The Empire Film Podcast

Happy birthday to us, happy birthday to us, happy birthday, dear Empire, happy birthday to us! Yes, Empire is turning 30. And to celebrate, we're launching a year-long (well, thirteen month-long) celebration of some of our favourite filmmakers. And that activity isn't restricted to the magazine. We're going all in on the podcast as well. Which brings us neatly to Taika Waititi. The man who directed Eagle Vs Shark, Boy, Hunt For The Wilderpeople, What We Do In The Shadows, and Thor Ragnarok is one of the most distinctive and original voices working today. And when he came into London recently to deliver a lecture on screenwriting at BAFTA, Chris Hewitt jumped at the chance to sit down with the great man and get granular on his screenplay form. How did he get started? What is his technique? How does he find writing alone? The answers to all these questions, and more, lie within. So pop on a paper hat, light the candles on the cake, and enjoy this very special birthday bash.

Alfonso Cuaron is one of the finest, and most versatile, directors working today, able to leap effortlessly from huge tentpoles like Gravity and Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, to smaller, more intimate movies like Y Tu Mama Tambien and Children Of Men (although that one was also pretty huge). He explores a more personal canvas in Roma, out now in selected cinemas and available from next week on Netflix, and on this week's podcast he chats to Ian Freer about that movie, becoming his own DP, the 1970 World Cup, and how Guillermo del Toro convinced him to give Potter a try. Then, in the podbooth, Chris Hewitt is joined by Helen O'Hara, Nick de Semlyen and professional joke ruiner James Dyer to answer a listener's question about kids TV shows, tackle the week's movie news, plug the heck out of the new issue of Empire, and review Ralph Breaks The Internet and Creed II. Oh, and eat some Twiglets.

You can probably count the number of actors whose iconic roles you can count on the fingers of two hands on the fingers of, erm, one hand. Kurt Russell is one of those actors. After all, he's played Elvis Presley, Snake Plissken, R.J. Macready, Jack Burton, Tango-or-Cash, Stuntman Mike, Ego The Living Planet, and Wyatt Earp across the breadth of an incredible career that's spanned nearly six decades. And now he's added Santa Claus to the list, with his fun turn as Father Christmas in The Christmas Chronicles. It makes sense - a man with a beard like that just had to play Santa one day. In this very special interview, Chris Hewitt sits down with Russell to talk about playing Santa, and his wider career, with particular emphasis on the works of one John Carpenter. Enjoy. The Christmas Chronicles is out now on Netflix.

In the latest, and absolutely not late, no you shut up, episode of The Ranking, Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, Nick de Semlyen try to discuss the movies of one of the biggest (literally and figuratively) movie stars of all time: Arnold Schwarzenegger. The only obstacle in their path: Arnold superfan, James Dyer, who might not let them get a word in edgeways. Join us for an hour of top Arnie anecdotes (or Arn-ecdotes), as the podteam crush their enemies, see them driven before them, and hear the lamentations of the women, before settling on the empirical (or Empirical) top ten Schwarzenegger movies. Now that's Arn-tertainment.

It's a question as old as time. Or as old as 1988. Is Die Hard, that Bruce Willis action classic, a Christmas movie, or just a movie that happens to be set at Christmas? In this very special episode of the Empire Podcast, Empire's Chris Hewitt and James Dyer are joined by Sky Cinema's Alex Zane and Absolute Radio's Dave Berry to settle a debate that has raged for decades, once and for all. And once they put that little matter to bed, they discuss the film itself in great detail. It's all here - enough Die Hard knowledge to shake the Nakatomi Plaza to its foundations, along with a host of terrible Alan Rickman impressions. And if that whets your whistle, you can watch Die Hard exclusively on Sky Cinema from December 1. Welcome to the party, pal!

