Franchise Addicts

Franchise Addicts
  • 5.0 (10)
  • Film Reviews
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to Franchise Addicts, a podcast covering every film in a given franchise. Hosts Luke and Chris are two friends and movie fanatics determined to find the greatest movie franchises in the history of film. From deep-dive thematic discussions to instant reactions on new releases, each episode breaks down what makes these franchises work, what doesn’t, and why we keep coming back. Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

  1. Aug 28

    Cast Away (2000)

    The isolation series finale. Luke, Chris, and Peter close it out with the most literal isolation movie ever made. Tom Hanks gained 50 pounds, production shut down for a year so he could lose it all, and Zemeckis made an entire other movie in the gap. Wilson the volleyball had actual written dialogue that was cut from the final film. FedEx didn't pay a cent for the placement and saw a 30% spike in job applications after release. There is almost no musical score for the entire island sequence because Zemeckis wanted the audience to feel as alone as Chuck. The screenwriter spent a few days alone on a deserted island in the Sea of Cortez to research the script and nearly died from dehydration. Four films. Four kinds of isolation. This one strips away everything except the self. Live at 8:15pm CT. 🎙️ Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku. SUBSCRIBE for weekly franchise deep-dives, film analysis, and video essays. 📍 Find us everywhere: Spotify: Franchise Addicts Apple Podcasts: Franchise Addicts YouTube: @FranchiseAddicts Linktree: linktr.ee/podnationpods #CastAway #TomHanks #RobertZemeckis #Wilson #FedEx #Isolation #FranchiseAddicts #MoviePodcast #FilmTwitter #PodernFamily #PodcastHQ #PodNationMedia

  2. Aug 20

    Her (2013)

    Week three of the Isolation series. Luke, Chris, and Peter take on Spike Jonze's 2013 masterpiece. Her is a love story between a lonely man and his operating system, and the scariest thing about it is that none of it feels like science fiction anymore. Jonze conceived the idea after reading about an AI chatbot in the early 2000s. The original voice of Samantha was Samantha Morton, who performed on set with Phoenix every day for the entire shoot. Jonze replaced her with Scarlett Johansson in post-production. Phoenix and Rooney Mara play a divorced couple in the film and later married and had two children in real life. Arcade Fire scored it. Jonze wrote it as a reflection on his divorce from Sofia Coppola. And Johansson starred in both this and Coppola's Lost in Translation. Two hosts. One film. The isolation series gets personal. 🎙️ Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku. SUBSCRIBE for weekly franchise deep-dives, film analysis, and video essays. 📍 Find us everywhere: Spotify: Franchise Addicts Apple Podcasts: Franchise Addicts YouTube: @FranchiseAddicts Linktree: linktr.ee/podnationpods #Her #SpikeJonze #JoaquinPhoenix #ScarlettJohansson #AmyAdams #ArcadeFire #FranchiseAddicts #MoviePodcast #FilmTwitter #PodernFamily #PodcastHQ #PodNationMedia

  3. Aug 6

    Drive (2011)

    Week two of the Isolation series. Luke and Chris go back to the movie that made them friends. Drive isn't an action movie. It's a fairy tale set in Los Angeles about a man who built walls around himself so carefully that the one time he lets someone in, it destroys everything. Refn doesn't have a driver's license. Gosling restored the Malibu himself. Carey Mulligan summarized making the film as "staring longingly at Ryan Gosling for hours." Albert Brooks shaved his eyebrows to play a killer. And a woman sued the studio because the trailer made her think it was Fast & Furious. Two hosts. One movie. The one that started it all. Live at 8:15pm CT. 🎙️ Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku. SUBSCRIBE for weekly franchise deep-dives, film analysis, and video essays. 📍 Find us everywhere: Spotify: Franchise Addicts Apple Podcasts: Franchise Addicts YouTube: @FranchiseAddicts Linktree: linktr.ee/podnationpods #Drive #RyanGosling #NicolasWindingRefn #AlbertBrooks #CareyMulligan #OscarIsaac #FranchiseAddicts #MoviePodcast #FilmTwitter #PodernFamily #PodcastHQ #PodNationMedia

  4. Jul 31

    The Thing (1982)

    The isolation series begins. Luke, Chris, and Peter kick off a brand new custom franchise with John Carpenter's 1982 masterpiece. The Thing isn't a monster movie. It's a trust movie. Twelve men trapped in Antarctica with a creature that can perfectly imitate any of them. The paranoia doesn't come from what the alien looks like. It comes from the fact that anyone could be it. Rob Bottin was 22 years old when he designed the practical effects and literally hospitalized himself finishing them. The movie bombed at the box office because it opened the same day as E.T. and audiences wanted wonder, not terror. Kurt Russell almost burned his face off with a flamethrower prank. And John Carpenter still won't tell anyone who was the Thing at the end. Live at 8:15pm CT. 🎙️ Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku. SUBSCRIBE for weekly franchise deep-dives, film analysis, and video essays. 📍 Find us everywhere: Spotify: Franchise Addicts Apple Podcasts: Franchise Addicts YouTube: @FranchiseAddicts Linktree: linktr.ee/podnationpods #TheThing #JohnCarpenter #KurtRussell #PracticalEffects #Horror #SciFi #FranchiseAddicts #MoviePodcast #FilmTwitter #PodernFamily #PodcastHQ #PodNationMedia

  5. Jul 1

    Arrival (2016)

