Film Stories with Simon Brew
Film Stories with Simon Brew is a podcast that explores the untold stories behind popular movies, from troubled productions and rights issues to near-disasters during release. Hosted by Simon Brew, founder of Den Of Geek, each episode digs into the fascinating history that isn't always apparent when watching a film. The podcast offers a behind-the-scenes look at how movies were made and the challenges they faced.
Episodes
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 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 Car
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 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 fa
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 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 f
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 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 t
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 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 sel
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 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 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 wit
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 - 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 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 da
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 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 so
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 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.
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 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
Hook, and how it became the Steven Spielberg film that Steven Spielberg doesn't like
Steven Spielberg's 1991 movie Hook was supposed to be his perfect project. The director compared to Peter Pan, making the story of Peter Pan never growing up? What could go wrong?
Well, plenty. In this episode of Film Stories, Simon Brew charts the tale of how Spielberg lost control of Hook's production, how it became tied up with a major Hollywood acquistion, and why unexpected competition in th
Terminator 3: Rise Of The Machines (2003), and one hell of a challenge to secure the Terminator rights
After 1991's Terminator 2: Judgment Day, James Cameron's interest in making a third Terminator movie seemed to wane. However, that didn't stop others trying to take things forward.
And whilst Arnold Schwarzenegger would, for many years, insist that he'd only make T3 with Cameron, a string of underwhelming box office performers started to have an impact for Arnie.
That said, just securing the rig
Contact (1997) and how it nearly fell apart, plus David Frankel on The Devil Wears Prada 2
Robert Zemeckis' 1997 film of Carl Sagan's Contact is a remarkably grown-up science fiction movie for a summer blockbuster. Starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConaughey, it took nearly 20 years to bring the story to the screen - and along the way, Mad Max director George Miller was hired and fired too. It's quite a story, told by Simon Brew in this latest episode.
Plus! Oscar-winning filmmaker D
Cape Fear (1991), and when Martin Scorsese read it three times and hated it
It's pretty well known that originally, Steven Spielberg was interested in directing a remake of Cape Fear, and that Martin Scorsese held the rights to what became Schindler's List. That the two then swapped projects. Yet that's just part of the story.
In this episode of Film Stories, Simon Brew digs into Scorsese's dislike of the project when he first came to it. Of Robert De Niro's tattoos. Of
Dick Tracy (1990), along with the strange trick to hold onto its rights
June 1990 saw Disney spend big on a summer movie, at a point when that was the last thing it was inclined to do. But 1990's Dick Tracy - specifically the way it was promoted - was hugely influenced by Warner Bros' success with Batman the year before.
Dick Tracy though by that time had already taken around 15 years to come to the screen - and the aftermath of it would lead, bizarrely, to the crea
Wild Wild West (1999), plus how it affected The Matrix and The Iron Giant
The summer of 1999 brought with it some huge successes, and also the combination of Will Smith, Salma Hayek and Kevin Kline in Wild Wild West. Based on the TV show from the 1960s, this became a hugely expensive Warner Bros blockbuster, one that George Clooney saw the problem with and duly dropped out of fairly late in the day.
In this episode of Film Stories, Simon digs into the story of the movi
In conversation with Paul Feig - The Housemaid, Bridesmaids at the Oscars, Ghostbusters and more
Paul Feig returns to the Film Stories podcast, to chat with Simon about a whole bunch of stuff. There's The Housemaid - with a clearly marked spoiler! - and The Housemaid 2. There's also Bridesmaids at the Oscars, an attempt get Spy 2 moving, the long-lost idea of a Play-doh movie, and a whole lot more.
Bit sweary this one. Please like and subscribe and stuff!
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In conversation with David Mackenzie | Fuze, Relay, Hell Or High Water, Starred Up, AI and more
Director David Mackenzie stops by to chat about his new film, Fuze, in the latest episode of the Film Stories podcast. Ryan Lambie steps in to to chat to David about his work, and films such as Young Adam, Starred Up, the mighty Hell Or High Water (which Mackenzie chats about revisiting recently) and Relay.
Plus a whole lot on Fuze, in cinemas now, and his plans for future projects...
