Yes, folks, we know that this week's Empire Podcast is a long 'un, but in fairness it's still three minutes shorter than No Time To Die, and is so packed with podcast goodness that we barely know where to begin. On the interview front, there are cracking conversations as Chris Hewitt sits down with the legendary Jamie Lee Curtis to talk about returning as Laurie Strode in Halloween Kills. You may be surprised to hear that this one gets pretty serious, and pretty emotional. Which is not the case with Chris' interview with Todd Haynes, the wonderful director of new documentary, The Velvet Underground. He talks to Chris about doing the Velvets justice, becoming friends with John Cale, his musical prowess, and his attraction to making films with 'velvet' in the title. But we're especially stoked this week to be joined in the podbooth, for the first time since this infernal pandemic started, by an actual guest. Jim Cummings, the star/co-writer and co-director of The Beta Test (and one of the stars of Halloween Kills) swings by for the first hour, answers some listener questions, discusses his approach to filmmaking, and generally has a giggle. Then, once he's gone, Chris, Helen O'Hara and James Dyer discuss the week's movie news, including the new trailers for Scream, Home Sweet Home Alone, and The Beatles: Get Back, and in a bumper reviews section they dig deep into Venom: Let There Be Carnage, The Last Duel, The Beta Test, Halloween Kills, Ron's Gone Wrong, and The Velvet Underground. Now do you see why we took nearly three hours? Enjoy, in instalments if you have to.