    Week four of our alien invasion franchise. Luke, Chris, and Peter take on Denis Villeneuve's masterpiece. Arrival isn't about aliens. It's about a woman who learns to see time the way they do and has to decide whether knowing how the story ends changes whether it's worth living. Amy Adams accepted the role in 24 hours. The ship interior was built practically 50 feet off the ground. Villeneuve made his screenwriter rewrite one line of dialogue for weeks and then didn't subtitle it. The composer Jóhann Jóhannsson began scoring before they finished shooting and died two years later at 48. And the original ending had the aliens gifting humanity futuristic technology, which would have ruined everything. From obsession to spectacle to refuge to understanding. This is the film that earns the word. Live at 8:15pm CT. 🎙️ Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku. SUBSCRIBE for weekly franchise deep-dives, film analysis, and video essays. 📍 Find us everywhere: Spotify: Franchise Addicts Apple Podcasts: Franchise Addicts YouTube: @FranchiseAddicts Linktree: linktr.ee/podnationpods #Arrival #DenisVilleneuve #AmyAdams #JohannJohannsson #TedChiang #AlienInvasion #SciFi #FranchiseAddicts #MoviePodcast #FilmTwitter #PodernFamily #PodcastHQ #PodNationMedia

  6. Jun 15

    Disclosure Day (2026)

    Fresh out of the theater. Luke, Chris, and Peter just saw Disclosure Day and are going live with their instant reaction. Steven Spielberg's return to alien contact closes out our five-week alien invasion franchise series. From Close Encounters' obsession to Independence Day's spectacle to District 9's refuge to Arrival's understanding to this. No prep. No notes. Just raw first impressions. 🎙️ Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku. 📍 Find us everywhere: Spotify: Franchise Addicts Apple Podcasts: Franchise Addicts YouTube: @FranchiseAddicts Linktree: linktr.ee/podnationpods #DisclosureDay #Spielberg #FranchiseAddicts #MovieReaction #FilmTwitter #PodernFamily #PodcastHQ #PodNationMedia #MoviePodcast #AlienInvasion

  7. Jun 12

    District 9 (2009)

    Description: Week three of our alien invasion franchise. Luke, Chris, and Peter take on the most politically charged film in the series. District 9 flips the alien invasion on its head. The aliens have been here for 20 years and humanity's response isn't wonder, isn't spectacle, it's a refugee camp, barbed wire, and forced relocations. Neill Blomkamp grew up during apartheid in South Africa and made a $30 million sci-fi film that holds a mirror to everything from immigration policy to corporate exploitation to what happens when the "other" has nowhere left to go. Peter Jackson gave a first-time director full creative control after their Halo movie collapsed. The lead actor had never acted before. Every alien in the film is played by one guy. And the whole thing was nominated for Best Picture. From Close Encounters' obsession to Independence Day's spectacle to District 9's refuge, the alien invasion franchise gets real. Live at 8:15pm CT. 🎙️ Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku. SUBSCRIBE for weekly franchise deep-dives, film analysis, and video essays. 📍 Find us everywhere: Spotify: Franchise Addicts Apple Podcasts: Franchise Addicts YouTube: @FranchiseAddicts Linktree: linktr.ee/podnationpods #District9 #NeillBlomkamp #SharltoCopley #PeterJackson #AlienInvasion #SciFi #FranchiseAddicts #MoviePodcast #FilmTwitter #PodernFamily #PodcastHQ #PodNationMedia

  8. Jun 3

    Independence Day

    The podcast covers the film 'Independence Day' and explores its marketing, box office success, character development, and political and social commentary. The film is discussed in the context of its spectacle and ensemble cast. In this conversation, the hosts discuss the magic of summer blockbusters in the 90s, the impact of Independence Day on the film industry, the compelling characters of the movie, and the presidential heroics portrayed in the film. They also explore the character development and iconic scenes that made Independence Day a memorable cinematic experience. The conversation delves into the themes of alien invasion as a reflection of imperialistic colonization, Bill Pullman's impactful performance, and the use of simple graphics in action scenes. It also explores the survival and impact of the alien invasion, American bravado in the 90s, Bill Clinton's connection to the movie, casting choices and character dynamics, Bill Pullman's career and the impact of Independence Day, the use of graphics and special effects, discussion on the movie Stargate, Bill Pullman's career trajectory, and Russell's impactful moment in the movie. The conversation delves into the impact of special effects and iconic moments in the movie, highlighting the significance of these elements in creating a lasting impression on the audience. Takeaways SpectacleEnsemble Cast Summer blockbusters in the 90sCharacter development and iconic scenesImpact of Independence Day on the film industry Alien invasion as a reflection of imperialistic colonizationBill Pullman's impactful performanceThe use of simple graphics in action scenes Impactful special effectsIconic movie moments Chapters 00:00 Marketing and Box Office Success07:00 Political and Social Commentary21:14 The Magic of Summer Blockbusters27:44 The Explosive Impact of Independence Day35:24 The Compelling Characters of Independence Day42:01 The Presidential Heroics01:02:43 Russell's Impactful Moment in the Movie

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5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Welcome to Franchise Addicts, a podcast covering every film in a given franchise. Hosts Luke and Chris are two friends and movie fanatics determined to find the greatest movie franchises in the history of film. From deep-dive thematic discussions to instant reactions on new releases, each episode breaks down what makes these franchises work, what doesn’t, and why we keep coming back. Part of the PodNation Media Network. Available on Roku, YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcasts.

Information

  • Creator
    Franchise Addicts
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    85
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Franchise Addicts
  • Show Website
    Franchise Addicts

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