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Judge Dredd (1995), and the long battle to get it made
In 1980, an option was taken out on Judge Dredd with a view of getting a movie of Mega City One's legendary law enforcer to the big screen. In the years that followed, it looked like Tony Scott might direct a film based on 2000AD comics' most famous character, with Arnold Schwarzenegger sniffing around.
In the end, 1995 saw a seasoned movie star in Sylvester Stallone and a twentysomething British
In conversation with Radio Silence - Ready Or Not 2, Sega Dreamcast, Samara Weaving and more
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett work as filmmakers under the collective name of Radio Silence, and they've been out and about promoting their new film, Ready Or Not 2: Here I Come.
The poor pair had to suffer a conversation with Simon for their sins, that touched on the new movie, on films such as Abigail and Devil's Due, plus tips of the hat to very expensive chairs and the Sega Dreamcas
X-Men (2000), and how it changed superhero cinema
No two ways about it, 2000's X-Men movie was a massive gamble. At a time when studios needed movie star vehicles, 20th Century Fox found itself without a summer blockbuster due to a delay on a Tom Cruise film. It'd already greenlit and backtracked on X-Men once.
When the film finally got going? Well, there'd be well-reported behind the scenes problems. A star who wasn't cast until shooting began
In conversation with Christopher Miller and Phil Lord | Project Hail Mary, Rocky IV, Geostorm 2 and more
In person, Simon got to meet - after years of interviewing them remotely - writers/producers/directors Christopher Miller and Phil Lord. Chaos absolutely ensued.
In this Film Stories special, they talk about Project Hail Mary, the second best Rocky film, choosing to do a project because it's a good idea for a change, and a whole lot more...
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The Postman (1997) and Wag The Dog (1997) | Two films. The same weekend. Very different reputations
At the end of 1997, Kevin Costner's second film as director - The Postman - made its way into cinemas, at the end of a difficult year for Warner Bros. The $80m, three hour movie would be savaged by critics, and fail to find an audience - but there was quite the story behind the film, before and after.
There's quite a story too to Wag The Dog, a movie that could fit into the schedules when a far m
In conversation with Drew Goddard | A very nerdy film chat
Here's a special episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, where Simon is joined by Oscar-nominated screenwriter Drew Goddard. Drew was in town to talk about his script for Project Hail Mary. But as you're about to hear, the conversation goes off in a lot of different directions: from directing Bad Times At The El Royale and Cabin In The Woods, to writing The Martian, to, er, Police Academy...
Pro
Joker (2019) and Cat's Eye (1985) | Two lower budget films, only one grossed a billion
Jared Leto was the reigning Joker. Todd Phillips couldn't get the films he wanted to do off the ground. The DC range of movies was having a whole range of challenges for Warner Bros. And constant changes at the studio were leading to regular challenges of direction. In the midst of this, a relatively slim production, Joker, would have notable ramifications.
Similarly slim, Cat's Eye marks the fir
Kevin Costner's Horizon project and where it's up to, plus Andrew Stanton
In the late 1980s, Kevin Costner - pre-Dances With Wolves - first had the idea for what became the Horizon movie saga. A hugely-ambitious series of westerns, that he'd ultimately star in, co-write, and direct. By 2026, two films had been made, only one released, and around ten minutes shot of a third. So what's happened?
For the second half of this episode, Simon is joined by director Andrew Stan
Eyes Wide Shut (1999) and Maybe Baby (2000) | The never-ending shoot, and Ben Elton's directorial debut
The plan was for Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to spend around six months in the UK for the filming of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut. Kubrick had been mulling the film for decades, and considering a couple of other projects, too. But the shoot of Eyes Wide Shut would ultimately be his final film - and it's end up in the Guinness Book of Records.
For Ben Elton, he was keen to pursue making the f
What on earth is film 'testing'? | A podcast special, with Kevin Goetz
The art of movie testing isn't just about researching finished films. It's also testing the very concept of a movie, that can determine both whether it gets made, and what it gets made for.
In a special episode of the podcast, a man who you may not have heard of joins Simon. Yet Kevin Goetz has certainly had some impact on the films you watch. His new book - How To Score In Hollywood, written wit
Hulk (2003), plus the ongoing sequel problem
It was very different times for Marvel when, in the 1990s, it struck an assortment of deals over screen rights for its characters. For the purposes of this tale, the Incredible Hulk, for whom Universal snapped up the rights.
