Jeremy Saulnier is one of the most exciting filmmakers working today. Unfortunately, it’s been quite a while since we’ve seen some of his work. Thankfully, that’s about to change as Netflix readies the release of his latest feature, “Rebel Ridge.” But it wasn’t smooth sailing to get to this point. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we talk to Saulnier about the long journey it took for “Rebel Ridge” to get released.

Continue reading Jeremy Saulnier Talks The Long Journey To Bring ‘Rebel Ridge’ To Screens, People’s Love Of ‘Green Room’ & More [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

It’s that time of year again—San Diego Comic-Con! It’s the time when the West Coast becomes nerd Mecca, and studios trot out their best projects to help create some hype. In this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we discuss the upcoming event and what we might expect to be announced. And yes, a lot of the discussion centers are Marvel Studios.

LISTEN: ‘Twisters’: Director Lee Isaac Chung Talks Making The Leap To Blockbusters, Raising The Stakes & His Love Of ‘Star Wars’ [The Playlist Podcast]

Let’s not bury the lede here—Marvel is the big name for this year’s SDCC.

Continue reading San Diego Comic-Con Preview: Marvel Is Expected To Dominate This Year’s Event [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Released almost 30 years ago, “Twister” has stood the test of time to be a favorite among film fans. Now, decades later, we finally get a sequel to the original, titled “Twisters.” And filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung has joined The Playlist Podcast to talk about it.

For those not familiar with Chung, the filmmaker really broke out thanks to his work on the film, “Minari,” which won a slew of awards after its release.

Continue reading ‘Twisters’: Director Lee Isaac Chung Talks Making The Leap To Blockbusters, Raising The Stakes & His Love Of ‘Star Wars’ [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Sure, we’re already in February, but there’s still 11 whole months left of 2024, and that’s a crap ton of content coming to cinemas and your TV screen still to come. So, join us in a two-part discussion on The Playlist Podcast, where we talk about some of our most anticipated projects that are coming to theaters and your screen of choice this year. 

LISTEN: Matthew Vaughn Talks ‘Argylle,’ His Planned Spy Cinematic Universe & How ‘Deadpool 3’ & The ‘Kick-Ass’ Reboot Might Be Similar [The Playlist Podcast]

Without going into detail about each and every project that is set to arrive in 2024 (we have comprehensive Most Anticipated Films and TV lists, respectively, available for your reading pleasure already), this podcast discussion aims to break down some of the projects we’re anticipating more than others, as well as some that just intrigue us for one reason or another.

Continue reading The Films & TV Shows That Have Us Excited In 2024 [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Matthew Vaughn is no stranger to spy films, having previously directed three ‘Kingsman’ movies. But even after a decade of working on those movies, he can’t seem to let the genre go, as his latest film, “Argylle,” is yet another fun romp in the world of superspies. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, Vaughn talks about his love of spies and why he’s not only sticking around to continue to work in the genre, but also why he wants to bring them all together in one big universe. 

Continue reading Matthew Vaughn Talks ‘Argylle,’ His Planned Spy Cinematic Universe & How ‘Deadpool 3’ & The ‘Kick-Ass’ Reboot Might Be Similar [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Not many actors-turned-filmmakers will swing for the fences in such a big way with their directorial debuts as Daniel Kaluuya has done with “The Kitchen.” Instead of making some small indie drama, Kaluuya, alongside co-director Kibwe Tavares, decided to go with a full dystopian sci-fi drama. But you better believe this is a film filled with a ton of heart at its core. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, Kaluuya, alongside lead actor Kane Robinson, stop by to talk about “The Kitchen.” 

READ MORE: ‘The Kitchen’ Review: Daniel Kaluuya Directs A Dystopian Story Of Fathers, Sons & The Power Of Community

As mentioned, “The Kitchen” is a dystopian sci-fi drama about a man named Izi (played by Robinson) who is a resident of the last public housing complex in future London, dubbed The Kitchen.

Continue reading ‘The Kitchen’: Daniel Kaluuya & Kane Robinson Talk The Dystopian Drama, Individualistic Society, ‘Spider-Verse’ & More [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

A lot of people only think of Jake Johnson as the comedic actor who has shown up in a number of big projects over the years. But before all of that, he got his start as a writer in New York City. It’s just his time as a writer was overshadowed by his growing acting career. But for “Self Reliance,” his new Hulu film arriving this week, Johnson is not only returning to writing, but he also directed the film, as well.

