Film Stories with Simon Brew
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- 23. Okt. 2026
Über den Podcast
Film Stories with Simon Brew is a podcast that looks to dig into the stories behind popular movies.From troubled productions, to rights issues, to difficulties with release to films nearly falling apart, the podcast will be looking at the stories that don't always seem apparent when watching a movie!The podcast is hosted by Simon Brew, the founder of Den Of Geek. Support the podcast at www.patreon.com/simonbrew. Thank you!
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Folgen 495
In conversation with Roy Conli - Hexed, Disney, Strange World, Treasure Planet and more
Oscar-winning producer Roy Conli is a veteran of Disney animation, having produced or being involved with the likes of Big Hero 6, Strange World, Treasure Planet, Tangled and more. Sporting the finest facial …
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Oscar-winning producer Roy Conli is a veteran of Disney animation, having produced or being involved with the likes of Big Hero 6, Strange World, Treasure Planet, Tangled and more. Sporting the finest facial hair in Hollywood, he headed to London to present footage from Disney's upcoming animated feature Hexed.
He's appeared on the podcast before, and he's back for a special episode as he looks forward to Hexed, reflects on Strange World, and fails to repay Simon the £3 he owes him.
If you like this independent podcast, please like and subscribe. Support me at www.patreon.com/simonbrew
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Batman (1989), the bizarre late rewrite, and the turning point for blockbuster cinema
If you didn't live through the Batmania surrounding 1989's Batman, it's hard to overstate just what a seismic shift it felt like in mainstream cinema. But also, it's easy to overlook as well that the journey of …
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If you didn't live through the Batmania surrounding 1989's Batman, it's hard to overstate just what a seismic shift it felt like in mainstream cinema. But also, it's easy to overlook as well that the journey of the film to the screen took a good decade, with lots of problems in landing its tone, a big backlash against its casting, and various directors taking a look.
The actual making of the film was then fraught, with a script that needed small tweaks then being overhauled. Then the mysterious $100,000 prop that needed to be written in, the late re-casting - and the marketing campaign that changed so much.
If you like this podcast, please please please subscribe, leave a nice review, that sort of thing. It really helps independents. Thank you.
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The Last Boy Scout (1991), the film nobody seemed to enjoy making, plus Steve Oram
The sale of Shane Black's The Last Boy Scout screenplay for a then-eyewatering $1.75m (and that wasn't even the highest bid!) set Hollywood alight. It also virtually guaranteed at the time that the film would …
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The sale of Shane Black's The Last Boy Scout screenplay for a then-eyewatering $1.75m (and that wasn't even the highest bid!) set Hollywood alight. It also virtually guaranteed at the time that the film would get made.
When it did? The reunion of Bruce Willis and Joel Silver seemed like a good idea after their Die Hard successes. Tony Scott as director? That should work. They'll all get on like a house on fire, right? Er...
In the second part of this episode, writer, actor, director, comedian and Midlander Steve Oram joins Simon to chat about his role in the indie film Crushed, which is available on digital now. A bit of Sightseers sneaks in too.
As always, if you like this independent podcast, please do subscribe and leave a nice review. Thank you.
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In conversation with writer/director Brian Duffield | Whalefall, sperm whales, del Toro and more
In a special episode of Film Stories, writer/director Brian Duffield chats to Simon about his brand new movie, Whalefall. Well, not just that. The pair also natter about The Muppets, about working in a clothing …
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In a special episode of Film Stories, writer/director Brian Duffield chats to Simon about his brand new movie, Whalefall. Well, not just that. The pair also natter about The Muppets, about working in a clothing factory, just what happened with Jane Got A Gun, the story of Guillermo del Toro and Stephen King noticing No One Will Save You, and a whole lot more...!
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In conversation with Aaron Sorkin
Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin joins Simon for an elongated chat about The Social Reckoning, Facebook, compromised reviewers, and how the pair would overhaul the James Bond saga.Plus! There's chatter about old film …
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Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin joins Simon for an elongated chat about The Social Reckoning, Facebook, compromised reviewers, and how the pair would overhaul the James Bond saga.
Plus! There's chatter about old film magazines, about making stories based on true people, plus Aaron Sorkin chats too about those times when Jerry Bruckheimer gives him a call...
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Quantum Of Solace, the rushed Bond, plus indie director Brenda Lee
In a huge episode of Film Stories, Simon digs into the story of Daniel Craig's second adventure as James Bond, Quantum Of Solace. Originally set to come out just 18 months or so after 2006's Casino Royale, the …
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In a huge episode of Film Stories, Simon digs into the story of Daniel Craig's second adventure as James Bond, Quantum Of Solace. Originally set to come out just 18 months or so after 2006's Casino Royale, the speedy turnaround saw one director leave, a writer's strike curtail the script. Daniel Craig picking up a pen, and a handful of weeks to turn around a final cut.