The deal done then continues to have some ramifications now, but the first fruits of it? Ang Lee's 2003 movie Hulk, starring Eric Bana. Arriving the year after Sam Raimi's Sp
The Untouchables (1987), plus the prequel movie that never was
Brian De Palma's soaring 1987 crime drama The Untouchables nearly went in some very different directions. Jack Nicholson as Eliot Ness? Bob Hoskins as Al Capone? And what's more, the film's legendary sequence on the steps of Chicago's Union Station was pretty much made up on the fly.
The story is told in this episode, as well as the brief attempt to get a prequel movie - Capone Rising - off the g
In conversation with director Angel Manuel Soto | The Wrecking Crew, Blue Beetle, toilet roll
Director Angel Manuel Soto has just brought Jason Momoa and Dave Bautista together on the big screen, in the Prime Video hit THE WRECKING CREW.
Growing in Puerto Rico, he was some way away from the man who'd direct BLUE BEETLE for Warner Bros and DC. And in this special interview, he tells his incredible film story. And it involves loo roll!
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Fatal Attraction (1987), plus a very nerdy chat with Sam Raimi
Quite the double dose in this episode of Film Stories.
Firstly, the story of how Fatal Attraction came from the roots of a short film at the start of the 1980s. How directors such as John Carpenter turned it down. And how the infamous battle over its ending led to one of the iconic movie thrillers of the 1980s.
Then! It's only Sam Raimi! Chatting about Send Help, movie frame rates, For Love Of T
In conversation with Ric Roman Waugh | Shelter, Statham, the freezing cold and more
Ric Roman Waugh has directed films such as the newly-released Shelter, along with Greenland, Greenland: Migration, Kandahar and more. And in this far-reaching conversation with Simon Brew, he takes us through his latest film and body of work.
Not least the unusual connection between Simon and Ric's fathers, thanks to Paint Your Wagon. A tenuous link, surely, but one the pair get into!
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Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) and Educating Rita (1983) | A mighty messy Star Wars production
Two very different films in this latest episode of film history podcast Film Stories. Firstly, it's Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, an infamously difficult production that saw director Gareth Edwards fashion a war tale in the Star Wars universe - and then reshoots become Hollywood trade press fodder.
Coming off the back of two James Bond films meanwhile, director Lewis Gilbert reckoned he might be
Paint Your Wagon (1969), and Dexter Fletcher on The Elephant Man and more
One of the more bizarre projects to come out of a Hollywood studio in the late 1960s, Paint Your Wagon felt like a turning point movie. Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood - and they're both singing? How did that happen? Turns out it's quite a story.
Then, ahead of an appearance at the BFI to talk about his work in David Lynch's The Elephant Man, Dexter Fletcher joins Simon for a chat about it. That, a
In conversation with Tiff Stevenson | Movies, and featuring in a film that shouldn't be any good
She's a comedian, writer, actor and film nerd, and Tiff Stevenson also is a go-to for hosting things on boats, it turns out! In this Film Stories special, she talks about her role in a film called Slotherhouse. A horror slasher movie, with a sloth in it.
As the pair discuss, it sounds like both an intriguing and terrible idea, yet it somehow works! It's one of the many movie discussions that come
Almost Famous (2000) and Cellular (2004) | A box office stumble, and an underappreciated action thriller
Regular episodes of Film Stories with Simon Brew resume for 2026, with two very different films in the spotlight.
First up there's Cameron Crowe's superb Almost Famous, a film he got the greenlight to make in the aftermath of Jerry Maguire's success. A hugely personal story, here's how it stumbled at the box office, but found new life.
Then, from the same brain that gave us Phone Booth comes Col
In conversation with writer/director Craig Brewer
In this long chat about Song Sung Blue and his other film work too, writer/director Craig Brewer joins Simon Brew to chat about his film story.
