The Next Best Picture Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Episode 491 - Final Cannes 2026 Preview, "Tony" & "Evil Dead Burn" Trailers May 10, 2026

Show notes

For Episode 491, on the day I leave for Cannes, I am joined by Lauren LaMagna, Dan Bayer, and Megan Lachinski to deliver a final preview of the 79th edition of the world's largest film festival. For this week's poll question, to tie into the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, we're asking everyone: "Which Films From The 2026 Cannes Film Festival Are You Most Looking Forward To?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll, for the announcement of the new Oscar rules, where we asked, "Which Film Festival Prize Winner From The Last Decade Would You Have Nominated For The Oscar Under The New Best International Feature Rules?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Tony," "Evil Dead Burn," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! We hope you enjoy this week's episode. We'll be back midway through the Cannes Film Festival to give you an update on the films Cody Dericks, Nadia Dalimonte, and I have been seeing, and then we'll be fully back in two weeks with our final rundown of the festival. Until then! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. Au revoir!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Mortal Kombat II" May 09, 2026

Show notes

For this week's main podcast review, Josh Parham, Cody Dericks, and Will Mavity join me to review and discuss "Mortal Kombat II" starring Karl Urban, Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim & Hiroyuki Sanada. A sequel to "Mortal Kombat" (2021), it is the fourth installment in the "Mortal Kombat" film series. It introduces Karl Urban's Johnny Cage as he joins his fellow Earthrealm fighters in an inter-dimensional tournament against the Outworld warriors to stop the tyrannical emperor Shao Kahn, with the help of Edenian princess Kitana. What did we think of this sequel? Please tune in as we discuss the action, bloody kills, the acting, story, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interviews With "Silent Friend" Star Tony Leung Chiu-wai & Filmmaker Ildikó Enyedi May 09, 2026

Show notes

"Silent Friend" is a 2025 historical drama film written and directed by Ildikó Enyedi, starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Léa Seydoux, Luna Wedler, Sylvester Groth, and Martin Wuttke. It follows a single ginkgo tree through three loosely connected stories spanning different eras: 1908, 1972, and 2020, set in the old university town of Marburg, Germany. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 82nd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Prize and the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Wedler. Enyedi and Leung were both kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from 1-2 Special. Thank you, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Next Best Theatre Podcast: Episode 60 - The 2026 Tony Award Nominations May 06, 2026

Show notes

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture

The nominations for the 79th annual Tony Awards were announced yesterday and were led by "The Lost Boys" and "Schmigadoon!" with 12 nominations each. "Ragtime" received 11 nominations, while "Cats: The Jellicle Ball," "Death of a Salesman," and "Richard O'Brien's The Rocky Horror Show" each received 9 nominations. What did Cody Dericks, Lauren LaMagna & Dan Bayer think of this year's nominees? Which nominations surprised them, made them happy, and left them feeling the most disappointed? Please tune in below to listen to their thoughts and find out. NBT will return with a winner predictions episode shortly before the 2026 Tony Awards on June 7th. Thank you for all of your support. Enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interview With "Blue Film" Stars Kieron Moore, Reed Birney & Filmmaker Elliot Tuttle May 05, 2026

Show notes

"Blue Film" is a 2025 indie drama film written and directed by Elliot Tuttle, starring Kieron Moore as a camboy who agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client (Reed Birney), only to discover a shocking tie to his past. It had its world premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival last year and received positive reviews for Tuttle's screenplay and the performances from Moore and Birney. Tuttle, Moore, and Birney were all kind enough to spend some time talking with us about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in select theaters on May 8th from Obscured Releasing. Thank you, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interviews With "Wuthering Heights" Cinematographer Linus Sandgren, Production Designer Susie Davies & Set Decorator Charlotte Dirickx May 04, 2026

Show notes

"Wuthering Heights" is a 2026 romantic period drama film produced, written, and directed by Emerald Fennell. Loosely based on the 1847 novel by Emily Brontë, the film is a reinterpretation intended by Fennell to "recreate the feeling of a teenage girl reading this book for the first time." Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi respectively star as Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, alongside Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, and Ewan Mitchell in supporting roles. The film premiered earlier this year and was a box-office success, grossing $242 million worldwide. Production Designer Susie Davies & Set Decorator Charlotte Dirickx were kind enough to spend some time talking with Ema Sasic, and I spoke with Cinematographer Linus Sandgren about their work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream at home on HBO Max and will be available to own on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray. Thank you, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode 490 - New Oscar Rules, "Verity," "Resident Evil," "Jackass: Best And Last" & "One Night Only" Trailers May 03, 2026

Show notes

For Episode 490, with one week before we set off for Cannes, I am joined by Katie Johnson, Dan Bayer, Amy Kim, and Tom O'Brien as we discuss the new rules announced by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for the 99th Oscars and Audiences. For this week's poll question, to tie into the announcement, we're asking everyone: "Which Film Festival Prize Winner From The Last Decade Would You Have Nominated For The Oscar Under The New Best International Feature Rules?" and reveal the winner of last week's poll, for the release of "The Devil Wears Prada 2," where we asked, "Which Of Meryl Streep's Oscar Nominations Is Your Favorite?" We also share our reactions to the trailers for "Verity," "Resident Evil," "One Night Only," "Jackass: Best And Last," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more! Thank you all for listening, subscribing, and supporting us. We hope you enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The Devil Wears Prada 2" May 02, 2026

Show notes

For this week's main podcast review, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, and Cody Dericks join me to review and discuss "The Devil Wears Prada 2" starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Justin Theroux, Kenneth Branagh, and Stanley Tucci. A sequel to the 2006 film "The Devil Wears Prada," the film reunites the old cast and crew to tell the story of Runway Magazine fighting to survive in an era where journalism is struggling. What did we think of this hotly anticipated sequel, twenty years removed from the original's release? Please tune in as we discuss the story, the performances, the costumes, its awards season chances, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Interview With "Two Pianos" Filmmaker Arnaud Desplechin May 01, 2026

Show notes

"Two Pianos" (or in French, "Deux pianos") is a 2025 French romantic drama film directed by Arnaud Desplechin, starring François Civil as a virtuoso French pianist who returns from Asia to experience an impossible love story in his hometown of Lyon. The cast also includes Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Charlotte Rampling, and Hippolyte Girardot. The film had its world premiere in the Gala Presentations section of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival and received positive reviews. Desplechin was kind enough to spend some time talking with us about his work and experiences making the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Kino Lorber. Thank you, and enjoy!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Doubt" May 01, 2026

Show notes

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL REVIEW. Please check out the full podcast review on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture

Our 2008 retrospective continues with John Patrick Shanley's adaptation of his own Pulitzer Prize-winning and Tony Award-winning 2004 stage play "Doubt: A Parable" with "Doubt" starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. With four Oscar-nominated performances driving the gripping drama, exploring themes such as doubt and uncertainty, certainty vs. suspicion, moral responsibility, power and institutional accountability, and tradition vs. change, the film has given Aaron Isenstein, Dan Bayer, Cody Dericks, Tom O'Brien, and me a lot to discuss. Tune in as we talk about the writing, direction, performances, cinematography from Roger Deakins, its awards season run, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Please check out our past review for "Frost/Nixon." We appreciate your support and hope you enjoy our review!

Check out more on NextBestPicture.com

Please subscribe on...

Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw

And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPictureand listen to this podcast ad-free

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Next Best Picture Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected