Best Merlin Mann Podcasts (2025)

1
The Convergence Is Here (ft. Gareth Evans, Christian Gudegast, and Gavin O'Connor), And Mount Rushmoreapalooza 1:55:20

1d ago1:55:20

1:55:20

It was foretold by the Ancient Ones: The Convergence (or Gunvergence, if you will), the day on which three absolutely slamming action movies will be released at the same time in the UK (albeit on different formats), ushering in a new era of sweaty dad bods, car chases, and many scenes where people die in a hail of bullets. And that day is today, fo…

1
The Shameless Plug #2 — The June Issue 31:57

8h ago31:57

31:57

The Shameless Plug returns, folks, for a second glorious episode in which Chris Hewitt and Empire editor, Nick de Semlyen, sit down in the podbooth and tell you how (and why) the sausage is made. That sausage being the new issue of Empire, which is on sale now in all good, evil, and virtual newsagents. Our dynamic duo talk through the month's big c…

1
Ep. 576: "The Lightest Possible Acquaintment"

5d ago

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The Problem: Nobody puts John in a corner. (Recorded on Monday, April 21, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
420: ‘The Best Hatched Plan’, With Glenn Fleishman 2:08:24

4d ago2:08:24

2:08:24

Special guest Glenn Fleishman returns to the show for episode 420 on 4/20, but everyone’s sober, I swear. Topics include Trump’s dumb tariffs and Glenn’s smart new edition of his book Six Centuries of Type & Printing. Sponsored by: Squarespace: Make your next move. Use code talkshow for 10% off your first order. Notion: Try the powerful, easy-to-us…

1
B J And The Bear (1978) 1:07:00

8d ago1:07:00

1:07:00

Episode 391 is B J And The Bear (1978) "The Foundlings" Part 1 B. J. McKay, a guitar-playing independent trucker who travels with a fun-loving chimpanzee named Bear, finds himself caught up with a bunch of young women trying to flee a white slaver who happens to be the local sheriff.By Brian Sear

1
Easter Guestapalooza (Steve Coogan, Jonathan Pryce, Ray Mendoza, Alex Garland, Ludwig Göransson, Osgood Perkins), Movie Musicals, And The Oscars' Latest Stunt 1:59:21

9d ago1:59:21

1:59:21

This week's Empire Podcast (episode 664 if you're keeping score!) is more packed with goodness than your average Easter egg. Not only do Chris Hewitt, Helen O'Hara, and Alex Godfrey get into a discussion about what exactly makes a musical a musical (along with an impromptu visit to a certain mountain), but they tackle the week's movie news, includi…

1
Ep. 575: "An Introverted Muppet"

12d ago

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The Problem: The Oregon coast’s lousy with grandchildren of loggers. (Recorded on Monday, April 14, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
Kevin Macdonald on One To One: John & Yoko — An Empire Podcast Interview Special 29:25

15d ago29:25

29:25

Kevin Macdonald's latest documentary, One To One: John & Yoko, is out now in cinemas around the UK, folks, and it's well worth your time for anyone with even a passing interest in John Lennon and his wife, Yoko Ono, and their lives after The Beatles split up. But if you're a Beatlemaniac, this is manna from heaven as it not only brings you remaster…

1
Ralph Fiennes & Juliette Binoche, Rami Malek & Laurence Fishburne, Christopher Landon, Movie Weddings, And Helen Returns! 1:57:56

16d ago1:57:56

1:57:56

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast is jam-packed etc. etc. Bumper-sized, and so on and so forth. But it's true, perhaps this week more than ever as Chris Hewitt sits down for chats with two pairs — first, there's Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, who reunite almost 30 years after The English Patient for this week's Odyssey-sampling drama, …

1
Ep. 574: "Big Strong Man"

19d ago

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The Problem: It’s a little late for a clean open. (Recorded on Monday, April 7, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
Will Poulter, Amber Midthunder, Beatles, Avengers, And Farewell To Val Kilmer 1:40:20

23d ago1:40:20

1:40:20

This week's Empire Podcast sees the long-awaited return of one of our favourite guests, the wonderful British actor Will Poulter, who talks to Chris Hewitt about his role in the new movie, Death Of A Unicorn, playing a prize A-hole, and impromptu tongue-twisters. [20:38 - 33:28 approx]Another returning guest joins us this week, as the delightful Am…

1
George MacKay, Irwin Winkler, And The Avengers Doomsday Cast Announcement 1:59:44

29d ago1:59:44

1:59:44

We start on a director's chair. We pull back to reveal its back. On it is emblazoned a name. That name? George MacKay, the wonderful star of this week's thought-provoking original movie musical, Joshua Oppenheimer's The End, who pops into the podbooth to have a good old natter [from 30:49 - 48:20 approx] with... We pull back. It's another director'…

1
The Shameless Plug #1 — The May 2025 Issue 34:25

28d ago34:25

34:25

Welcome to The Shameless Plug, a brand new Empire Podcast regular show, folks. As the title suggests, every month Chris Hewitt will sit down with Empire editor, Nick de Semlyen, for a deep dive into the latest issue of Empire, bringing you the stories behind the stories and covering everything including the cover. This month's cover feature is Thun…