The pair chat about what led to the Neil Diamond-inspired Song Sung Blue coming to life, as well as the influence of films such as The Commitments and Shadowlands. Plus how his late father had a dramatic impact on his career, a bit of Hustle & Flow, and -
The Romesh Ranganathan episode (Film Stories 500 celebration live from London)
To celebrate Film Stories turning 500 episodes old (and then some!), a very special live recording took place in London in November 2025. Long-time Film Stories supporter Romesh Ranganathan joined Simon Brew on stage to go through his, er, 'storied' cinema career and talk movies.
This show is rated 15 for language. You probably could have guessed that.
A video version of this show is available o
In conversation with Chris Chibnall | Seven Dials, White Hart, Doctor Who, 80s computer games, Jasper Carrot and more
In a very special episode of Film Stories, writer/producer/showrunner/novelist Chris Chibnall joins Simon for a long chat about his work and career.
Topics covered? Glad you asked. They chat about Death At The White Hart, Chris' first novel, that's now available in paperback, and also heading towards televison. They talk about Agatha Christie's Seven Dials, heading to Netflix in January. And othe
Rocky IV (1985) and Rocky IV Rocky vs Drago The Ultimate Director's Cut (2021)
You want a Christmas movie? Look no further than Rocky IV, surely the raging highlight of the Rocky saga. Written and directed by Sylvester Stallone, and with montages coming out of its armpits, the movie was not without a few challenges (and injuries.) Not least: how do you follow up the relentlessness of Mr T's Clubber Lang from Rocky III?
The answer arrived in the sizeable shape of Dolph Lund
Fackham Hall | Writing a spoof, the bizarre CG pig sex, and the Dawson Brothers tell us their story
Now in UK cinemas is the spoof movie Fackham Hall, which crosses the likes of Airplane! with Downton Abbey.
But how do you write a spoof movie? And what are the challenges? We've brought together 66.6% of the writing team The Dawson Brothers to tell us more, and explain why a CG house was required to make a sex scene involving pigs...
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The Polar Express (2004) and its initial box office stumble, plus James L Brooks
There was originally a plan to bring the much-loved Christmas book The Polar Express to the big screen in live action, with Rob Reiner potentially directing. But eventually, the project ended up with Robert Zemeckis. Looking for something between live action and animation, a different kind of technology was to be used for the film - but would audiences respond to it? Especially when they tried to
In conversation with filmmaker Dan Cadan. Including how much he got paid for one line in Die Another Day
Dan Cadan may not be a name familiar to too many, but he's had quite the career. In this special Film Stories episode, he tells his tale of how the lad growing up in Huddersfield went on to work with Guy Ritchie (including writing a remake of The Wild Geese), Stephen Graham, Madonna and more.
Then, getting a film made, the sole UK release from the Fox International label, Walk Like A Panther. He
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - from the 45th most popular film of 1992 to Xmas favourite
Go down the box office charts for 1992, and you need to look a long way before you find The Muppet Christmas Carol. Directed by Brian Henson, the movie was in 45th place at the box office that year, with surprisingly few choosing to check it out on its initial cinema release.
The film had come together following the death of Muppets creator Jim Henson, and there'd been some difficulty cracking wh
In conversation with Yvett Merino (producer) and Jared Bush (director, chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios)
In a very special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is joined by two of the team behind Disney's new animated movie, Zootropolis.
There's producer Yvett Merino, an Oscar-winner for Encanto, who came to Zootropolis 2 hot off the heels of Moana 2. And then writer/director Jared Bush returns to the podcast, for what's becoming a very welcome annual check in with the chief creative officer
The story of the unmade Die Hard 6, plus an update
After the, cough, 'underwhelming' A Good Day To Die Hard in 2013, the assumption was that the Die Hard saga had run aground. But for a while, that wasn't the case, and by 2015, there was a plan hatched for one final movie in the series.
Bruce Willis was set to return as John McClane, Len Wiseman - after Die Hard 4.0 - was coming back to direct. And this time, we were going to be told the origin s
In conversation with Nathan Crowley - Wicked For Good, Coppola, Nolan, Spielberg, and monkeys
In a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is joined by Oscar-winning production designer Nathan Crowley. He won his Oscar for Wicked, and you can now see his work in Wicked For Good on the big screen.
This chat takes in those films, as well as Christopher Nolan's garage, nine seconds with Ridley Scott, early work with Francis Ford Coppola, and a whole lot more...
