Tom Cruise dominates the cover of Empire’s celebration of 2022, but he’s far from alone. Top Gun: Maverick was a blast of adrenaline that, after the last couple of years, was a glorious reaffirmation of the sheer power of the movie-going experience – but it’s just one of the eclectic cinematic pleasures that have hit the big and small screens this year. We’re in a golden age of cinematic entertainment of all shapes and sizes – and Empire, as ever, was here for all of it.
Empire’s Review of the Year issue hits shelves on Thursday 27 October – pre-order online here – but in the meantime, here’s a quick look at the features and spreads inside…
Spirited
We may be looking back over the year in this issue, but we’re also very excited to be looking forward to Christmas. We brought Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell together for a joyfully silly conversation all about their first ever team-up – Apple TV+’s extravagant, A Christmas Carol-riffing musical, Spirited – and they gave Empire the festive lowdown.
Review Of The Year
Our special Review Of The Year section contains deep dives into all the things we loved: that fanny-pack fight in Everything Everywhere All At Once, that Akira homage in Nope, that surprise three-hour Telugu-language musical epic RRR, that unforgettable villain in Stranger Things, that awesome new star Kamala “Ms. Marvel” Khan… We’d warn you about spoilers – but you already knew 2022 was one helluva year.
Top Gun: Maverick
Director Joseph Kosinski takes us on a thrill-ride through the winning formula of his all-conquering, decades-in-the-making sequel. Star power! Emotion! Action! Nostalgia! If it doesn’t give you that lovin’ feelin’, we don’t know what will.
Prey
The peerless Predator prequel’s breakout star Amber Midthunder reflects on the film’s Comanche heritage, its ecstatic reception, and basking in the approval of the original Predator cast.
Charles Petrescu
The robot star of Brian And Charles provides Empire with a world-exclusive interview and photoshoot, talking about his new-found fame and considerable fortune. Where’s he been? What’s he been watching? All will be revealed.
Enys Men
After receiving widespread critical and audience acclaim for his shot-on-16mm-film, Cornwall-set feature debut Bait, Mark Jenkin is back with another mysterious, iconoclastic story for us to get stuck into – and, as with Bait, Jenkin takes on many, many of the behind-the-camera roles. We talk to the director about the new movie, working with repeat collaborators, meeting Quentin Tarantino, and much more.
Confess, Fletch
The comedy favourite and investigative reporter is back. Director Greg Mottola and star Jon Hamm talk us through rebooting the Chevy Chase cult classic, and reviving Gregory McDonald’s novels for a new generation.
Eric Roberts
How does the hardest-working man in Hollywood spend his day off? By conducting emotional interviews with Empire, of course. We speak at length with the actor who’s racked up a seemingly infinite IMDb page since the 1970s.
Take 20
Empire’s news section this month takes a look at Guillermo del Toro’s new stop-motion Pinocchio, Sam Mendes’ Empire Of Light, and Naomie Ackie’s new Whitney Houston biopic I Wanna Dance With Somebody. Plus, Steven Spielberg is back with The Fabelmans, possibly his most personal movie yet, Jason Momoa takes the Pint of Milk challenge, and much, much more.
On Screen
Bros heads up our monthly review section, with support from the much-discussed My Policeman, David Gordon Green’s horror trilogy-closer Halloween Ends, Daniel Radcliffe-starring music biopic Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Jennifer Lawrence’s emotional return Causeway, riotous new horror Barbarian, Ruben Östlund’s Triangle of Sadness and many more. On the small screen, Gangs Of London and The Midnight Club are amongst those receiving Empire’s verdict.
Re.View
In this month’s home entertainment section, Ron Howard speaks about bringing the incredible Thai cave rescue story to the screen in Thirteen Lives, Oscar-winning songs are ranked, we revisit Lost Highway with Bill Pullman, discuss Eve’s Bayou with writer-director Kasi Lemmons, and give Godard’s Breathless the Masterpiece treatment.
Empire’s Review Of The Year issue is on sale from Thursday 27 October. Pre-order a copy online here.