1
Ep. 573: "The First Pancake"

1M ago

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The Problem: You can only tape it back together once. (Recorded on Monday, March 24, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
419: ‘Podcasting Technology Cadence’, With MG Siegler 2:28:58

1M ago2:28:58

2:28:58

MG Siegler returns to the show to talk about the drama surrounding Siri and Apple Intelligence. Sponsored by: WorkOS: The modern identity platform for B2B SaaS — free up to 1 million monthly active users. Check out their latest features from Launch Week. BetterHelp: Give online therapy a try at BetterHelp and get on your way to being your best self…

1
The Day Of The TriffIds (1981) 45:14

1M ago45:14

45:14

Episode 390 is The DayOf The Triffids (1981) "Episode 1" Bill, who works at a farm for deadly plants called triffids, was temporarily blinded by one of them and is now in hospital. The hour approaches for the bandages over his eyes to come off, but a strange silence pervades the room.By Brian Sear

1
Barry Levinson, Gints Zilbalodis, Snakes On A Podcast, And The Convergence 1:43:06

1M ago1:43:06

1:43:06

It's another bumper-sized edition of the Empire Podcast this week, folks, in which Chris Hewitt sits down on Zoom with the legendary director, Barry Levinson, on the eve of the release of his new gangster movie, The Alto Knights, starring Robert De Niro, Robert De Niro and Robert De Niro's dogs. [23:31 - 40:13 approx] Then, we also hear from Gints …

1
Hans Zimmer And Paul Dugdale: An Empire Podcast Interview Special 32:15

1M ago32:15

32:15

This week sees the release of Hans Zimmer And Friends: Diamond In The Desert, a concert film like no other, which captures the great Hans Zimmer and his band in full flow in Dubai, and also intersperses a number of revealing interviews Zimmer conducted with the likes of Christopher Nolan, Zendaya, Billie Eilish, Pharrell Williams, Denis Villeneuve,…

1
Ep. 572: "The Good One"

1M ago

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The Problem: She gave John Social Security glasses. (Recorded on Monday, March 17, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
The Swiss Family Robinson (1974) 49:24

1M ago49:24

49:24

Episode 389 is The Swiss Family Robinson (1974) "The Arrival"In 1801, a family from Switzerland is shipwrecked on a deserted tropical island. All wash ashore safely except their younger son Franz, who is presumed dead.By Brian Sear

1
Millie Bobby Brown & Chris Pratt, Michael Fassbender & Marisa Abela, Best Fourth Parts, And The Number 12 1:45:28

1M ago1:45:28

1:45:28

Welcome to episode 659 (yes, we're keeping count) of The Empire Podcast, folks. And it's a belter, as Chris Hewitt sits down on Zoom with The Electric State's Millie Bobby Brown and Chris Pratt to talk about their favourite Russo brother, accents, and which one will attend the parade if/when Liverpool win this year's Premier League title. [23:34 -3…

1
Ep. 571: "Cannery Girls"

2M ago

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The Problem: The Scottish Pound is not a euphemism. (Recorded on Monday, March 10, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
Lucan (1977) 1:16:17

2M ago1:16:17

1:16:17

Episode 388 is Lucan (1977) "Pilot" A 20-year old who spent the first 10 years of his life running wild in the forest after being raised by predatory animals now strikes out on his own in search of his identity.By Brian Sear

1
418: ‘Putting a Stink on the Letter X’, With Craig Hockenberry 2:42:03

2M ago2:42:03

2:42:03

Craig Hockenberry returns to the show. Topics include Apple’s new hardware this week — M3 iPad Airs, A16 regular iPads, M4 MacBook Airs, and the M4 Max and surprising M3 Ultra Mac Studios. And we go deep on The Iconfactory’s years-in-the-making new app, Tapestry — a universal timeline for the Internet. Exclusively sponsored by: Google Gemini: Chat …

1
Jack Huston, Bong Joon Ho, The Oscars, and The Greatness Of Gene Hackman 1:50:16

2M ago1:50:16

1:50:16

This week's Empire Podcast features two cracking interviews with two directors at different stages of their career. First, actor-turned-director Jack Huston sits down on Zoom and tells Chris Hewitt how he managed to make his directorial debut, the black-and-white drama Day Of The Fight, recruiting Joe Pesci for a supporting role, and the influence …

1
Ep. 570: "Oregon Grapes"

2M ago

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The Problem: You can only put so much ham on the boat. (Recorded on Monday, March 3, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
Mr Merlin (1981) 57:33

2M ago57:33

57:33

Episode 387 is Mr Merlin (1981) "Pilot" Merlin, who nowadays operates an auto mechanics shop, meets Zac, who he takes on as his new apprentice in both sorcery and fixing cars.By Brian Sear

1
Pamela Anderson, Naomi Ackie, And Farewell To Gene Hackman 1:37:19

2M ago1:37:19

1:37:19

Don't call it a comeback. This week's episode of the Empire Podcast sees Pamela Anderson, star of Baywatch and Barb Wire, sit down with Alex Godfrey to tell him about how Gia Coppola's The Last Showgirl has given her a second chance in Hollywood. [23:46 - 38:29 approx] Our other interview sees Mickey 17 (out next Friday, fact fans!) star Naomi Acki…

