The Empire Film Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Shameless Plug #7: The Running Mag Sep 11, 2025

Show notes

The Shameless Plug — the show in which Chris Hewitt sits down with Empire editor, Nick de Semlyen, to shamelessly plug the new issue of Empire magazine — is back back back, folks, and comes with a lovely slice of Brisket. Not the meat, mind you, but Glen Powell's dog, who somehow wound up on Chris' lap during one of his forays to the set of Edgar Wright's The Running Man, in which Powell stars, and which is this month's cover feature. To hear more about that canine encounter, and Chris (and Nick's) observations of the film's sets, and our madcap The Running Mag idea, listen on. But there's plenty more here, as Chris and Nick do a deep dive into the issue, get bogged down in bad maths, and take some advice from Mick Scoresby. If you can't get out of it, get into it! Enjoy.

Gleesons Vs Skarsgårds: Dawn Of Clint Howard (ft. guests MJ Bassett; Sean Ellis & Orlando Bloom) Sep 05, 2025

Show notes

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast asks perhaps the biggest question ever tackled on this show: who would win in a fight between the Gleesons and the Skarsgårds? Join Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Amon Warmann, as they tackle that scenario and more. Is the world truly ready for the Coppola clan kicking bottom? Elsewhere, our intrepid quartet discuss the week's movie news (Star Wars! Superman! Lara Croft!), including a discussion of the trailer for 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple that discusses spoilers for 28 Years Later. So, if you wish to skip, that runs from 53:44 - 58:00 approx. Oh, and they also review Spike Lee's reunion with Denzel Washington, Highest 2 Lowest, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Ethan Coen's Honey Don't, and Orlando Bloom's searing boxing drama, The Cut. In fact, Orlando is one of our guests this week, joining The Cut's director Sean Ellis to chat with Chris on Zoom about the extreme lengths, physical and otherwise, he went to for the film. [1:08:37 - 1:25:12 approx] And Chris also sits down in the podbooth with MJ Bassett, director of the brand new version of Red Sonja, for a candid conversation about MJ's long-held determination to make a Red Sonja movie, her recent decision to leave the United States to return to Britain, and much, much more. [22:22 - 40:22 approx] Enjoy.

The Life Of Chuck/Charles/Charlie (ft. guests Eva Victor; Olivia Colman & Jay Roach; Sir Ben Kingsley) Aug 29, 2025

Show notes

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt sit down, on Zoom and in person, with a cavalcade of cracking guests. There's Eva Victor, star/writer/director of the excellent Sorry, Baby, who talks about cats, directing themselves, and people who look like yams. [23:05 - 39:05 approx] Then there's Olivia Colman and Jay Roach, star and director of The Roses, the reimagining of the classic comedy, The War Of The Roses, who talk about baseball, guns, and terrible dinner parties. [59:50 - 1:17:03 approx] And, last but not least, Chris genuflects in the general direction of Sir Ben Kingsley, star of The Thursday Murder Club, as they talk about that movie, Sexy Beast, and Trevor Slattery. [1:42:55 - 1:56:29 approx] Either side of those, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and, after a fashion, Ben Travis for a fun episode in which they discuss the greatest movie Chucks (and variations thereof), run their eyes over the week's movie news (and yes, the reveal of the Star Wars: Starfighter cast came too late, dagnammit), and review Darren Aronofsky's Caught Stealing, Macon Blair's The Toxic Avenger, The Roses, and The Thursday Murder Club. Enjoy!

The Life Of Custard (ft. guests Joaquin Phoenix; Tom Hiddleston & Chiwetel Ejiofor; Samara Weaving & Karl Glusman) Aug 22, 2025

Show notes

In one of those bumper-sized guest-filled jamborees in which we specialise, this week's Empire Podcast sees John Nugent sit down on Zoom to interview Eddington star, Joaquin Phoenix... or does Joaquin Phoenix interview John Nugent? All will be revealed. [18:52 - 35:59 approx] Elsewhere, Chris Hewitt has a lovely chat about The Life of Chuck with co-stars Tom Hiddleston and Chiwetel Ejiofor, in which they try desperately not to give anything away about Mike Flanagan's Stephen King adaptation; [59:45 - 1:18:06 approx] and he also has a chaotic Zoom with the stars of the excellent Eenie Meanie, Samara Weaving and Karl Glusman. [1:45:11 - 1:56:04 approx] Either side of that little lot, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and Harry Stainer to talk about the movies that bring them joy in times of darkness; discuss the week's movie news, in which they say a sad but fond farewell to the legendary Terence Stamp; and review Eddington, The Life Of Chuck, Eenie Meanie, and Sorry, Baby. Oh, and Harry comes up with a novel use for custard. Enjoy.