Continue reading Jake Johnson Talks ‘Self Reliance,’ Not Directing Again & Being Overshadowed By The Masterful Biff Wiff [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

To say that this year has been rough for Marvel Studios is a bit of an understatement. The studio that was once thought to be invincible has shown that it has weaknesses and audiences are starting to take note. Look at the two most recent releases, “The Marvels” and “Loki” Season 2, for example. The former is the lowest grossing opening weekend in the history of the studio, and the latter seemingly shut the door on the main villain for the next several years, leaving the future uncertain.

Continue reading Marvel’s Rough Year: Is The Studio Actually In Trouble Or Is All The Drama Overblown? [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Even though it didn’t make a billion dollars or score any awards, there’s no denying Damien Leone’s “Terrifier 2” was one of the most successful horror films of 2022. And for this special Halloween episode of The Playlist Podcast, I’m sharing a recent interview I conducted with Leone, the writer-director of one of the most successful horror films of the last year, “Terrifier 2.” Why am I interviewing a filmmaker about a movie that came out a year ago?

Continue reading Damien Leone Talks The Big ‘Terrifier 2’ Re-Release, What Fans Can Expect In The Third Film & More [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Horror has always been a great testing platform to new, interesting genre mashups. That’s showcased, to great effect, in the new film, “Suitable Flesh,” from filmmaker Joe Lynch. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, I speak with Lynch about his new film that mixes gruesome Lovecraftian horror with a good ol’ ‘80s/‘90s erotic thriller. 

READ MORE: ‘Suitable Flesh’ NSFW Trailer: Heather Graham Is A Sexy, Homicidal Force In Joe Lynch’s New Horror Film

Yes, you heard that right, “Suitable Flesh” is a film that mixes seemingly disparate genres of horror and erotic thriller.

Continue reading Joe Lynch Talks ‘Suitable Flesh,’ Making A Horror PB&J, His Lost ‘RoboCop’ TV Series & More [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Writer/director Brian Duffield has only directed two films so far, but he’s already starting to carve out a specific niche. He’s a filmmaker who loves to take these character-driven, emotional stories and put them against the backdrop of genre. This is seen with the love story at the center of “Spontaneous,” a film where teens are literally exploding, or in his new movie, “No One Will Save You,” which is a film about a young woman feeling isolated and alone and has to deal with an alien invasion.

Continue reading ‘No One Will Save You’: Director Brian Duffield Talks His “Lean & Mean” Alien Invasion Thriller & Using Dialogue Sparingly [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

It’s not very often we get a teen comedy that feels fresh and new. Thankfully, this week has the release of “Bottoms,” a teen comedy that subverts expectations and flips the script on a genre that can often feel stale. You can thank filmmaker Emma Seligman for that. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, Seligman joins us to discuss their newest film, “Bottoms,” and what makes it feel so different from other films that have come before. 

I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that readers of The Playlist and listeners of this podcast are familiar with Seligman’s work.

Continue reading ‘Bottoms’: Director Emma Seligman Talks The Teen Comedy, Reteaming With Rachel Sennott & More [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Believe it or not, it’s already been 10 years since the release of James DeMonaco’s breakout hit, “The Purge.” The micro-budget horror film would go on to earn a massive box office and devoted fanbase, spawning four sequels and multi-season TV series. And in honor of the film’s 10th Anniversary, DeMonaco joins The Playlist Podcast to talk about his 2013 hit and how a fractured country inspired him to make a film about people killing each other for sport.

Continue reading ‘The Purge’ 10th Anniversary: James DeMonaco Talks The Franchise, The Political Message & Why The 6th Film Is In “Limbo” [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Rob Savage isn’t a household name in horror, yet, but if you look at his most recent work, this is a guy who seems like he is destined for great things in genre filmmaking. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, I got the chance to talk to Savage and discuss his newest film, “The Boogeyman,” which is based on a short story by Stephen King.

Continue reading ‘The Boogeyman’: Director Rob Savage Talks His New Horror Film, Earning Stephen King’s Approval & More [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

It’s here, folks. We are finally able to see the finale of the “Fast & Furious” franchise with the new film, “Fast X.” Well, okay, not the true finale. This is just Part 1 of what is scheduled to be a two-part finale, but it might actually get extended to three parts if Vin Diesel has his way. So, really, “Fast X” is part one of a final trilogy of films.

Continue reading ‘Fast & Furious’: The Best & Worst Of Vin Diesel’s Ridiculous, NOS-Fueled Franchise [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

After two massively successful installments in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” film franchise, James Gunn was ready to work on the third. Then he got fired, went to DC to make “The Suicide Squad,” was rehired to work on ‘Guardians,’ and released a Christmas special, and now, years later, we’re here to finally see how the filmmaker wanted his franchise to end. So, is the long wait for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.

