Here at Empire, we are clearly obsessed with movies – always eager to share our favourite films, the performances we love, the stories that scare us, and so on, and so on. We know that you do too. And so do the people who make the movies themselves: actors, directors, writers, crew members, all equally in thrall to the work of their peers and those who came before. So while we all still have plenty of time to broaden our filmic horizons at home, we decided to go to Hollywood for recommendations. This month, Empire brings you the Ultimate Movie Playlist issue – the very best must-watch movie lists, curated for you by cinema’s finest.
Inside, we have action aficionados Edgar Wright and Gareth Evans on their favourite Jackie Chan flicks, horror hitmaker Mike Flanagan on the spookiest haunted house films, the legendary Sandy Powell on her favourite screen costumes, Richard Kelly’s personal pick of the most mind-bending movies, the Duffer Brothers on the films that changed their lives, Delroy Lindo on the movies that moved him, Joe Dante and John Landis on the greatest (and hairiest) werewolf horrors, Nicole Holofcener on the films that always make her cry, Christopher McQuarrie’s pick of the heist genre, and much, much more. Featuring 235 personally-picked film recommendations, your watchlist is about to get a major upgrade.
This month's newsstand cover is a celebration of some of the most iconic characters from movies that feature in the list, illustrated by the brilliant Sam Gilbey – and you'll find it on shelves from Thursday 7 August.
And this month's exclusive subscriber cover is illustrated exclusively for Empire by Timba Smits.
Elsewhere this month we get the inside story on the reinvention of Kingsman in upcoming prequel The King’s Man, go deep with the brilliant Riz Ahmed in a major new interview, unravel the complicated history of Hollywood icon Hedy Lamarr, and revisit the razor-sharp satire of classic American Psycho. Plus, in one of our most bonkers features, we delve into the legacy of a legendary figure who’s worked with the best of Hollywood, made billions, and raked in a massive audience – and happens to be a sponge who lives in a pineapple under the sea. It’s an issue stuffed with goodness, and your subscriber edition will be with you soon – with a stunning exclusive cover illustrated by Timba Smits. We hope you enjoy.