The last time Taron Egerton rocked up on the Empire Podcast, he didn't realise that it would be in front of a live audience of 400 people. Sorry about that, Taron. This time around, it's a much more intimate setting as he talks Robin Hood, Rocketman, and the future of Kingsman with Ben Travis. Then, in the podbooth, Chris Hewitt is joined by Ben and fellow colleagues of lethal cunning, Helen O'Hara and James Dyer, to discuss the week's movie news, from more Cats casting to the sad passing of William Goldman, review The Christmas Chronicles, Robin Hood, and The Girl In The Spider's Web, and answer a listener's question. Oh, and they get to answer a few questions of their own as a very special mystery guest drops in all the way from his HQ.

"This is my first British podcast," Jane Fonda tells Helen O'Hara towards the end of their funny and candid chat in this week's episode, which just goes to show that even a living legend notches up new experiences all the time. We're proud, and honoured, to be Fonda's first, as she chats about 9 To 5, which is re-released in cinemas this week, Grace & Frankie, political activism and more. Then Helen (with a little help from Chris Hewitt) has a chat with Outlaw King's Aaron Taylor-Johnson, during which the man who once played John Lennon claims he can't play a musical instrument. Didn't stop Ringo, Aaron. Back in the podbooth, Chris and Helen are joined by James Dyer to answer a question about Clint Eastwood, pay tribute to the late Stan Lee in a special section, and review Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald and Luca Guadagnino's Suspiria. Trust us - there's nary a wasted minute.

Ever since she burst onto the scene with a star-making turn in An Education, Carey Mulligan has been one of our favourite actresses. Always interesting to watch, she imbues whatever she does, whether it's working with the Coen Brothers on Inside Llewyn Davis, Baz Luhrmann on The Great Gatsby, or Paul Dano on his directorial debut, this week's Wildlife, with intelligence and an admirable willingness to embrace character flaws. She hasn't won an Oscar yet, but it's surely only a matter of time - and perhaps it will be for Wildlife, in which she is magnificent as a wife and mother who begins to rediscover her more carefree side, which alters her relationship with her teenage son. The movie opened here in the UK on Friday, so we thought it was the perfect time to bring you this small but perfectly formed interview, conducted by our John Nugent, which is perfect for your commute.

Chris Pine goes all Scottish in this week's Outlaw King, the story of Robert The Bruce, and in this week's episode he, and the film's director, David Mackenzie, talk to Helen O'Hara about making their film in the shadow of Braveheart, and more. Also, Tim Blake Nelson talks to John Nugent about working with the Coen Brothers on The Ballad Of Buster Scruggs, almost two decades after first hooking up with them (professionally speaking, of course) on O Brother, Where Art Thou? Then, in the podbooth, Chris Hewitt is joined by Helen and Ben Travis for a jam-packed edition in which they discuss the films of the newly-minted Dame Emma Thompson, tackle the week's news including a spoilerific look at developments in The Walking Dead (00:37:31 - 00:42:49), and review seemingly EVERY FILM EVER MADE, including Steve McQueen's Widows and Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old. Have at it!

Simon Pegg and Nick Frost have starred in a beloved TV show, and an equally beloved series of films, together. They've written films together. They've produced films together, including this week's horror-comedy, Slaughterhouse Rulez. But it's all been leading to this: the pinnacle of their career, the summit of their friendship, the zenith of their journey as human beings: the Empire Podbooth, where they have a very funny but, we will warn you now, very adults-only chat with Chris Hewitt about a wide array of topics including the name of their new company, Stolen Picture, the rigours of producing movies, and who they'd like to see on the face of the new £50 note. The answer will shock you. Meanwhile, back in the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, fresh off another marathon, and Nick de Semlyen, to go over the week's movie news; review Peterloo and The Nutcracker And The Four Realms; and answer a question about remakes.

Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy? Caught on a podcast, no escape from reality. Yes, this week sees the release of Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Rami Malek, the man who plays Mr. Fahrenheit, aka Freddie Mercury, pops into the podbooth to talk about that with Chris Hewitt. Then, Panos Cosmatos, the director of Nic Cage fever dream revenge thriller Mandy, has an intense and involved chat with Ben Travis that covers everything from grief to staging a chainsaw battle. NB: the sound quality on the Cosmatos interview isn't what we would ideally want, but it's worth listening to. Then, in the podbooth it's tears all round as Chris, Helen O'Hara and John Nugent are joined by Empire's outgoing Art Editor, Olly Gibbs, for his first and last appearance on the pod. Olly fields listener questions in his Empire exit interview, helps the team dissect the week's movie news and review Bohemian Rhapsody and Matthew Holness' Possum, and is serenaded by our surprise guest, Randy Newman

This week's Empire Podcast is very much a tale of two interviews. First, actual living legend Jamie Lee Curtis talks to Chris Hewitt about returning to the Halloween franchise, and the role of Laurie Strode, for what feels like a fresh start. In a serious, even intense, interview, they touch upon the impact of the #MeToo movement upon the new film, about surviving trauma, and the emotional resonance of returning to the role. Then, podcast favourite Gerard Butler pops by the podbooth to talk about his new film, submarine thriller Hunter Killer, and ends up talking about how Novak Djokovic is perhaps the only person on Earth who can get him to yell, "THIS! IS! SPARTA!" Back in the booth, Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Dan Jolin for a freewheeling episode in which they talk about classic modern comedies, eviscerate Cats the musical, drop in the odd history lesson, and get the reviews and news sections back-to-front. Oh, and Bob Dylan pops by for a rendition of the pod

In this very special edition of the Empire Podcast, Chris Hewitt and Nick de Semlyen are joined by one of our favourite directors. Yes, it's Sir Peter Of Jackson, who drops by the podbooth to talk about his fantastic documentary, They Shall Not Grow Old, which uses cutting-edge technology to shed a new light on the First World War. As well as an in-depth chat about the techniques Jackson used to restore archive footage, and his fascination with WWI in general, Chris and Nick also find time to get geeky about Jackson's early, gory films like Meet The Feebles and Bad Taste. If you're looking for Lord Of The Rings chat, you might find that another time. But if you're looking to hear a master craftsman talk about his master craft for half an hour, you've come to the right place. Enjoy, you fools!

The Empire Podcast gets serious this week, as the great Paul Greengrass - director of 22 July, a new Netflix film about the horrific mass murder committed by Anders Breivik in Norway in 2011 - talks to Chris Hewitt about the rise of the far right, and the role democracy has to play in combating it. [22:15 - 43:46] Then Ben Travis talks to First Man director Damien Chazelle about the challenges of making a film about the attempt to get Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts on the moon back in 1969. [01:05:46 - 01:27:25] Back in the podbooth, it's a two-person job as Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara to answer a bunch of listener questions, tackle the week's movie news (James Gunn causing tongues to wag), review Bad Times At The El Royale, 22 July, and First Man, sing Memories, and talk at length about Chris' metallic abs. OK, so maybe the Empire Podcast doesn't get completely serious this week...

This week's longer-and-let's-face-it-probably-more-incoherent-than-usual episode of the Empire Podcast sees that lovable rascal and former Hobbit, Dominic Monaghan, sit in with Chris Hewitt, Ben Travis, and James Dyer for most of the episode. During which time they talk about movie cliffhangers, discuss the week's film news, talk about Jose Mourinho, his love of Star Wars, tattoos, Lord Of The Rings, Wagon Wheels, The Beatles, and much, much more. It's a lot of fun. Our door is always open, Dom. The podcast proper, which also sees a dwindling podteam review A Star Is Born and Venom, begins at 00:43:23, in case Wagon Wheels aren't your jam. Even the jammy ones. Then, Chris talks to Henry Thomas, former child actor (he was in some film about an extra-terrestrial, we think) turned star of Mike Flanagan's terrifying Netflix series, The Haunting Of Hill House, and a good time was had by both. We hope you'll join us. AND NEVER LEAVE. (01:39:35 - 01:57:52)

