IN THIS ISSUETHIS MONTH AT EMPIRETHE JOURNEY OF this month’s cover story began several months ago, with a sneak peek of a trailer, not yet released out into the world, on a studio lot in Los Angeles. As ‘This Old Heart Of Mine’ began to play and Jeff Bridges, dressed as a priest, turned his head to the camera, my pulse quickened with excitement and intrigue. This seemed to be, instantly, something very, very special. An instinct confirmed by a conversation with director Drew Goddard, who’d managed to set Hollywood buzzing with the script last year before pulling together one of the most impressive ensemble casts in recent memory. This isn’t a franchise, a tentpole, a returning character, a recurring universe. What it is, is an original film, from a singular filmmaker with a passionate,…1 min
IN THIS ISSUETHIS MONTH AT EMPIRETHE JOURNEY OF this month’s cover story began several months ago, with a sneak peek of a trailer, not yet released out into the world, on a studio lot in Los Angeles. As ‘This Old Heart Of Mine’ began to play and Jeff Bridges, dressed as a priest, turned his head to the camera, my pulse quickened with excitement and intrigue. This seemed to be, instantly, something very, very special. An instinct confirmed by a conversation with director Drew Goddard, who’d managed to set Hollywood buzzing with the script last year before pulling together one of the most impressive ensemble casts in recent memory. This isn’t a franchise, a tentpole, a returning character, a recurring universe. What it is, is an original film, from a singular filmmaker with a passionate,…1 min
IN THIS ISSUETALK TO USBREXIT BEGINSIt’s unfair to accuse The Dark Knight Rises of being politically tone-deaf for somehow dismissing the Occupy movement [Issue 353]. We were never meant to think Bane believed what he was telling the people about “taking back control”. Bane is the Trump/ Farage figure, paying lip service to the little guy, but dragging them to their doom.MICHAEL EDWARDS, VIA EMAILIf someone could put a Bane mask on Donald Trump and Nigel Farage so we can’t understand what they’re saying, that would be appreciated.Empire’s star letter wins a Picturehouse Membership, plus one for a friend! Valid for one year at 23 Picturehouse Cinemas across the UK, including the flagship Picturehouse Central in London’s West End, each membership comes pre-loaded with four free tickets, and gets you access to priority booking…2 min
PRE.VIEWThe light knightEMPIREEmpire spoke to Zachary Levi and director David F. Sandberg on 3 April.DARK. BROODING. GRITTY. All words you’d normally associate with DC Extended Universe films (Man Of Steel, Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad), all set to bounce off Shazam! like bullets pinging off its hero. The first trailer for David F. Sandberg’s movie, unveiled at San Diego Comic-Con in July, showed off a much breezier side to the superhero stable, with its magic-channelling hero charging people’s phones using his powers, striding out of a grocery shop with armfuls of snacks, and doing the floss dance. Try to picture Batfleck doing any of that.While he exists in the same world as Batman, Wonder Woman and co, Shazam is unlike any other DC character. Behind the hero moniker he’s really Philadelphia-based foster…2 min
PRE.VIEWPeriod goes punkEMPIREEmpire spoke to Olivia Colman at home on 10 August, taking a break from shooting The Crown Season 3.“IT GETS QUITE bonkers,” says Olivia Colman. “[At one point] there’s a naked bloke who gets pelted with a shitload of pomegranates.” The Favourite, it seems, isn’t your average period picture. “I love it. I don’t want to see costume drama unless Yorgos Lanthimos has done it. You can almost smell what it smelt like: the sweat, the putting the wee around everybody’s skirts. It’s sumptuous but stinky.”Set in 18th century England during a war with France, The Favourite sees Colman play Queen Anne, beset by clinical obesity and characterised by a huge temper, with the real governing left to her lover Sarah Churchill (Rachel Weisz). Their relationship is thrown into crisis…2 min
IN THIS ISSUETALK TO USBREXIT BEGINS It’s unfair to accuse The Dark Knight Rises of being politically tone-deaf for somehow dismissing the Occupy movement [Issue 353]. We were never meant to think Bane believed what he was telling the people about “taking back control”. Bane is the Trump/ Farage figure, paying lip service to the little guy, but dragging them to their doom. MICHAEL EDWARDS, VIA EMAIL If someone could put a Bane mask on Donald Trump and Nigel Farage so we can’t understand what they’re saying, that would be appreciated. Empire’s star letter wins a Picturehouse Membership, plus one for a friend! Valid for one year at 23 Picturehouse Cinemas across the UK, including the flagship Picturehouse Central in London’s West End, each membership comes pre-loaded with four free tickets, and gets you…2 min