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In conversation with Mark Kermode & Jenny Nelson | Recorded live in Birmingham
In a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon brought Mark Kermode and Jenny Nelson to his home town of Birmingham in the UK. There, Mark and Jenny were on stage to talk about movie music, as they talked about their new book, Mark Kermode's Surround Sound.
You're getting the full, lively conversation here, complete with audience questions at the end. With huge thanks to the team at the
In conversation with Ruben Fleischer | Now You See Me Now You Don't, Gangster Squad, Venom and more
Director Ruben Fleischer's latest film is the third in the Now You See Me franchise, entitled Now You See Me Now You Don't. A movie stuck in development for a fair amount of time, it's now in cinemas.
In this Film Stories special, Reuben tells the story of how he got involved in the film, in a conversation that also takes in films such as Zombieland, Gangster Squad, Venom, a little bit of Unchart
Episode 500 celebrations | A long conversation with Kevin Smith
In the first of a small collection of episodes over the coming weeks to celebrate 500 episodes of Film Stories with Simon Brew, by popular demand it's a return for Mr Kevin Smith.
It's a long conversation covering Dogma, The 4:30 Movie, Martin Scorsese's response to Clerks, Robert Redford, Yoga Hosers, Christopher Nolan, Film Stories, the year 2009 and a whole lot more.
Thanks to everyone who h
In conversation with Nicholas Hytner | The Choral, The Madness Of King George, Nigel Hawthorne, Alan Bennett and more
Nicholas Hytner is a legend of British (and Broadway) theatre, but on the quiet has amassed seven films as a director too. His latest is The Choral, reuniting him with writer Alan Bennett. Ralph Fiennes takes the lead.
Simon chats to Nicholas about the film, Lady In The Van, The Madness Of King George, a bit of Mr Scorsese, Nigel Hawthorne, and even a dab of Demolition Man...
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The Prestige (2006), plus Dan Trachtenberg on Predator: Badlands and more
Christopher Nolan, for a brief moment in time, was set to make The Prestige just ahead of directing Batman Begins. But circumstances meant that by the time the window of time was right, the Batman reboot was already a hit. Nolan thus jumped into a movie that was modestly costed, and didn't involve having to travel the world to shoot. The author of the original book The Prestige? Well, he sounds li
In conversation with Nia DaCosta | Hedda, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, Doctor Who, videogames & more
Writer/director Nia DaCosta is the guest on this episode of Film Stories, with her latest film - Hedda - now available on Prime Video.
She joins Simon to chat about the movie, and in a far-reaching chat, they also get into videogames, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, her love of genre, a bit of nerding out about Doctor Who, and a touch of The Marvels as well. And lighting! We chat lighting, too.
Raging Bull (1980), and Rebecca Miller on Mr Scorsese (2025)
It's a Martin Scorsese special episode of the Film Stories podcast, kicking off with the tale behind 1980's immense Raging Bull. This is the film the Scorsese for a long time didn't want to make, but Robert De Niro did. It was also the film that involved some trading off with Rocky II to get the money to make in the first place. And it'd involve De Niro going to extreme lengths to get his Oscar-wi
In conversation with Edward Berger | Ballad Of A Small Player, Conclave, and internet passwords
Oscar-winner Edward Berger joins us for a very special episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew. The pair meet to chat about Edward's new release, Ballad Of A Small Player, starring Colin Farrell. And the chat also goes back to Edward's early years making films for German television, through to finding himself on the awards circuit with All Quiet On The Western Front and Conclave.
As we'll discuss
Scream (1996) and Skyline (2010)
There was a bit of a bidding war when an upcoming writer called Kevin Williamson penned an idea called Scary Movie. It'd change its name to Scream a little way down the road, but having been inspired by a creepy night when he was housesitting, Williamson went with a lower offer, and the company most likely to actually make the film.
The problem? Nobody wanted to direct Scream. At first, including
In conversation with Phil Johnston - The Twits, Wreck-It Ralph, Cedar Rapids and more
Quite the story, this. Phil Johnston, in a special episode of Film Stories, takes us through his own tale, and how it led to a nomination at the Academy Awards.
