The Playlist Podcast Showbiz and Celebrity Breaking News

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Have you ever thought what it would be like to see something like “Ghostbusters” but through the eyes of filmmaker Joe Cornish? If so, you’re in luck! “Lockwood & Co.” is a new Netflix series about people busting ghosts, but in an alternate grim version of London. Best of all, Joe Cornish is the showrunner of the new series.

Joe Cornish‘s Netflix series “Lockwood & Co.” premieres on the streamer today, the English comedian and filmmaker’s first foray into TV. And to celebrate, The Playlist interviewed Cornish for an upcoming episode of The Playlist Podcast.

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.

Every now and then, a film comes along that proves word-of-mouth marketing can be a powerful tool. Even though we are just beginning 2023, we already have an example of a film that has earned so much buzz without a hint of marketing, the indie horror film, “Skinamarink.” And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, I got the chance to speak with Kyle Edward Ball, the writer-director of what some people are calling the scariest film of all time, “Skinamarink.” READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2023 For those who haven’t heard of “Skinamarink,” the most basic description is to say it’s an experimental horror film about two children who wake up to find their father is missing and all of the doors and windows in their house have disappeared.

When people talk about fighter pilot movies from the past year, many will probably think about “Top Gun: Maverick.” And though that film is great, there’s another fighter pilot film out now that might actually be, dare I say, better? That movie is “Devotion,” directed by J.D. Dillard.

When people talk about fighter pilot movies from the past year, many will probably think about “Top Gun: Maverick.” And though that film is great, there’s another fighter pilot film out now that might actually be, dare I say, better? That movie is “Devotion,” directed by J.D. Dillard.

Here at The Playlist, we’ve written quite a few year-end, Best Of lists to close out 2022. Everything from Best Films and Best TV Series (obviously) to Best Posters, Best Cinematography, Best Scores, and even Guilty Pleasures.

There were a lot of questions going into the release of Marvel Studios’ “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever.” How would the sequel deal with the sudden passing of Chadwick Boseman, the franchise’s leader? Who is going to suit up as the new Black Panther? And do we really need a villain with pointy ears and winged ankles? Thankfully, Ryan Cooger and his fantastic cast have once again delivered a “Black Panther” film that answers all those questions a whole lot more.

If there are two things you probably know about Taran Killam, it’s that he is a really funny guy and he absolutely loves Los Angeles Rams football.

War films hold a special place in the history of film. Nearly since the beginning of the medium, filmmakers have been using film to show the horrors of war.

Paul Feig is a household name in the genre of comedy. From creating series such as “Freaks and Geeks” to directing massive hit films like “Bridesmaids” and “Spy,” Feig has really become one of the best comedic directors of the past couple of decades.

We said we wouldn’t do it. When we sat down and watched the entire “Halloween” franchise (12 films!) in a week to rank them before “Halloween Ends,” we said we didn’t need to discuss the finale because it was probably going to be just fine and exactly what we expected would happen.

Found footage filmmaking is now one of the pillars of the horror genre. This Halloween season, Joseph and Vanessa Winter are a filmmaking duo with not one, but two brand-new found footage horror films arriving on screens, with their directorial debut, “Deadstream,” and a segment in the recent anthology, “V/H/S/99.” And in this episode of The Playlist Podcast, I got the chance to speak with the directors about the literal blood, sweat, and tears that went into bringing these projects to life.

Way before the Marvel Cinematic Universe showed that superheroes and kids franchises could be record-breaking box office hits. Even before “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” showed that film adaptations of children’s toys and cartoons could work.

Cringe comedy is a tough genre to crack. If you go too far, you can make an audience lose interest and not laugh at the absurdity.

Episode 4 of Marvel Studios’ “Ms. Marvel” series was a change of pace for the show.