Kruegersplaining (ft. guests Celine Song, Dave Franco & Alison Brie) Aug 15, 2025

Show notes

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast will haunt your nightmares, but in a good way, as Chris Hewitt returns to the host chair, just in time to tackle, with Beth Webb and Amon Warmann, a Mount Rushmore question about the best Final Girls in horror movies. Their final choices may shock you, but that's nothing compared to the bit where Chris explains Freddy Krueger to Amon, who has never seen a Nightmare On Elm Street movie. Terrifying stuff. Elsewhere in the show, our intrepid trio also discuss the week's movie news (hello, Marty Supreme trailer!), and review Celine Song's Materialists, Nobody 2, and Together, the horror film in which Dave Franco and Alison Brie literally fuse together. Which wasn't weird at all for the real-life married couple, who also guest on this week's episode, talking to Mike Muncer about that very singular experience. [1:03:58 - 1:15:10 approx] And, finally on the guest front, Harry Stainer sits down with Celine Song to talk about her wonderful new movie, and the nature of love. Heavy, man. [29:02 - 44:40 approx] Enjoy, and sorry about the spooky child-like singing.

The Shameless Plug #6: Two Days With James Cameron Aug 14, 2025

Show notes

Or 42 minutes with Chris Hewitt and Nick de Semlyen. Which would you prefer? Don't answer that. Anyway, that's what you've got with the latest episode of The Shameless Plug, as Chris and Nick sit down to talk about Nick's extraordinary adventures in New Zealand, shadowing James Cameron for two days as he put the finishing touches to this month's cover movie, Avatar: Fire & Ash. Elsewhere, our friends and neighbours talk about some of the other highlights from the September 2025 issue, including Chris' interview with Jeremy Renner, and Alex Godfrey's epic Zoom sit-down with Spinal Tap. Yes, actual Spinal Tap. It's all happening. For those tales, and more from behind the scenes of the world's biggest movie magazine, press play. And if you haven't picked up your copy yet, there's still time in good, evil and virtual newsagents wherever you are. Enjoy.

Alien Earth: An Empire Podcast Special ft. Noah Hawley, Timothy Olyphant & Sydney Chandler Aug 13, 2025

Show notes

In space, no-one can hear you pod. Thankfully, we're not on space, we're on Earth, so you will be able to hear this wonderful Empire Podcast special dedicated to Noah Hawley's excellent Alien prequel, Alien Earth, which dropped its first two episodes today on Disney+. Here, you will hear Chris Hewitt sit down with Hawley, the show's creator and showrunner, about his vision for the show, the monsters old and new that he's bringing into this universe, and the lengths his cast members went to get his attention. And you'll also hear from two of those cast members, Timothy Olyphant, who plays the inscrutable synth, Kirsh, and Sydney Chandler, who plays the show's wide-eyed but extremely formidable lead, a hybrid called Wendy. Neither interviews are spoilerific, but you might want to wait until you've seen the first two episodes before giving them a whirl. It's your call. We're not your MU-TH-UR.

The Not-So-Difficult Second Movie (ft. guests Guy Pearce and Benedict Wong) Aug 08, 2025

Show notes

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Helen O'Hara slip into the host's chair in Chris Hewitt's absence, and use her endless reservoir of patience to corral James Dyer, Alex Godfrey and Ben Travis in a discussion of the best second movies by notable directors (and yes, we know that we didn't mention [INSERT BLINDINGLY OBVIOUS CHOICE HERE]). That was inspired by the arrival of Weapons, the second film from Zach Cregger, and in the reviews section our quartet lose their minds over that, and also look at Freakier Friday, My Oxford Year, and The Pick-Up. Oh, and they talk about trailers, trailer, and more trailers in the movie news section. Guest-wise, Chris pops up on Zoom to have a lovely natter with Guy Pearce, who shows off his musical prowess, reveals the one accent that eludes him, and talks about brilliant new Australian prison drama, Charles Williams' Inside (which is out on Monday, August 11, on digital platforms); [20:12 - 37:51 approx] and Ben has a lovely spoiler-free chat with Weapons star, and the MCU's secret weapon, Benedict Wong. [1:02:05 - 1:17:58 approx] Enjoy!

Hey, It's Enrico Pazuzu! (ft. guests Akiva Schaffer and James Gunn) Aug 01, 2025

Show notes

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast adds insults to injury, as the team — Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, Alex Godfrey, and Ben Travis — share their favourite movie insults. And, yes, misquote at least one of them horribly. Also, nothing on this earth will prepare you for Alex Godfrey's Pazuzu impression. We can only apologise in advance. Elsewhere, the team also discuss the week's movie news, plug the new issue of Empire, and review Happy Gilmore 2, The Naked Gun, and Bring Her Back, while Chris is joined in The Guest Zone by The Naked Gun director, and one-third of The Lonely Island, Akiva Schaffer [20:11 - 39:53 approx], and Superman director James Gunn, who shares some spoilerific thoughts in an extended excerpt from our Superman spoiler special. [01:33:30 - 01:42:47 approx]

Movie News Mews (ft. guests, Matt Shakman and Sam Rockwell) Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is all kinds of fantastic. Guest-wise, Chris Hewitt sits down (in person, and on Zoom) with Matt Shakman, director of The Fantastic Four: First Steps, to discuss the FF's debut in the MCU [24:33 - 40:07 approx]; and Sam Rockwell, the cool cat who's Mr. Wolf in The Bad Guys 2. [1:07:02 - 1:19:28 approx] Then, Chris is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and, now and again, James Dyer for a fun episode in which they discuss actors who've played iconic heroes and villains, run their eyes over the week's movie news (including the state of the summer box office), and review both of the aforementioned movies. Oh, and what the hell is Movie News Mews? And where is it? Enjoy.

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