Continue reading ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3’: James Gunn’s Marvel Swansong Is A Mixed Bag Of Big Emotions, Cute Animals & Wasted Potential [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Decades after he first broke out with “Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels,” film fans probably think they know what a Guy Ritchie film is going to look and feel like. Well, when you bring Jake Gyllenhaal into the equation, Ritchie throws all of those preconceived notions out of the window, and you end up with “The Covenant,” a no-nonsense war film about a life-altering debt and the lengths someone will go to shed a curse, of sorts.

Continue reading Jake Gyllenhaal & Guy Ritchie Talk ‘The Covenant’ And The “Begrudging” Friendship At Its Heart [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

There are filmmakers whose work is undeniably singular, even if you look at a single frame of the film. Wes Anderson is one of those directors. But another would be French filmmaker, Quentin Dupieux. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, Quentin Dupieux joins to talk about his new film, “Smoking Causes Coughing,” which might be his wildest, most Dupieux-iest film yet. 

Continue reading Quentin Dupieux Talks ‘Smoking Causes Coughing,’ Creating “Creepy Vibes” & His Upcoming English-Language Return [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Prior to “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” writer Jeff Loveness worked in the realm of TV for a while and had never written the script for a feature film. Then, he was picked by Marvel Studios to not only write the third ‘Ant-Man’ film but to also write the next ‘Avengers’ film. Needless to say, Loveness has a lot on his plate.

Continue reading Writer Jeff Loveness Talks ‘Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania,’ Figuring Out Kang & The Challenge Of ‘Avengers 5’ [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

In a world filled with a ton of low-budget horror films, Christopher Landon has already carved out his own niche and separated himself from the pack. With films like “Happy Death Day,” its sequel, and more recently, “Freaky,” Landon has shown himself to be a different breed of horror filmmaker, not scared of mixing comedy and heart with his vicious kills. Well, he’s going even a step further with his new film, “We Have a Ghost,” where he’s embracing the comedy and heart even more with his family-friendly horror film about a poor soul stuck haunting a house.

Continue reading Christopher Landon Talks ‘We Have A Ghost,’ Why ‘Happy Death Day 3’ Isn’t Happening, ‘Arachnophobia’ & More [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

For all intents and purposes, even though the films made a ton of money, many fans believe that Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe was a disappointment. Well, those films and TV series are behind us, and “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” is here to usher in Phase 5 and fully introduce the MCU’s future big bad, Kang the Conquerer. And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we break down whether or not Phase 5 kicks off with a Kang bang or is more of the same disappointment we’ve seen in a post-‘Endgame’ world.

Continue reading ‘Ant-Man & The Wasp: Quantumania’: Phase 5 Begins With A Whimper And Not A Kang Bang [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Last week, the long wait for news about what James Gunn and Peter Safran had up their sleeves with the new DC Studios film and TV slate was over, as the duo presented a total of 10 projects that will bring to life a new era of the DCU. Characters like Superman, Batman, Supergirl, and the Green Lanterns are all expected to factor heavily into the plans moving forward, but is that enough to compete with the likes of Marvel Studios, and more importantly, is it enough to turn the tides of a failing superhero brand?

Continue reading James Gunn’s DC Slate Is Ambitious & Interesting But Is That Enough? [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

Continue reading Joe Cornish Talks Ghost-Filled Detective Series ‘Lockwood & Co,’ Working On ‘Attack The Block 2’ & His History With Marvel’s ‘Ant-Man’ [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.

READ MORE: ‘Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania’ Trailer: Marvel Kicks Off Phase 5, With A Not-So-Tiny Chapter

And Cornish wasn’t shy about divulging all sorts of details on “Ant-Man,” a film he and fellow UK director Edgar Wright had in development for years before it hit theaters in 2015.

Continue reading Joe Cornish Talks About Working On ‘Ant-Man’ With Edgar Wright & The Rapid Transformation Of The MCU at The Playlist.

Will Forte is entering a new era of his acting career. After becoming a dad for the first time a couple of years ago, he’s not just excited about comedies such as “MacGruber” and “The Last Man on Earth.” He’s also ready to portray sweet dad characters in projects such as “Sweet Tooth” and his new film, “Aliens Abducted My Parents and Now I Feel Kinda Left Out,” which we discussed on this episode of The Playlist Podcast and is celebrating its world premiere at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Continue reading Will Forte Talks ‘Aliens Abducted My Parents’ & Hoping For More ‘MacGruber’ [The Playlist Podcast] at The Playlist.