He and Simon chat through the struggles to get The Twits - an adaptation of Roald Dahl's book - off the ground, and how for a few weeks it all looked like it'd fallen apart. Plus, how he landed at Disney with Wreck-It Ralph, how Ralph Br
Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and Doctor Who (2010s unmade movie)
There's a time travel theme to this latest episode of Film Stories with Simon Brew, starting with Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. Quite the story behind this, too. The distributor going bankrupt just as the movie was being finished, the year-long delay to its release, the audition that threw Keanu Reeves and Alex Winter together...? There's quite the story behind it all.
In the early 2010s too,
In conversation with David Zucker | Top Secret, Airplane, The Naked Gun, The Star Of Malta, books, and more
In a very special episode of the Film Stories podcast, writer/producer/director David Zucker joins Simon for a conversation about his work.
Amongst the films that come up in the chat? Airplane!, which is shortly getting as we'll hear an unusual director's cut, Top Secret!, the original The Naked Gun trilogy, My Big Fat Important Important (better known as An American Carol), Baseketball and mor
Top Gun (1986), plus Embeth Davidtz
It started as a magazine article, and ended up as a global phenomenon. Yet the journey to 1986's Top Gun wasn't a straightforward one. You have cast members unsure if they wanted to commit and a studio that took a long time to decide it wanted the film. Then, director Tony Scott started shooting the movie in a way that, er, Paramount Pictures wasn't keen on.
For the second half of this episode, i
In conversation with Malcolm McDowell
Now here's a man with a whole bunch of stories. Malcolm McDowell joins the Film Stories podcast for a special episode, where we go through his stories. The conversation takes us from ITV's Crossroads to his latest release - The Partisan - which is in cinemas now (and on digital from 27th October.)
We find out where Burscough comes into his life, there are stories about Peter Sellers, a bit of Mic
The Running Man (1987) and Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
The first screen adaptation of The Running Man saw four different directors fired, the final director come in once filming had begun (while Arnold Schwarzenegger and his lycra were away from the set). Schwarzenegger would lament the final film, and Stephen King - who penned the original novel (as Richard Bachman) - wouldn't be hugely impressed either. But still: there's a reason it's still talked
In conversation with Michael Kurinsky | Scoob: Holiday Haunt, The Beatles, Disney, Sony, Warner Bros and more
Well, where do you start?
Michael Kurinsky is a man whose built a career that saw him drawing enormous pictures of The Beatles, to a dream of working for Warner Bros, to years with Disney, years with Sony Pictures Animation, and then the jump to the place he was in awe of.
His Warner Bros experience saw him working on the film Scoob!, and then he was offered his lifelong ambition: the director'
The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and All Is Lost (2013)
The Shawshank Redemption, just starring Tom Cruise and Harrison Ford in the lead roles? It might just have happened, if writer/director Frank Darabont hadn't turned down a life-changing offer to let someone else direct the film.
Instead, he dug in, and put together - across a testing production - a film that's gone on to be very highly regarded. Even after it flopped at the box office.
The late
Reservoir Dogs (1992) and the DIVX video disc format (1998)
A lot of the story of Quentin Tarantino's debut movie, Reservoir Dogs, is very well known. The tale of a man working in a video store writing scripts, and becoming Hollywood's hottest filmmaker in a matter of years. But still: there are also tales of sticky blood. Of casting fly-bys. And of a ban that actually was nothing of the sort.
The second film story in this episode? The DIVX disc, a format
The entire Divergent franchise (2014-2016) and Adventureland (2009)
Twilight and The Hunger Games set the bar high for young adult movie adaptations in late 2000s/early 2010s, and when Veronica Roth's Divergent series of books came onto the market, a deal was soon struck. The plan? A trilogy of movies, which soon expanded to four films.
The challenge? Making them to hit an annual release slot, against a backdrop of overlapping schedules and keeping the audience i
In conversation with Samara Weaving and Jimmy Warden
In this special episode of Film Stories, Samara Weaving, Jimmy Warden and - yes! - Muriel the dog join Simon for a chat.