Then, for the second part of this episode, indie director Brenda Lee chats about her new film, Fortune Cookies, and how she turned down the idea of getting it sent to Ang Lee to make it herself...
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In conversation with former Carolco CEO Peter M Hoffman
Peter M Hoffman has had a very, very storied career. From working with Alexander Salkind on the original Superman movies, through to Cannon Films and Carolco, it was his tax specialism that saw him rise to …
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Peter M Hoffman has had a very, very storied career. From working with Alexander Salkind on the original Superman movies, through to Cannon Films and Carolco, it was his tax specialism that saw him rise to prominence in Hollywood.
But his story took one hell of a turn, as he discusses in this special episode of Film Stories, and in his new book, Karmic Winds: Reflections From The 'Smartest Guy In Hollywood'...
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The Inbetweeners Movie (2011), and the incredibly fast turnaround of a box office giant
The road to The Inbetweeners Movie was a fairly swift one. Even while the hit British TV comedy was bringing in big ratings for E4, its creators - Iain Morris and Damon Beesley - were filing away ideas for an …
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The road to The Inbetweeners Movie was a fairly swift one. Even while the hit British TV comedy was bringing in big ratings for E4, its creators - Iain Morris and Damon Beesley - were filing away ideas for an eventual movie.
When the opportunity came, time was not on its side: filming had to begun just six months before The Inbetweeners Movie was due in cinemas. It turns out too that if you're looking to shoot a movie set in the middle of summer, March isn't necessarily the best time to do it. Simon Brew tells the story...
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Adam Randall on directing Slow Horses, his mystery IMDB film, and Gary Oldman's text messages
In a special episode of Film Stories, Simon Brew turns to his attentention to the Apple TV show Slow Horses, which has just returned for its sixth season. The man directing season 6, as he did season 4, is Adam …
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In a special episode of Film Stories, Simon Brew turns to his attentention to the Apple TV show Slow Horses, which has just returned for its sixth season. The man directing season 6, as he did season 4, is Adam Randall.
He chats to Simon about landing the Slow Horses job, making the first film for Netflix UK many years ago, the IMDB movie with Miles Teller that he's linked with but has never heard of, and a whole lot more...
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James Cameron's Titanic (1997), the two battling studios, and drugs in the chowder
James Cameron knew as he pitched Titanic to 20th Century Fox that it wasn't likely to be as commercial a film as the one he'd just done, True Lies. The budget was set to be lower, the release date was initially …
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James Cameron knew as he pitched Titanic to 20th Century Fox that it wasn't likely to be as commercial a film as the one he'd just done, True Lies. The budget was set to be lower, the release date was initially set for just a year after the start of filming, and there was to be no song.
What happened changed his career and many others. From the unhappy crew member drugging the food table, to press reports of a production out of control, Simon Brew digs into the extraordinary story behind one of the biggest movies of all time...
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Interview special with Oscar winner Susanne Bier (Practical Magic 2) and producer Ken Petrie (Sunny Dancer and more)
Two different creatives share their film stories in this special episode of the podcast!First up, Oscar-winner Susanne Bier talked to Simon the day after the Practical Magic 2 premiere in London. The pair …
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Two different creatives share their film stories in this special episode of the podcast!
First up, Oscar-winner Susanne Bier talked to Simon the day after the Practical Magic 2 premiere in London. The pair natter about the the film, about the set build, and what Susanne is up to next.
And then producer Ken Petrie joins, a man who's had an unusual journey to film producing. Just how do you get from doing the pytotechnics at a Katherine Jenkins Christmas show, to producing the acclaimed indie comedy Sunny Dancer?
You'll hear both conversations in this episode...
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Parenthood, the plane trip that led to the film, plus a lovely chat with Robert Carlyle
1989's Parenthood started life on a long haul flight. Director Ron Howard would tell of how 'testing' it was to do such a journey with kids in tow, and soon, he realised there was a film in it. But it'd be a …
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1989's Parenthood started life on a long haul flight. Director Ron Howard would tell of how 'testing' it was to do such a journey with kids in tow, and soon, he realised there was a film in it. But it'd be a movie where he, producer Brian Grazer, and writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, would end up mining their personal lives. Plus, it was going to need one hell of an ensemble cast.
For the second part of this episode, Simon is joined by Robert Carlyle, who has just directed for the third time. Fittingly, it's a short film called three, and Robert talks about why he made it, how it differered from his other directing film, plus the importance of putting the bins out...
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In conversation with Michael Sarnoski - The Death Of Robin Hood, Death Stranding, Pig, and videogames
In UK cinemas now is the third film from writer/director Michael Sarnoski, The Death Of Robin Hood. Headlined by Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer, it's a hugely ambitious independent movie, with a very different …
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In UK cinemas now is the third film from writer/director Michael Sarnoski, The Death Of Robin Hood. Headlined by Hugh Jackman and Jodie Comer, it's a hugely ambitious independent movie, with a very different spin on a well-known character.
Sarnoski joined Simon Brew for a Film Stories special, chatting about the movie, about filming in Northern Ireland, about the weather, and about shooting on film.
Plus, the pair talking about working with Nicolas Cage on Pig, an assortment of videogames, Sarnoski's upcoming Death Stranding movie, and the deadly nature of Split Fiction...
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Bill And Ted's Bogus Journey, the title that had to change, plus a chat with William Sadler and Alex Winter too
With Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure already playing in cinemas, plans moved quickly for a sequel. Originally entitled Bill & Ted Go To Hell, the movie that became Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey survived the …
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With Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure already playing in cinemas, plans moved quickly for a sequel. Originally entitled Bill & Ted Go To Hell, the movie that became Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey survived the financial problems of the studio behind it, and brought in a first-time director, with a really tight schedule to turn the film around.
In the first part of this episode, Simon tells the story of the film. In the second, he's joined by two of its stars, Alex Winter and William Sadler, to put their side of things.
Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey has just made its 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray debut in the UK, courtesy of Arrow.
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Speed (1994), the lack of Speed 3, plus director Dave Green on the Coyote Vs Acme saga
1994's Speed may now be regarded as an action classic, but the original idea was a bus that didn't go above 20mph, in a film called Minimum Speed. Sat for a late summer release in 1994, things changed after a …
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1994's Speed may now be regarded as an action classic, but the original idea was a bus that didn't go above 20mph, in a film called Minimum Speed. Sat for a late summer release in 1994, things changed after a really successful test screening - and Keanu Reeves' haircut! - but it'd gone over a lot of hurdles to get to that point.
Plus: where's Speed 3?!
In the second half of this episode, director Dave Green joins Simon to chat about the terrific Coyote Vs Acme, a film that very, very nearly didn't exist...
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In conversation with Adam Shankman - Stop That Train, the Oscars, Hairspray and more
Director Adam Shankman shot the joyously entertaining Stop! That! Train! in under three weeks, and it arrives in cinemas this very weekend in the UK.In this special Film Stories interview, he talks to Simon …
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Director Adam Shankman shot the joyously entertaining Stop! That! Train! in under three weeks, and it arrives in cinemas this very weekend in the UK.In this special Film Stories interview, he talks to Simon Brew about getting the film made, as well as his time producing the Oscars, the short film that got him started, Hairspray, and an upcoming Christmas movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger too...
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Licence To Kill (1989), plus Toby Kebbell on Dead Man's Shoes and more
James Bond 007 took a grittier turn with 1989's Licence To Kill, an adventure that was the first and only Bond film very specifically written for Timothy Dalton.It was an attempt to turn Bond grittier, and …
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James Bond 007 took a grittier turn with 1989's Licence To Kill, an adventure that was the first and only Bond film very specifically written for Timothy Dalton.
It was an attempt to turn Bond grittier, and would mark the end of an era for many involved in the saga. Plus, it would end up doing box office battles with some tougher than expected competition.
For the second half of this episode, Simon is talking Dead Man's Shoes with actor Toby Kebbell, for whom it marked his first film apperance. The movie is finally available on Blu-ray for the first time, and Toby is not short of stories about it...
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Film Stories Live: with Mark Kermode in Cornwall
Up front, you can find Simon's tour dates at www.filmstories.co.uk/live.Simon Brew has been touring the UK with Film Stories in 2026, and in June 2026, he landed at the lovely Plaza Cinema in Truro. There, for …
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Up front, you can find Simon's tour dates at www.filmstories.co.uk/live.
Simon Brew has been touring the UK with Film Stories in 2026, and in June 2026, he landed at the lovely Plaza Cinema in Truro. There, for an hour and half, he and Mark Kermode talked movies. And lots of them.
In this special recording, you can hear the pair talk about dentistry, John Travola, Event Horizon, The Devils, The Exorcist II, Howard The Duck, Masters Of The Universe and a whole lot more...
