Movies with Rhianna

Today we’re talking about Gladiator 2 with - would you believe it - the cast of Gladiator 2, namely Paul Mescal, Connie Nielsen and Denzel Washington, not forgetting relative newcomer Fred Hechinger (Eighth Grade, The White Lotus, The Fear Street series). You’ll hear them talk about working with the legend that is Ridley Scott, the joy of being in a swords and sandals epic, the legacy of the first film and what it’s like performing with a monkey. Yes, a monkey. One of the emperors has a monkey. Yes, there are two emperors. Just... enjoy.

Friend of the podcast Daisy Ridley stops by BBC Radio 1 towers to talk about her new film, Magpie, which she not only stars in but also produces, alongside her husband Tom Bateman, who also - checks notes - wrote the screenplay. It's a family affair, this one. It's also a neo-noir (as it goes) centring around an unhappily married couple (Ridley and Shazad Latif), their child and an alluring actress. Perhaps it's best if Daisy explains, which she does oh-so-eloquently early on in this episode. As well as Magpie, Ali and Daisy talk all sorts of other nonsense (as it often the way) including The Great British Bake Off and the most eccentric actor she's ever worked with. Let the guessing start... now.

Himesh Patel - star of Yesterday, Tenet and Good Grief - stops by BBC Radio 1 towers to chat with Ali about his new TV show, the behind-the-scenes-of-a-superhero-blockbuster comedy from Armando Iannucci, Sam Mendes and Jon Brown called ‘The Franchise’. Along the way, the pair talk about the new Hugh Grant horror film The Heretic, the pleasures of In The Loop and the joy of doing jigsaws with Richard E. Grant. Seriously.

For this very special episode of BBC Radio 1's Screen Time, Ali got to visit Framestore, the legendary visual effects house where - amongst other things - the preposterously charming Paddington is brought to life. So that bathtub down the stairs scene? The barbershop chicanery? The hair-raising train sequence from the end of Paddington 2? These guys. Speaking to producer Rosie Alison, VFX animation director Pablo Grillo and our new director Dougal Wilson (stepping into the shoes of Paul King, the man behind the first two Paddington films), Ali found out more about how everyone's favourite marmalade-loving bear ends up on our screens, makes us cry and leaves us really hankering for a particular kind of sandwich.

Friends of the podcast Clarisse Loughrey (The Independent's chief film critic) and Mike Muncer (of Evolution Of Horror podcast fame) stop by to talk about three things: Joker: Folie à Deux, The Wild Robot and, um, Smile 2. As you probably worked out from the title of the episode here. Plus, Naomi Scott (the star of Smile 2) also pops up towards the end to talk about the fun and games she enjoyed - sort of - on the set of the eagerly anticipated horror sequel.

Friend of the podcast - and star of the new Sky / Now serial killer darker-than-dark comedy drama Sweetpea - Ella Purnell returns to talk to Ali about playing Rhiannon, a character who often goes overlooked... until she starts taking things into her own hands. Murder-wise. A veteran of Fallout, and Yellowjackets before that (not forgetting Arcane), Ella is in a proper purple patch these days, and is on fine form as she discusses tackling such an interesting, angry, darkly funny character - as well as party games she likes to play with her mates. It's all about balance, eh?

When was the last time you went to your local cinema and watched a big, broad, people pleasing comedy? A Bridesmaids, a 22 Jump Street, A Step Brothers, a... Superbad? Stand-up comic and newfound friend of that there Ali Plumb, Rhys James, stops by the BBC Radio 1 studios to help answer that question as the pair look back on a movie that really delivered the laughs back in the day. That's right, Superbad. Pretty obvious from the title and the earlier mention but probably best to underline the point.

Sophie Turner stops by to talk about her new ITV jewel-thief TV show Joan this week as Ali, bless him, battles a little cough. Poor wee lad. But despite this appalling illness, he struggles on, giving you a fun conversation with the one-time star of Game Of Thrones and the recent run of X-Men movies, ending up talking about the perils of the '80s, putting on an American accent that in a way that the real-life Joan Hannington would approve of, as well as... Below Deck. Because... why not?

The always delightful Aimee Lou Wood returns to Radio 1's Screen Time to talk to Ali about her new BBC comedy Daddy Issues, a show where she stars alongside the legendary David Morrissey as a young mum forced to move in with the one person she never thought she would: her dad. Her dad who just so happens to not really have a clue about, well, anything. At all. Daddy Issues has already been renewed for a second series - bravo Danielle Ward and the whole team! - so whether you've already seen it or this is all new to you, please do enjoy this conversation with Aimee, go on.

Yes, it's September - and not October, to be clear - but somehow it's a good time to talk about the state of horror (trust us), what with Speak No Evil out and James McAvoy stopping by to talk about his pleasingly nasty, socially awkward horror hitting cinemas. So! As well as Mister McAvoy, we also have a "state of the nation" when it comes to the horror genre for you to enjoy. Helping Ali talk about the best scary movies of the past few years, as well as what we have to look forward to in the near future, Mike Muncer (the host of the Evolution Of Horror podcast) came along to Radio 1 towers to spill the spooky beans. Which is not a phrase and yet, well, here we are.