1
417: ‘Nothing Is Possible’, With Paul Kafasis 2:00:43

2M ago2:00:43

2:00:43

Special guest: Paul Kafasis. Special topics: Siri/Super Bowl nonsense, “Gulf of Mexico/America” nonsense, the iPhone 16e gets announced, and a veritable Bond villain buys the rights to the James Bond movie franchise. Sponsored by: Listen Later: Turn articles into podcasts and listen on the go, with AI-powered narration. Unofficial but surprisingly …

1
Tatiana Maslany, Stephen King Adaptations, And What's Up With Bond? 1:35:29

2M ago1:35:29

1:35:29

After the guestapaloozas of recent weeks, we're back to just one guest on this week's Empire Podcast. But what a guest it is, as the great Tatiana Maslany, star of the new Stephen King adaptation The Monkey, pops up on Zoom to talk with Chris Hewitt about death and Comedy Bang Bang. [25:00 - 43:07 approx] In the podbooth, Chris is joined by Helen O…

1
Disney+ original series A Thousand Blows: An Empire and Pilot TV Podcast Special 54:30

2M ago54:30

54:30

Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight heads to the mean streets of Victorian London for A Thousand Blows on Disney+, and what better way to celebrate than with a special Pilot TV/Empire crossover podcast? Chris Hewitt, James Dyer and Kay Ribeiro get under the skin of Knight’s latest period piece, which combines bare-knuckle boxing with organised cri…

1
Sheena Queen of the Jungle 50:58

2M ago50:58

50:58

Episode 386 is Sheena Queen Of The Jungle (1955) "Crash in the Jungle" Sheena rescues bush pilot Andy Howard, when his plane crashes in the jungle. Andy was delivering film containing rare footage of a secretive native tribe that had been filmed by Clare Graham, a documentary film maker. Andy is convinced that his plane was sabotaged…

1
Harrison Ford; Renee Zellweger, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall; Danny Ramirez 1:58:59

2M ago1:58:59

1:58:59

It's a brave new world for the Empire Podcast this week, folks, as Chris Hewitt welcomes a quintet (not to be confused with a Quinjet, although a couple of them might have access to one) of amazing guests. From the latest MCU film, Captain America: Brave New World, Chris first chats to Danny Ramirez, aka Joaquin Torres, aka the new Falcon, about fo…

1
Ep. 569: "The Legend of Numb Foot"

3M ago

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The Problem: John is a pile of dirty clothes. (Recorded on Monday, February 10, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
Tracker (2001) 1:03:48

3M ago1:03:48

1:03:48

Episode 385 is Tracker (2001) "Pilot" The guard's prison comes to Earth. He creates a body out of a billboard. He's dazed and disoriented, he encounters Mel who offers him a ride. The guard must now track down all the alien prisoners.By Brian Sear

1
Ke Huy Quan, John Magaro, Chris Sanders, And The Shrek Is Broken 1:56:39

3M ago1:56:39

1:56:39

Another bumper-sized edition of the Empire Podcast this week, as Chris Hewitt sits down on Zoom for chats with a trio of terrific talents. First, there's Ke Huy Quan on Love Hurts, the action movie that represents his first lead role, and first movie since winning an Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once. [17:33 - 34:18 approx] Then there's J…

1
Ep. 568: "Imaginary Pipe"

3M ago

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The Problem: A friend could be a duck. (Recorded on Monday, February 3, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

1
Angelina Jolie, Jason Reitman, David Jonsson & An SNL Mount Rushmore 1:59:52

3M ago1:59:52

1:59:52

It's another bumper, jam-packed edition of the Empire Podcast this week, folks! The great Angelina Jolie heads up our trio of amazing guests, as she talks to John Nugent about taking on the challenge of playing the legendary opera singer, Maria Callas, in Pablo Larrain's Maria. [20:48 - 34:02 approx] Plus, Chris Hewitt has a fascinating chat with J…

1
Thriller (1973) 1:14:06

3M ago1:14:06

1:14:06

Episode 384 is Thriller (1973) "Lady Killer" A shy, lonely American girl marries a charming man she meets while on vacation in England, unaware that he has sinister plans for her.By Brian Sear

1
Michelle Yeoh, Adrien Brody: Oscar Winners And Oscar Nominations 1:47:21

3M ago1:47:21

1:47:21

This week's episode of the Empire Podcast brings you not one but two Oscar winners, as first Chris Hewitt sits down with Michelle Yeoh to talk about her new Star Trek movie, Section 31, and how the Best Actress Oscar for Everything Everywhere All At Once changed her life [20:56 - 36:39 approx]; then, John Nugent has a fascinating chat with The Brut…

1
Ep. 567: "A High Teen"

3M ago

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The Problem: It was something they had a fifth-hand memory of. (Recorded on Monday, January 20, 2025.) Support Roderick on the Line on Patreon.By Merlin Mann

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