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Carlito's Way, a film it took ten attempts to make
Brian De Palma's 1993 movie Carlito's Way was not a box office success. De Palma managed to predict the critical reaction to the film, reacted to studio notes saying it was too long by making it longer, and had …
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Brian De Palma's 1993 movie Carlito's Way was not a box office success. De Palma managed to predict the critical reaction to the film, reacted to studio notes saying it was too long by making it longer, and had to retool the finale action sequence very late in the day.
Even getting it to filming was a challenge - and the option to the source books would be taken out ten different times before Carlito's Way finally made it to production....!
The story is told in this episode. Please subscribe, leave nice reviews, and don't annoy Benny Blanco from the Bronx...
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Dances With Wolves (1990), plus its three different cuts...
Kevin Costner gambled hard on making a three hour western, a third of which wasn't in the English language. He turned down roles in The Hunt For Red October and Presumed Innocent to take the risk of making …
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Kevin Costner gambled hard on making a three hour western, a third of which wasn't in the English language. He turned down roles in The Hunt For Red October and Presumed Innocent to take the risk of making Dances With Wolves. And while history tells it as a masterstroke, in the months leading up to the release, it looked anything but.
In this episode, Simon digs into the story of the film, the fact that it was millions short of its modest budget when shooting began... and now, the tale of three different cuts of Dances With Wolves too.
If you like this independent podcast, made in a small room in the West Midlands here in the UK, please leave a nice review and subscribe. If you really like it, head over to www.patreon.com/simonbrew too.
Thank you so much for listening.
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Howard The Duck (1986) and the first Marvel movie, plus Terri White
I hear you, folks! Do more Marvel films? Gotcha! Let's go back to 1986, and Howard The Duck, the stunning-ish George Lucas-produced film of the subversive comic book character.Howard The Duck would become …
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I hear you, folks! Do more Marvel films? Gotcha! Let's go back to 1986, and Howard The Duck, the stunning-ish George Lucas-produced film of the subversive comic book character.
Howard The Duck would become notable on its release, but its production alone would have been worth the stories. Malfunctioning ducks, cigars, tonal conversations, George Lucas' chosen director passing on the film, and a fallout in the Universal boardroom afterwards? The making of is just as odd as the film.
Then! For the second part of this episode, live from Simon's recent show in Manchester, former Empire editor Terri White in conversation about Armageddon, regional cinema, and the Rocky franchise.
For more live shows - and print magazines! - head to www.filmstories.co.uk.
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Gladiator (2000) and its journey to the screen, plus director Morgan Matthews
2000's Gladiator might be regarded as a classic now, but heck, did it have some bumps on its way to the screen. A script that was a long way from finished. A leading man, er, 'not too thrilled' with the fact …
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2000's Gladiator might be regarded as a classic now, but heck, did it have some bumps on its way to the screen. A script that was a long way from finished. A leading man, er, 'not too thrilled' with the fact said screenplay was constantly in flux. The death of Oliver Reed before the end of filming. And the worries of a studio that happened to be making its biggest-ever film. The story is told in this episode.
Plus, the second half is spent in the company of BAFTA-winning director Morgan Matthews, chatting about films such as 500 Miles (now in UK cinemas), The Railway Children Return, X+Y, and a £1 bet.
Please leave a nice review and subscribe. Thank you for supporting this independent podcast.
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American Made (2017), and the Tom Cruise film that's fallen through the cracks
Just as Tom Cruise embarked on his run of Mission: Impossible and Top Gun sequels, he slipped in one of bolder choices too: an R-rated crime caper, based on a true story. Originally called Mena before being …
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Just as Tom Cruise embarked on his run of Mission: Impossible and Top Gun sequels, he slipped in one of bolder choices too: an R-rated crime caper, based on a true story. Originally called Mena before being retitled American Made, the shoot saw the writer, director and star of the film living in the same house.
It also saw wildly ambitious flying sequences, a tragic accident, a challenge when selling the film and a whole lot more....
Please subscribe to this show if you like it and leave a nice review. Support us at www.patreon.com/simonbrew
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In conversation with Sam Campbell - Make That Movie, bananas, VHS tapes, cinema and more
Sam Campbell - he of Taskmaster and Last One Laughing - has made a comedy series about films. In Make That Movie, he and his crew face a filmmaking challenge each episode. All six episodes are streaming now on …
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Sam Campbell - he of Taskmaster and Last One Laughing - has made a comedy series about films. In Make That Movie, he and his crew face a filmmaking challenge each episode. All six episodes are streaming now on 4.
