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The Empire Film Podcast is the official podcast of Empire, the world's biggest and best movie magazine. We bring you all the latest movie news and nonsense, as well as reviews of the week's new films, an assortment of irreverent, film-related chat and interviews with some of Hollywood's best and brightest. New episodes every Friday.

For our famous deep dives into specific movies, subscribe to the Empire Spoiler Special Podcast at https://empire.supportingcast.fm/

Love TV? Subscribe to our sister show, The Pilot TV Podcast, which covers every quality show landing on the small screen — because you can't watch *everything*. https://podfollow.com/pilot-tv-podcast/

The Empire Film Podcast

This week's Empire Podcast sees us welcome another hat-trick of wonderful guests, as Chris Hewitt has lovely chats with The Smashing Machine writer-director (and Happy Gilmore 2 villain), Benny Safdie, [24:13 - 40:39 approx] and bona fide acting legend, Malcolm McDowell, star of new WWII drama, The Partisan (please excuse the sound quality of Chris' mic); [59:42 - 1:13:48 approx] while John Nugent sits down with Urchin director, Harris Dickinson, about making his directorial debut with the acclaimed drama. [1:37:05 - 1:52:43 approx] Either side of those, Chris doesn't let a little thing like Covid-19 stop him from hosting this week, dialling in to the podbooth (again, please do forgive the odd attendant audio glitch) to have all kinds of film-related fun with Helen O'Hara and James Dyer. The trio discuss some of the best final films from acting greats, run their eyes over Urchin, Play Dirty, The Smashing Machine, and Him, and find the week's movie news to be so lacking that they wind up doing an impromptu Simpsons quiz. Oh, and James is all giddy this week, after a close encounter with none other than Taylor Swift. To find out how close she came to being on this show, or a Cats retro spoiler special, you're going to have to listen. Enjoy.

Vendrak The Vertical, Scáthach, And The Kamino Kid (ft. guests Benny Safdie, Malcolm McDowell, Harris Dickinson)

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is one of those jam-packed ones in which we specialise. Guest-wise, Chris Hewitt is blessed with the presence of our old chum, Brett Goldstein, who talks beards, bums, and baring his soul in new romantic drama, All Of You; [18:37 - 36:33 approx] and Chris also has a lovely chat with Emma Thompson as she enters her action hero era in Dead Of Winter. [1:01:07 - 1:16:03 approx] And if that weren't enough, Alex Godfrey talks Leonardo DiCaprio and car chases with One Battle After Another director, Paul Thomas Anderson. [1:40:45 - 1:57:06 approx] Then, in the podbooth, Chris is joined, after a week away, by Helen O'Hara and James Dyer to discuss which dystopian gameshow they would do best in, cast their eyes over the week's movie news, including a bunch of trailers, and review all three of the films listed above (with a little help from Alex). Enjoy.

The Edge Is A Battenberg (ft. guests Brett Goldstein, Emma Thompson, Paul Thomas Anderson)

With Chris off on the fairway, taking his first proper holiday in approximately 20 years, its up to Helen O’Hara and James Dyer — the newly appointed Archbishop of Nerdbury — to hold down the fort, ably assisted by Empire news editor and former Pilot TV stalwart Beth Webb. Between the three of them, they do their level best not to refer to Cillian Murphy and Tim Mielants’ latest film as Steeeeeeeeeeeeeeeve, which is for the best as both actor and director join us on this week’s show, as does Sean Penn who chats to Alex about One Battle After Another. As well as Steve, we also review A Big Bold Beautiful Journey and The Lost Bus, but all all film chat is summarily derailed by this week’s listener question, which opens the floodgates for an outpouring of nostalgia as we worship at the altar of ‘80s children’s TV, including a certain pink and white stuffed cat.

For The Love Of Bagpuss (ft. guests Sean Penn; Cillian Murphy & Tim Mielants)

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast might just go ahead, make your day, as Chris Hewitt (having recovered from a colleague-inflicted mischief) invites Helen O'Hara and James Dyer into the podbooth for a discussion of the best films directed by Clint Eastwood. Amazingly, The Rookie is given short shrift. Then, our intrepid trio take a look at the week's movie news, including the surprising return of Michael Caine, and review The Long Walk, Spinal Tap II: The Grand Finale, and Downton Abbey: The End Continues. Or is it Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale? Either way, it's a big episode for Downton fans, as Hugh Bonneville and Allen Leech bid farewell to the cultural juggernaut in the best way possible, by talking to Boyd Hilton. [1:04:33 - 1:16:31 approx] And Chris has a wonderful time talking tennis and more with Islands star Sam Riley, making a triumphant return to the podcast. [27:44 - 43:45 approx] Oh, and Noel Coward pops in for a little song, which is nice. Enjoy.

A Clint In The Eye (ft. guests Sam Riley; Hugh Bonneville & Allen Leech)

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.

The Shameless Plug #7: The Running Mag

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.

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

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 Chuck/Charles/Charlie (ft. guests Eva Victor; Olivia Colman & Jay Roach; Sir Ben Kingsley)

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.

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

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.

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

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.

The Shameless Plug #6: Two Days With James Cameron

The London Film Festival — one of the greatest festivals in the world, and we're not just saying that because it's right on our doorstep and we can see a film and still be home in time for a combo of cocoa and Columbo — is back back back, folks, and to celebrate we are once again bringing you a special episode of the Empire Podcast. This one is a little different, in that it features two brief interviews with Michael Winterbottom and Randall Park, two directors who both have films at the festival (Shoshana and Shortcomings, respectively), in which they tell Chris Hewitt about their film festival experiences in general. If you want to hear more from both men, longer interviews will be gracing regular episodes of the Empire Podcast soon. Then, Chris is joined in the virtual podbooth by Beth Webb, Ben Travis, and Sophie Butcher, who talk about their LFF memories and then recommend the films that they are looking forward to most this year. Enjoy.

London Film Festival 2023 Special ft. Michael Winterbottom and Randall Park

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