Jimmy has written/directed the film Borderline, which arrives in the UK on demand in September 2025. Samara Weaving stars in the film, and the pair talk about the movie, a weird Junior jigsaw, getting permission from Arnold Schwarzenegger and Celine Dion, a bit of Bill & Ted, a
The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert (1994), plus Jay Roach
The late, great Terence Stamp's death at the age of 87 has left behind an incredible body of work, but what a gamble The Adventures Of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert was. He'd never headlined a comedy, he'd never done a musical, he wasn't keen on Australia - and yet he agreed to sign up for a low budget Australian indie that over three decades later, is still awash with stories.
The second half o
In conversation with Chris Columbus: The Thursday Murder Club, Nine Months, Maiden Voyage, The Beatles and more
Returning to the Film Stories podcast is writer/director/producer Chris Columbus, as his new movie - The Thursday Murder Club - arrives in cinemas, with Netflix release due at the end of August 2025.
He talks Simon through the movie, and where it was when he came to it. They also chat about Hugh Grant's hair in Nine Months, films he's produced such as Didi and Patti Cake$, and we get a bit of a g
Cruel Intentions (1999), plus Akiva Schafer
Writer/director Roger Kumble had never made a film as he approached the back end of the 1999s, but had two very acclaimed plays under his belt. This, he figures, was his moment, and in under two weeks, he wrote the first draft of what would become Cruel Intentions. And while the project would soon pick up momentum, it still required him to get on his knees and basically beg one of his lead stars t
In conversation with Mikael Salomon - The Abyss, Hard Rain, Backdraft, Arachnophobia, and a whole lot more
In a very special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon chats to cinematographer and director Mikael Salomon.
The pair go through Mikael's extraordinary career, that's taken him from Denmark to Hollywood and back again. And Mikael tells his stories: his early years, how he came to the attention of James Cameron, working on The Abyss, Arachnophobia, Always and more, and then turning to direc
In conversation with director Matt Shakman: The Fantastic Four, Dick Tracy, Gremlins 2, writing career-changing letters
In a special episode of the Film Stories podcast, Simon is joined by director Matt Shakman. They were chatting at the junket for The Fantastic Four: First Steps, which is now in cinemas. But this conversation went in lots of different directions.
For your eardrums here, we go into Dick Tracy, Gremlins 2, the Star Trek film that never was, and the career-changing letter he wrote when he was young.
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977) and Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988)
The very future of the James Bond movie franchise was resting on The Spy Who Loved Me. Producer Albert R Broccoli was contending with the dissolution of his business partnership, a potential rival film, and an underperforming previous 007 film. Plus, questions about his leading man.
And it was a leading man causing conversations when it came to Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach. Where was
Naked Gun 33 1/3 (1994) and Cast Away (2000)
The behind the scenes stories of two movies, starting with Naked Gun 33 1/3, a movie that saw franchise director David Zucker opt to step back, and thirtysomething Peter Segal make his directorial debut. The problem? There was a comedy to make, and Segal was struggling to get a connection with his leading man, the late Leslie Nielsen.
2000's Cast Away meanwhile would be a movie that contributed t
In conversation with Nick Mohammed
He's currently - at the time of recording - touring the UK with his Mr Swallow show, but Nick Mohammed is also one of the leads in Deep Cover, a really impressive UK film that's riding high on Prime Video.
In this Film Stories special, he talks to Simon about his ventures into movies, joining Slow Horses, the impact of Ted Lasso, and his love of magic...
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The Godfather Part III (1990) and Clueless (1995)
Nearly 500 episodes in, and the Film Stories podcast finally arrives at a Godfather film. Specifically, The Godfather Part III, a fascinating project whose behind the scenes story went on for over a decade. The number of attempts to get the film made climbed into double figures, named such as Sylvester Stallone, Madonna and John Travolta were amongst those linked.
But also: writer/director Franc
In conversation with Ilya Naishuller: Heads Of State, Hardcore Henry, Nobody and more
In a very special episode of the Film Stories podcast, director Ilya Naishuller joins Simon to talk about his new film, Heads Of State.
Thing is, they talk about a hell of a lot of other things too before they get there. Nunchuks, sausages, Hardcore Henry, grief, CG on a pint of bitter, Nobody, trying to work a clapperboard... quite a conversation this, with some fruity language included.
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