The Empire Film Podcast

If you can hear a high-pitched squealing noise in the background of our latest interview special, that's just Chris Hewitt vibrating with excitement. For this podcast puts him in the room with one of his all-time heroes, Liverpool FC icon Kenny Dalglish, who is the eponymous subject of Asif Kapadia's latest documentary, which is out today (October 29) and tomorrow (October 30) in cinemas across th...

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt struggle with the enunciation of one word in particular (you'll have to listen to find out which). Incredibly, it's not 'Howl-o-ween', which is just one of the many things discussed by Chris and his three colleagues of such lethal cunning, Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and Ben Travis. They get their teeth into movies in which a main character is ill, talk a...

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara and James Dyer pay tribute to two cinematic greats who left us this week: the legendary Oscar-winning actress, Diane Keaton, and Drew Struzan, the artist who defined posters, and people's walls, for decades. Struzan's work inspires this week's question, which asks our trio to identify the greatest poster of all time. Elsewhere in the show,...

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Alex Godfrey display his versatility as an interviewer, going from utter chaos with Tron Ares stars Greta Lee & Jodie Turner-Smith [22:46 - 34:31 approx] and Gillian Anderson [1:33:01 - 1:43:53 approx] to a heartfelt and passionate chat with Robert Aramayo, star of this week's excellent drama, I Swear, about a man who finds himself dealing with To...

In this month's Shameless Plug, the show in which Chris Hewitt sits down with Empire editor Nick de Semlyen to do a deep dive into the latest issue of Empire, Chris Hewitt sits down with Empire editor Nick de Semlyen to do a deep dive into the latest issue of Empire. Which, for the first time in our history, has a musical on the cover, Jon M. Chu's Wicked For Good, and Nick explains how he went do...

Justin Tipping's Him is a Jordan Peele-produced horror film in which a young quarterback discovers the kind of sacrifices it takes to become the GOAT of American Football. That young quarterback is played by Tyriq Withers, who is taken under the wing of a legendary quarterback played by Marlon Wayans, and in this Empire Podcast interview special Jamie Graham sits down with the duo for a fun chat a...

Paul Greengrass' The Lost Bus stars Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera as a bus driver and teacher, respectively, who have to navigate a deadly Californian wildfire while stuck on a school bus with a group of terrified children, very little water, and fire and flames closing in on all sides. Based on a true story (the 2018 Camp Fire is one of the deadliest wildfires in US history), it's Green...

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...

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. [1:01:0...

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 Steeeeeeee...

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 re...

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, an...

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...

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...

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 whi...

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...

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...

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 monste...

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...

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, p...

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...

Do not adjust your speakers, or your headphones. Yes, Ralph Ineson's voice really is that deep and sonorous. And in this week's Empire Podcast, Chris Hewitt sits down with the actor who plays the planet-eating entity, Galactus, in next week's The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and talks about how his voice is his passport. [1:04:38 - 1:20:16 approx] Elsewhere, Chris also has an engrossing chat with...

This month's episode of The Shameless Plug sees Chris Hewitt sit down with Empire editor, Nick de Semlyen, for a deep dive into the latest issue of Empire magazine, which just happens to have a limited edition light-up cover to commemorate our latest cover movie, Tron Ares. Together, our dynamic duo discuss the art of the cover line, their favourite envelope-pushing covers from Empires past, and t...

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is dominated by bald baddies. Namely, a group discussion of the hairless horrors who have been tormenting do-gooders in all kinds of movies throughout the years. But also, our very own James Dyer, whose unexplained absence from the podbooth has Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and Alex Godfrey speculating wildly, and threatening to send out search parties. Will...

This week's Empire Podcast sees Chris Hewitt sit down for a pre-lunch chat about dinosaurs and sandwiches with Jurassic World Rebirth stars, Mahershala Ali and Rupert Friend, [25:28 - 36:36 approx] while Mike Muncer goes deep with the legendary David Cronenberg, as the Canadian director marks the release of one of his most personal films yet, The Shrouds. [1:02:07 - 1:18:07 approx] Oh, and there's...