The not so good news: summer is starting the wrap up. You know, with the wind and the rain and the going back to school of it all... but! If you're a film fan, there are many reasons to be cheerful, with the next few months promising some VERY BIG and VERY EXCITING films, including some massive blockbuster sequels in the form of Paddington 3, Gladiator 2 and Joker Folie A Deux (to name but three) as well as indier, artier fare such as Nosferatu and Anora. Joining Ali to hop, skip and jump through just some of the movies worth looking forward to is Letterboxd's very own Ella Kemp, friend of the show and film festival fancier, who has all the info you need on those slightly under-the-radar films worth looking out for.

Friends of the show and fellow film superfans Clarisse Loughrey (of The Independent fame) and Ian Sandwell (of Digital Spy fame) join forces with our Ali once again to tackle some of the biggest - and smallest, to be honest - releases that have come our way over the past few weeks or so. Expect their thoughts on Kneecap, Trap, Alien Romulus, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare and plenty more as they hop, skip and jump through the likes of Oscar-worthy fare (Sing Sing) and... not-so-Oscar-worthy fare (Borderlands).

With well over a billion dollars under its belt, it's safe to say that Deadpool And Wolverine has been a big ol' success. It's reinvigorated the Marvel Cinematic Universe, made a lot of people laugh, made a lot of people scream (with delight), made a lot of people rush to the internet to work out all the Easter eggs and references and hat-tips. With just an hour (or so) to chat about the ins and outs of the r-rated odd couple action comedy, Ali and his fellow X-Fan Aoife Wilson do their level best to touch on all the key moments - in extremely spoilerific detail, to be clear - but know in their heart of hearts that they cannot do this film justice. There is just... too... much... stuff. You know, in a good way?

With xenomorphs back in cinemas, Ali and friend of the show Ian Nathan - who just so happens to have written the book / documentary on the subject, no big deal - sit down to discuss just why we love the original two Alien films so much. Plus, as a bonus, director of Alien Romulus (and fellow die hard Alien fan) Fede Álvarez stops by at the end with his thoughts on what makes the franchise’s facehuggers, flamethrowers and incredibly creepy eggs such an appealing combination.

As you'll have seen from the very last trailer - and let's be honest, from watching the movie itself - the wonderful Dafne Keen returns as Laura / X-23 in Deadpool And Wolverine, and was more than happy to chat to Ali (in spoilerific detail) about her time on set for this very special interview podcast, talking about working with the legendary Hugh Jackman once again and being unable to get her lines out in front of... well, you'll see. Okay, hear, sure, sure. And just to be absolutely, 100% very clear indeed: please make sure you've seen Deadpool And Wolverine before you listen to this because SPOILERS. Ahem. Apologies for the caps, but they felt necessary.

There's one big film in cinemas right now - okay, two, Twisters is still holding strong, let's give it some respect - but for a lot of us blockbuster botherers, it's all about Deadpool And Wolverine these days, so here we have Ali (and Clarisse and Ian)'s thoughts on Marvel's box office record-breaking return to form. Oh, and with some guy called Robert Downey Jr. somehow coming back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom (!!!?!??!?!!!!), that very much gets discussed as well, don't you worry...

Deadpool And Wolverine - undeniably the film of the summer - is finally, at long, long last, in cinemas. Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds have been doing all the press opportunities they can lay their claws / katanas on to drum up interest - and it's safe to say there are more than a few people out there keen to see their motion picture. The trouble is all the spoilers: the twists, turns and surprises inside the movie that Ali (and Hugh, and Ryan, and their director Shawn Levy) can't talk about... but obviously really want to. Here, then, is a spoiler-free interview special all about the film, the characters' legacies and the trick to getting Disney to release an R-rated film (oh my!).

The week before Deadpool And Wolverine hits cinemas, Ali sits down with friend of the show Aoife Wilson - the excellent and much-admired gaming journalist, as well as die-hard X-Men fan - to finally dig into the other big mutant release, X-Men '97. Critically acclaimed and a reminder that these characters have enormous potential on the big screen, the show has been heralded as one of the best things Marvel has made in quite some time: so here we are to discuss just that in SPOILERIFIC details, as well as the rumours the Russos might be returning to the MCU fold and which X-Man's powers would be the toughest to actually live with...

What a collection of films we have for you this week: a critically-adored chiller in the form of Nic Cage's Longlegs (from the mind of Osgood Perkins), the fourth in the Despicable Me series (but the sixth in the franchise) and the return of Axel Foley, only this time... he's on Netflix. Hopping back onto the mic to help Ali tackle all these - and some of the biggest news stories of the week - is friend of the podcast and The Independent's chief film critic, Clarisse Loughrey, who just so happens to be a massive history buff and has many, many thoughts on the Gladiator II trailer for you...

It's July. How is it July? And yet... it is. So now seems like a good time to bring back friend of the podcast - and professional TV critic, as heard on BBC Radio Five Live and elsewhere - Scott Bryan to check in on his favourite TV shows of the year so far. Somehow his list doesn't feature Shogun, which is definitely controversial (and he knows it). Also! As more than a bit of a bonus we have Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Lionel Boyce talking about The Bear as its third series drops in the UK on Disney+ - and Ali does his best not to watch all of it in just one evening / sitting.