We've got witchcraft of all kinds on our mind in the Empire podbooth this week. Our guests, Teresa Palmer and Matthew Goode, are the stars of Sky's A Discovery Of Witches, and they're a ruddy delight as they have a natter with Ben Travis. Either side of that, Chris Hewitt hosts Ben, Helen O'Hara, and James Dyer as they talk a ton of trailers, review Skate Kitchen, Black 47 and Night School, go off on more tangents than a Rube Goldberg machine, and discuss the thorniest subject of them all: which Hogwarts house would they belong to? And that's magic. You'll like it. Not a lot, but you'll like it.

It's a tale of two directors on the Empire Podcast this week, as Eli Roth pops by to talk to his Drunk British Slob from Hostel Part II, Chris Hewitt, about The House With A Clock In Its Walls, working with Bruce Willis, and persuading Hollywood to see past his hardcore horror past. Then Chris chats to A Simple Favour director, Paul Feig, about moving into comedy thriller territory, being the best dressed man in show business, working with Emma Thompson, and not working with Melissa McCarthy. Oh, and Chris tries to bolster his IMDb credits, but to no avail. Meanwhile, in the podbooth, that Hewitt fella is joined by Helen O'Hara, Ben Travis, and James Dyer for a fun episode in which they discuss aquatic creatures, the Captain Marvel trailer, Bond 25, review the week's releases, tackle de-ageing in Hollywood, and Helen tells the world's most convoluted joke. Enjoy!

From talking representation in modern cinema, to discussing Jim Broadbent's bum, you can't say that this week's Empire Podcast doesn't cover all the bases. Or whatever they say in cricket. In the podbooth, Chris Hewitt is joined by Terri White, Ben Travis, and Nev Pierce to talk about a great many things, from Henry Cavill's possible departure from the DCEU to Terri's desire to open a pub. They also tackle a listener's question, and there's an extended reviews section in which they tackle Crazy Rich Asians, The Predator, and King Of Thieves. And any budding filmmakers should listen to Nev talk about how he is forging a career as a director. Then, Chris talks to Crazy Rich Asians star Constance Wu, and King Of Thieves duo Michael Caine and Ray Winstone about a wide range of subjects. Includes: Chris trying, and failing, to pluck up the courage to do a Michael Caine impression in front of Actual Michael Caine, and the single greatest name drop in Empire Podcast history. Enjoy.

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast was recorded live at Kings Place, London, as part of the London Podcast Festival. If you've ever been to our live shows before, you'll know what that means. If you haven't, this (slightly) edited version is a fine snapshot of what we're like when we're live. Namely, even swearier than usual, dafter than usual, and more juvenile than usual. If that's your bag, then listen on as Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Empire's Editor-In-Chief, Terri White discuss the week's movie news, get very silly about the battle of the Chrises, play Empire Podcast Bingo with the audience, try to pay sincere tribute to the late, great Burt Reynolds, review the week's releases, including American Animals and Final Score, and take audience questions. Oh, and Corin Hardy - director of The Nun - pops by for a chat with Chris, and he brings a very spooky special guest with him. Enjoy the show, and do please accept our apologies in advance.

In the latest episode of The Ranking, which is absolutely on time and in no way massively late (no, YOU shut up), a crack team of massive Star Trek fans who know what they're talking about, and Chris Hewitt, join together to definitively rank the Star Trek films in order. Join James Dyer, Helen O'Hara, Dan Jolin and that Hewitt eejit as they discuss the merits of the original crew, the Next Gen movies, the JJ Abrams not-a-reboot-actually and its sequels, drop a load of bad impressions, and genuinely argue and bicker with each other. Features more James Dyer condescension than had been previously thought possible. And, at the end, we list the empirical Star Trek top 10. It may shock you. (It won't.)