The Playlist Podcast Network

John Woo’s unparalleled directing career is best known for blazing barrels, shadow selves and slow-motion “heroic bloodshed.” To celebrate the Hong Kong legend’s 75th birthday, we talk Woo's full arc with University of Houston film scholar Karen Fang. From there, we focus on a sweet spot in Woo’s oeuvre, when he maxed out his Hong Kong street operas with "Hard Boiled"(1992) and transitioned to inimitable American shoot-em-ups “Hard Target” (1993) and “Face/Off” (1997).

In this interview, we speak with Stefano Sollima, who is probably best known as the director of “Sicario 2: Day of the Soldado,” about his work on “Without Remorse,” what he prefers realistic action to "John Wick"-style gun-fu, and the possibility of a greater Amazon Tom Clancyverse, with a potential John Krasinski appearance down the line. 

In this spoiler-filled episode of The Playlist Podcast, director Kari Skogland talks about "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier," that new role for Anthony Mackie, the importance of Sebastian Stan’s Winter Soldier in Sam’s story, the political themes that are present, and of course, the recent news about “Captain America 4.”

“The Falcon and the Winter Soldier” has ended its six-episode run, crowning a new Captain America and drastically changing the status quo for a number of Marvel characters. And in a new episode of The Playlist Podcast, we’re finally discussing Marvel Studios' latest Disney+ series, “The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.” 

In this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we got a chance to speak with Eric Heisserer, the man behind Netflix's “Shadow & Bone,” as well as someone that has had his hands in a number of cinematic universes, including the failed Dark Universe and the current Valiant superhero film universe. And believe us, he knows a thing or two about quality world-building in cinema and TV.

For action film fans, the name Joe Taslim is already iconic. In “Mortal Kombat,” Taslim brings his action movie skills to a highly anticipated, big-budget video game adaptation. In this episode of The Playlist Podcast, we speak to none other than Joe Taslim about “Mortal Kombat,” “The Raid” ten years later, and why he’s not quite sure a Hollywood remake of Gareth Evans’ classic can actually be any good.

Video games are incredibly difficult to adapt into films and TV series. So, with the latest attempt by a major studio to break the video game film curse coming next week, “Mortal Kombat,” this episode of The Playlist Podcast offers up some ideas for adaptations that should actually get made, including a “Grand Theft Auto” anthology series, a “Dick Tracy”-esque “Punch-Out!!” and a hard-R “Super Mario Bros.”

On this episode of The Playlist Podcast, Charles, Mike, and Brian spend some time talking films with Ben Wheatley, the writer-director of the new horror film, “In the Earth.” He talks about making a horror film during lockdown, why he thinks "The Meg 2" is going to be great, and what forced him to step away from the upcoming "Tomb Raider 2." 

If you don't know Henry Selick by name, you certainly know his puppets. The Stop Motion guru behind "The Nightmare Before Christmas" (1993), "James and the Giant Peach" (1996) and "Coraline" (2009) has been capturing children's imaginations—and perhaps lovingly scarring them, too—for 30 years. On today's show we're joined by sculptor and constant Selick collaborator Damon Bard to reflect on a one-of-a-kind career.

In this episode of The Playlist Podcast, Charles, Mike, and Brian go down the list of every DC superhero film that is currently on the release schedule, in development, or previously discussed. This includes sequels for “Wonder Woman,” “Aquaman,” and “Shazam!” as well as brand-new franchises like “The Batman,” “Batgirl,” “Blue Beetle,” and various films/TV shows that JJ Abrams is overseeing. Needless to say, it’s an extensive list and there are some clear highlights, as well as some obvious stinkers.