The Empire Film Podcast

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#581 (live from the London Podcast Festival) — Celine Song, Daniel Pemberton Sep 11, 2023

Show notes

This week's Empire Podcast is a little late, folks, for which we apologise. But we have an exceptionally good excuse — we didn't actually record it until Saturday night, when Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Ben Travis took to the stage of Kings Place's Hall One, in front of a crowd of around 350 loyal listeners, as part of this year's London Podcast Festival. And this is that show, in which our intrepid quartet bravely tackle an almost comical lack of movie news, review Celine Song's Past Lives, Michael Chaves' The Nun II, and Nia Vardalos' My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, answer a bunch of audience questions, and — we cannot state this enough, for legal reasons — do not make plans to kidnap Ryan Reynolds. They were also joined on the night by ace composer Daniel Pemberton, who told Chris and Helen all about how he used a goose on the score for Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse, and there's a lovely pre-recorded chat between Celine Song, director of the sumptuous Past Lives, and Nick de Semlyen. FYI: Richard Armitage also popped in on the night to tell Chris all about his first novel, the thriller Geneva, but since that's not out until October 12 we're holding that interview back until around then. As ever with our live shows, it's pure chaos, but we had a whale of a time doing it, and hope you have likewise listening. Enjoy. TIMESTAMPS (approx.)CELINE SONG: 21:56.00 - 42:18.00DANIEL PEMBERTON: 1:03:55.00 - 1:22:40.00

#580 — Antoine Fuqua, Ira Sachs Sep 01, 2023

Show notes

This week's Empire Podcast sees the arrival of Chris Hewitt's pre-beloved The Equalizer 3, and that film's director, the delightfully sweary Antoine Fuqua, joins Chris to talk about that film, about the challenges of getting Denzel Washington to ride a horse (not for this film), and ultra-violence on the big screen. With blood and gore already covered off, our other guest, Passages writer/director Ira Sachs, talks about the challenges of shooting sex scenes, and battling censorship, for his new film, which sees Franz Rogowski, Ben Whishaw, and Adele Exarchopoulos engage in a love triangle. Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined for a raucous episode by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer and, making her debut in the fourth chair, Australian author and massive geek Maria Lewis. She tells us all about her encounters with a brown snake, her upcoming book The Graveyard Shift, and chats with the podteam about their favourite numerical system when it comes to sequels and franchises, the week's movie news (such as it is), and even chips in during the reviews section, when the team take a look at The Equalizer 3, Cobweb, Passages, Vacation Friends 2 and You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah. Oh, and the presence of an Australian in the podbooth can mean only one thing: hold onto your ears, the Aussie accents are coming out. Fair dinkum. Enjoy.

#579 — Harris Dickinson, Nick Lieberman, Juel Taylor Aug 25, 2023

Show notes

Another Empire Podcast, another trio of terrific guests. The wonderful young British actor Harris Dickinson joins us once again, and tells Chris Hewitt all about his new movie, Scrapper, and his cinema-going preferences (24:24 - 39:20). Then Sophie Butcher Zooms in for a chat with Theater Camp (yes, that's the American spelling; no, we're not happy about it) co-director, Nick Lieberman (1:03:44 - 1:20:07). And then that Hewitt fella is back in his sister's kitchen once again for a chat with Juel Taylor, director of the magnificent They Cloned Tyrone (1:38:33 - 1:54:14). Then Chris manages to zip all the way from Northern Ireland to the podbooth for the rest of the ep, where he's joined by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer for a chat about animated shows that deserve a live-action version; a discussion of the week's movie news, including the trailer for Zack Snyder's Rebel Moon and a hastily recorded reaction to the news of Dune Part II's release date shift; and review Scrapper, Theatre Camp (British spelling! HA!), The Innocent, and The Blackening. Oh, and they sing a ton of theme tunes, if that's your bag. Enjoy -- 'ave a banana!

#578 — Alex Winter, Angel Manuel Soto, Phil Lord & Chris Miller Aug 18, 2023

Show notes

Well, look at that: just in time for the Women's World Cup final this weekend, the Empire Podcast scores a hat-trick of lovely guests. (Well, four actually, which is even better!) Chris Hewitt may be off this week, but he continues to haunt the podcast by conducting two of those interviews, a chat about the impact of YouTube with Alex Winter, former Bill and current director of thought-provoking new documentary, The YouTube Effect, and then a fun and insightful talk about Blue Beetle with that film's director, Angel Manuel Soto. And we're also visited for the first time in a while by old pod-chums, Phil Lord & Chris Miller, who tell Ben Travis all about how they produced raunchy talking dog movie, Strays. And there's a bit of Spider-Verse chat as well, because of course there is. With Chris on a beach, earning 20% (of his Empire salary, so you work out how much that is), Helen O'Hara hosts this week's film-related fun, welcoming James Dyer, Amon Warmann, and Nick de Semlyen into the podbooth, where they talk about Nick's new book, The Last Action Heroes; discuss the dream Q&A they'd love to host; muse on the greatest movie hair; run their collective eye over the week's movie news; and review Strays, Blue Beetle, Hitchcock, Biosphere and Billion Dollar Heist. Enjoy!

