in the wilderness,” said Levi, as he sat down to talk about the film and its parallels to his own rise as an actor. Born in Louisiana and having made his stage debut at the age of six, Levi first made a name for himself on the stage of the Ojai Art Center, with starring roles in productions of “Grease,” “Oklahoma!,” and “The Wizard of Oz,” to name but a sampling of his early work. Levi became so accustomed to the sensibilities of the stage, that when he finally broke through to the screen in the mid-2000s, he had to make broad adjustments to his craft. “In theater, everything is way bigger, you're projecting and your diction needs to be clearer so people can understand what you're saying,” said Levi, whose breakthrough role came in 2007, when he was cast as the titular character in “Chuck,” going on to lead the spy-comedy series for five seasons. “Transitioning into film and television, you gotta learn how to chill that out. If you're giving a musical theater animated face, that doesn't work on camera. You have to learn how not to force it." Between his time on stage and his rise on screen, however, Levi was no stranger to the financial realities of being a performer. In many ways, Levi’s work ethic and determination to always make ends meet, mirrors Warner’s rise to the NFL against various pitfalls, such as when he didn’t make the 1994 Green Bay Packers’ team, but continued to push for his dream, joining the Arena Football League and working at a supermarket in order to provide for himself. Levi’s star launched permanently out of orbit, however, when he joined the DCEU as Shazam, a role he got through a chain of events that began when he auditioned to play Star-Lord in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” And, of course, I couldn’t let Levi go before asking about the sequel, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” which is currently slated for release in June of 2023, and what we can expect from it. During our conversation with Levi, we also discuss the importance of kindness and humility in Hollywood, what impression the actor hopes he has left on people with his brand, and more! "American Underdog" is now playing in theaters.

Finally, after what seems like a decade of speculation, leaks, rumors, and general social media debate, “Spider-Man: No Way Home” is in theaters. And with that, it’s time that people know the truth about the latest film in the Sony/Marvel Studios partnership—it’s actually really great… or maybe it’s just yet another legacy sequel that hopes nostalgia will help gloss over some glaring flaws? The Playlist Podcast is here to dive deep into all aspects of ‘No Way Home’ to hopefully give a definitive answer.

I’m not going to lie, this is a nerdy interview episode of The Playlist Podcast, as legendary comic book creator, Todd McFarlane, joins to talk about the release of “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” on VOD and Blu-ray. Why is Todd McFarlane talking about ‘Venom?’ Well, if you don’t know, McFarlane is one of the co-creators of the character, and in the interview, we talk about the process of creating the character who has now dominated the box office in multiple films, as well as creator’s rights in the film and TV realm, and, of course, “Spawn.”

Stellan Skarsgård is an actor that has popped up in nearly every recent major franchise. Whether it’s the beloved Eric Selvig of the Marvel Cinematic Universe or the dreadful and ominous Baron Harkonnen in "Dune," you’ve likely seen his face on your screen rather recently. In this episode of The Discourse, Stellan Skarsgård sits down to talk about his latest film "Last Words," which features Stellan as a reluctant leader of the last human community at the end of the world.

Writer/producer/director Simon Kinberg has been able to play in some truly massive sandboxes over the course of his career, with the biggest perhaps being his time working on 20th Century Fox’s 'X-Men' universe. Recently, Kinberg has co-created his own universe in Apple TV+’s series, "Invasion," which recently got picked up for a second season and is airing its first season finale on December 10. In this episode of The Discourse, Simon Kinberg talks about bringing that project to life.

In this episode of The Playlist Podcast directing duo, Bert & Bertie, join to talk about their most recent work on Marvel Studios “Hawkeye.” For those unaware, “Hawkeye” is the new Disney+ series featuring the title character played by Jeremy Renner, who finally is getting the spotlight for his own project. Previously, I spoke to Rhys Thomas, who directs episodes 1, 2, and 6, which is the finale, but crammed in between are episodes from Bert & Bertie, who work on 3, 4, and 5. In the interview, we talk about how the duo got the Marvel Studios gig and why “Hawkeye” is the project they resonated with the most. They also talk about Episode 3, titled “Echoes,” which sees the introduction of Maya Lopez, aka Echo, played by newcomer Alaqua Cox. 

The Yellowstoners, Mike DeAngelo and Rodrigo Perez, are back to break down another brand-new episode of "Yellowstone!" With the season beginning to take shape in Episode 6—cowboys being stabbed, women being threatened in the Dutton kitchen, and sons being broken by their fathers—there's a lot to break down. The hosts discuss all the spoiler-y details and predictions, and, afterward, Jefferson White stops in to talk about playing Jimmy on Yellowstone, the brilliance of Taylor Sheridan, and launching the official "Yellowstone" Companion Podcast, which drops its first episode on December 9.

Few actors are defined by the word “badass” the way that Jon Bernthal is. From playing the tragic villain Shane Walsh on "The Walking Dead," to the Marvel Cinematic Universe's version of the brutal Frank Castle in "The Punisher," right down to roles where he isn't cracking heads - his eerily spot-on portrayal of Lee Iacocca in "Ford v Ferrari," for example - Bernthal exudes an endless cool and charisma, while still looking like he could take on anyone in the room if he needed to. Bernthal is, in fact, so good at this, that his versatility beyond those qualities sometimes gets underappreciated. Bernthal plays the sisters' coach and trainer Rick Macci, presenting audiences with a powerful supporting performance that is vulnerable, warm, and subdued. It may even be the actor's best performance. "It's this meditation on parenting, on fatherhood, and on family. It really explores youth sports and the full spectrum of it, how beneficial it can be in the development of a kid's life and development of character,” said Bernthal, relating “King Richard” to his own upbringing with sports. “I think that is the story in this project.” While “King Richard” certainly focuses on Richard Williams, the endearing, quasi-paternal relationship between Macci and the Williams sisters also sits close to the heart of the film. Additionally, Bernthal highlighted an integral part of his youth, one that “King Richard” portrays, that he feels is now missing in youth sports. Of course, between all things "King Richard," there's one thing at the front of the minds of every Jon Bernthal fan: will he ever put on the skull again and step back into the shoes of Frank Castle? During our conversation with Jon Bernthal we discuss his performance as Rick Macci in further detail, as well as gushing about the D.C. area sports franchises, the problems that are taking the joy out of youth sports today, the deleted "King Richard" scene Bernthal most wishes remained in the cut, and more! "King Richard" is now playing in theaters and on HBO Max.