We start this week's Empire Podcast on a director's chair. We pull back to reveal its back. On it is emblazoned a name. That name? George MacKay, the wonderful star of Joshua Oppenheimer's thought-provoking original movie musical The End, who pops into the podbooth to have a good old natter [from 30:49 — 48:20 approx] with… We pull back. It's another director's chair. On it, another name: Chris Hewitt. Everyone shrugs their shoulders. But wait! There's another chair, and another name! That name is Irwin Winkler, the legendary producer of Rocky, Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Irishman, Creed, and now The Alto Knights, as he talks to Chris about going double De Niro on that movie. [1:00:37 - 1:17:11 approx.]
And then there are three more chairs, with three more names, as Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and John Nugent join Chris in the podbooth for a topsy-turvy episode that flips the format of the show upside down. Our intrepid quartet answer a listener question about Double De Niro; review Jason Statham and David Ayer's new actioner A Working Man, Jaume Collet-Serra chiller The Woman In The Yard, and Jack Quaid starring romp Novocaine; and discuss the week's movie news, including the glacially-paced reveal of the cast of Avengers: Doomsday, which was quite literally unfolding (there were chairs, with names on, it was a whole thing... hence the above bit) as we recorded this very show. But they don't necessarily do all of those things in that order. If you're not an MCU stan (or Stan), that discussion comes right at the end of the episode, so here's a rough time stamp should you wish to skip. [1:32:24 approx.] For MCU fans, though, say Namor and dive in. And, as ever, to everyone who listens, please do enjoy.
You can listen to this week's episode (which, if you're counting, is #661) on the pod app of your choice.