#577 — Gal Gadot & Alia Bhatt, Justin Simien Aug 11, 2023

Show notes

This week's Empire Podcast sees Gal Gadot and Alia Bhatt, stars of the new Netflix blockbuster Heart Of Stone, sit down for a lovely chat with Amon Warmann, in which they talk about the dangers of A.I., and Gadot's recent cameo in a major blockbuster. No, not that one. No, not that one either. Amon then hangs around for the episode's other interview, with Haunted Mansion director Justin Simien. And then, in the virtual pod booth, Chris Hewitt hosts and is joined by Helen O'Hara and John Nugent for a fun discussion about sitcom stars breaking out onto the big screen, the week's movie news (including a tribute to the great William Friedkin, who passed away this week), and review Heart Of Stone, Haunted Mansion, Gran Turismo, You Hurt My Feelings, Red, White And Royal Blue, and more. Oh, and John takes delivery of a new sofa. Pivot! Pivooooooot! PIVOOOOOOOOTTTTTTTTTT! Enjoy.

#576 — Ben Wheatley Aug 04, 2023

Show notes

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast puts the 'Meg' in mega, as Ben Wheatley returns to the podcast to talk about his new film, Meg 2: The Trench. This interview, conducted by Chris Hewitt immediately after our Empire VIP Club screening of the film earlier in the week, is a ton of fin-related fun, with Wheatley talking about how he came to direct a film that is unlike anything else on his filmography, emerging from Spielberg's shadow, and working with The Stath. It all starts around the 55-minute mark. Chris is then joined in the virtual podbooth by James Dyer and Ben Travis to discuss the best band in Star Wars, franchises that run the gamut from five-star to one-star entries, the week's movie news including the possibility of Wonder Woman 3 and Scream VII, and review Meg 2, Joy Ride, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Oh, and Ben (Travis, not Wheatley) finally loses his cool. Enjoy.

#575 — Danny Philippou Jul 28, 2023

Show notes

Talk to me, Goose! This week sees the release of eagerly-anticipated Australian horror movie, Talk To Me, and Sophie Butcher gets to talk to Talk To Me co-director (along with his brother, Michael), Danny Philippou. Then Sophie is joined in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara and the returning Chris Hewitt, who slides back into the host chair after a brief absence and promptly drags everyone down to his level. The trio talk about their recent moviegoing experiences, including Chris' very own Barbenheimer attempt; answer a listener question about the things you shouldn't ask in interviews; talk about the week's movie news, including the ongoing impact of the industry strikes in Hollywood; and review Talk To Me, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (a full review will be in next week's episode), and The Beanie Bubble. Enjoy.

#574 — Laura McGann, Christopher Nolan Jul 21, 2023

Show notes

Did you know that Christopher Nolan has a new movie out this week? You would be forgiven for missing it, because we've seen absolutely no coverage of it anywhere. Ahem. Anyway, the film is Oppenheimer, the story of the tortured genius who shepherded the atomic bomb into existence, and on this week's episode Alex Godfrey talks to Nolan about that movie, avoiding the biopic label, David Bowie, and more. Our other guest is Irish documentarian Laura McGann, who talks to Chris Hewitt about her new movie, The Deepest Breath, which dives deep (literally) into the intoxicating but dangerous world of free diving. And with Chris off again this week, Helen O'Hara hosts and is joined by Alex, Ben Travis and Sophie Butcher to discuss the films that made them cry unexpectedly, the week's movie news and, in an epic reviews section, cast their eyes over Oppenheimer, Barbie, The Deepest Breath, and They Cloned Tyrone. That's some serious Benergy right there. Enjoy.

Previewing FX's The Bear S2: An Empire Podcast Special, In Association With Disney+ Jul 19, 2023

Show notes

HANDS! CORNER! BEHIND! Those three words can mean only one thing: one of our favourite shows, FX's The Bear, is back for its second season, and that's an occasion so momentous that the Empire Podcast and Pilot TV Podcast teams have once again joined forces to wax lyrical about it (in association with Disney+). Join Chris Hewitt, James Dyer, and Kay 'The Bear' Ribeiro as they talk about what they loved about the first season of Christopher Storer's Emmy-nominated comedy-drama, look ahead to season 2 (all episodes are now streaming on Disney+, fact fans), and talk about food, music, and Taylor Swift tickets. Enjoy!

#573 — Simon Pegg & Rebecca Ferguson Jul 14, 2023

Show notes

Light the fuse! This week sees the long-long-long-long-awaited release of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, Tom Cruise and Christopher McQuarrie's epic latest addition to the action franchise, and Chris Hewitt chats to two of the IMF's finest, Simon 'Benji Dunn' Pegg and Rebecca 'Ilsa Faust' Ferguson, in a fun interview that touches upon how they coped with the film's incredibly long shoot. Then, with Chris off somewhere editing the first part of our Mission spoiler special chat with Christopher McQuarrie, Helen O'Hara hosts, welcoming James Dyer and Ben Travis into the podbooth to talk about multi-hyphenates, the actors' strike, a whole bunch of trailers, and Taylor Swift tickets. And they review Dead Reckoning Part One, Insidious: The Red Door, Birdbox: Barcelona, The Out-Laws, and more. It's a slam bam thank you ma'am episode. Enjoy!

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