Sam joins Simon Brew for a conversation about the show, but it doesn't take long for it to go off track. Banana, VHS tapes, old films,a samurai sword? It's quite the chat...
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Fight Club (1999), plus the dig against Rupert Murdoch at the end
Outside of the very well known rules, there's a whole load of other stuff about 1999's Fight Club.There's the director who turned the book down, freely admitting they didn't get it. There's the moment when the …
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Outside of the very well known rules, there's a whole load of other stuff about 1999's Fight Club.
There's the director who turned the book down, freely admitting they didn't get it. There's the moment when the budget was suddenly going to soar. There's the bit where the studio boss knew he was going to hit trouble for greenlighting the film (and boy, did he). And then there was a studio left with a film it didn't know how to market.
The story is told in this episode. Please subscribe, leave nice reviews, and try not to punch us hard in an after hours fighting establishment...
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In conversation with Paul Mercurio - Strictly Ballroom, Exit To Eden, and, er, homebrew beer
Over 30 years since its original release, Strictly Ballroom - the debut feature from Baz Luhrmann - is back in cinemas with a 4K remaster. In a Film Stories special, Simon chats to its star - Paul Mercurio …
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Over 30 years since its original release, Strictly Ballroom - the debut feature from Baz Luhrmann - is back in cinemas with a 4K remaster. In a Film Stories special, Simon chats to its star - Paul Mercurio - about the making of the film, and looking back on it now.
Plus! Paul talks homebrew, cooking, and making Garry Marshall's S&M comedy, Exit To Eden...
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Jurassic Park (1993), and the struggle to bring dinosaurs to the screen
The original Jurassic Park movie was set to land a few years earlier than it did. Announce in 1990, director Steven Spielberg would move on to making Hook while some of the art team were moved to Death Becomes …
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The original Jurassic Park movie was set to land a few years earlier than it did. Announce in 1990, director Steven Spielberg would move on to making Hook while some of the art team were moved to Death Becomes Her.
The reason for the delays? How on earth do you bring dinosaurs to life. Even when that was cracked, though, there was a moment during the shoot when real life peril outweighed dino danger.
Even when the film was done, there was the looming threat of Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to cinema with Last Action Hero. It wouldn't turn out to be much of a blockbuster battle...
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The New Mutants (2020), and a big missed opportunity
The idea wasn't a bad one. With the cost of X-Men movies spiralling, 20th Century Fox was interested in a lower cost, slightly more niche film in the saga. One that could perhaps appeal to a teen audience, that …
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The idea wasn't a bad one. With the cost of X-Men movies spiralling, 20th Century Fox was interested in a lower cost, slightly more niche film in the saga. One that could perhaps appeal to a teen audience, that wouldn't put quite the strain on the old finances.
Josh Boone - off the back of The Fault In Our Stars - was brought in to write and direct, a dream project for him. But the dream would soon turn sour, with two big, unexpected obstacles, and a whole lot of to and fro over potential reshoots...
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In conversation with director Alicia MacDonald - Finding Emily, Mike Leigh, short films, romantic comedies, Kickstarter
Alicia MacDonald first feature film as director, Finding Emily, turns out to be a Working Title-backed romantic comedy, the kind that used to fill British cinema charts. Albeit with a twist!In this Film Stories …
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Alicia MacDonald first feature film as director, Finding Emily, turns out to be a Working Title-backed romantic comedy, the kind that used to fill British cinema charts. Albeit with a twist!
In this Film Stories special, she talks to Simon Brew about launching her first feature, the years on her way up when she found herself alongside Mike Leigh, and in a room while Alan Rickman watched her type. Plus a whole lot more...
Finding Emily is now in UK cinemas.
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In conversation with Thea Sharrock - Ladies First, Wicked Little Letters, The Beautiful Game, posh chairs
Director Thea Sharrock is the guest for this special edition of the Film Stories podcast. She joins Simon to chat about her new film, Ladies First, which stars Rosamund Pike and Sacha Baron Cohen.Plus! There's …
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Director Thea Sharrock is the guest for this special edition of the Film Stories podcast. She joins Simon to chat about her new film, Ladies First, which stars Rosamund Pike and Sacha Baron Cohen.
Plus! There's time too for conversation about Wicked Little Letters, The One And Only Ivan, directing Equus on Broadway, and the state of the chairs in the posh London hotel she happens to be sitting in.
If you like this podcast, you can support it at www.patreon.com/simonbrew
Please subscribe, like and that sort of thing too. Thank you!
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