Radio 1's Screen Time

Yes, you're absolutely right: Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse hit cinemas early June, but with summer wrapping up - how is it September already? - and the animated Spider-Sequel now on digital download, Ali and Ace thought it would be a good time to sit down for about an hour's worth of spoilerific, high geeky arachno-chat. A lot is discussed, but fair warning: A 'n' A don't get into the 'different versions of the films released' side of things, but loads of other stuff is, don't you worry!

Ali's ol' buddy ol' pal Nikesh Patel - who just so happens to be a very successful actor, off of Amazon's horror sci-fi The Devil's Hour and the BBC's Rose Matafeo rom-com series Starstruck - stopped by the BBC Radio 1 Screen Time studio to catch up recently, and here's the podcast to prove it. So as well as talking about how Starstruck is back on our screens on the 28th August, Nikesh also was generous enough to join an 'Ali Plumb's Film Club', where the pair chatted about recent feature length Groundhog Day-ish comedy Palm Springs. You know the one, with Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti. It's ace. You'll love it.

Earlier this month Cillian Murphy appeared on Radio 1's Screen Time talking about Oppenheimer, his latest with the one and only Christopher Nolan, an epic biopic that is still doing incredibly well in cinemas across the world. But that conversation was part of a bigger Movies That Made Me chat from mid-July, and this here podcast is the second half of that, a hop skip and a jump through Cillian's big screen work (with a little on Peaky Blinders), touching on the likes of Sunshine, 28 Days Later, The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception and more.

You might know him best as Jim Hopper from Stranger Things, but this weekend David Harbour is petrolhead Jack Salter in Gran Turismo, one of those films where the plot is nigh-on unbelievable but somehow based on a true story. You know, the sort of tale where a die-hard gamer (guess which one Jann Mardenborough liked to play...) becomes an actual professional racer. As you do. But as this is a 'Story So Far' interview, David kindly talks through his whole career (more or less), from Law And Order to Black Widow and back again, with a very cheeky Ali gently taking the mick all along the way.

Zoe Saldaña is an incredible actress and one we've long wanted to speak to for a 'Movies That Made Me' here at Radio 1's Screen Time - that said, the reason she was in town early in July talking to Ali was for a TV show, Taylor Sheridan and Paramount+'s action thriller Special Ops: Lioness, one so cinematic that it slots right in next to the likes of the Star Trek series, her MCU entries as Gamora, not forgetting the Avatars, Pirates Of The Caribbean and so on and so on. She's truly awe-inspiring and a fantastic interviewee so please sit back, relax and bask in the glory of the one and only Zoe Saldaña.

Speaking with Ali in back early July, David Tennant and Michael Sheen were on fine, fine form talking about the second series of Amazon Prime Video's heavenly / devilish show Good Omens - based on the book by Neil Gaiman and the late, great Sir Terry Pratchett - indulging in a nerdy request for some autographs and generally being upstanding and accommodating in a way they truly excel. Warning: contains dad jokes. Because of course it does.

Christopher Nolan's epic biopic Oppenheimer is finally in cinemas, a three-hour treat-yourself-to-IMAX thriller featuring an absolutely incredible cast, including Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Rami Malek and two of our guests on this here podcast, Robert Downey Jr. and The Man Who Would Be Oppenheimer, Cillian Murphy. Christopher Nolan also makes a brief appearance, and Ali sort of embarrasses himself in front of him with a QI-like fact that could well blow your mind.

Hey Barbie! Hey Ken! Margot Robbie (Barbie herself) and Ryan Gosling (just Ken) speak to Ali Plumb about Greta Gerwig's Barbie, touching on such hot button topics as the Barbie slide, the Barbie wave, Barbie memes, Ken's rollerskates, Ken's tricky-to-say fashion pieces and Ken's totally unimportant t-shirts. Oh, and those times Margot and Ryan dressed up as a cigarette and a hamster (respectively). And that's not forgetting Greta herself, as well as America Ferrera, Simu Liu and Issa Rae, who are all on fine, fine form.

Hayley Atwell, Pom Klementieff, Cary Elwes, Simon Pegg, Rebecca Ferguson, Vanessa Kirby... the cast of the latest Mission: Impossible is actually truly ridiculously charming, and this podcast proves that and then some. So imagine you're balancing on top of a high speed train (with joy!) and enjoy this thrill ride of an episode (kind of).

The Witcher has returned to Netflix for a third series, but in two parts: one already up (from June 29) and the second still to come (July 27). What's more, this is the final season with Henry Cavill as Geralt Of Rivia, the White Wolf himself, as Liam Hemsworth is on his way for the next installment. Not going anywhere, however, are the three lovely people on Screen Time this week, namely Freya Allen, Joey Batey and Anya Chalotra, who enjoy a thoroughly anarchic chat with Ali about all sorts of fantastical nonsense, just the way you like it.

Black Mirror, everyone's favourite dystopian sci-fi anthology series from the twisted mind - in a good way! - of Charlie Brooker, has come back after a lengthy break with a new series, four episodes of small screen panic attacks that are seemingly designed to be discussed at length in the pub. Here, trying admirably not to give too many spoilers away, we have Charlie himself, alongside co-executive producer Jessica Rhoades, as well as some of our stars, including Kate Mara, Josh Hartnett, Salma Hayek and Annie Murphy.

Beloved writer-director Wes Anderson needs no introduction - he of The Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Rushmore fame - though Ali has a good bash at it, nervously and excitedly enthusing over the auteur filmmaker as he sets up his interview in honour of Wes's latest, Asteroid City (in cinemas now, as it goes), a play-cum-sci-fi about a small town in the middle of the desert centred around a meteorite that's fascinated scientists for some time. You know, that classic story. Expect cinematic book recommendations, discussions of Bryan Cranston's eating habits and a little bit on which part of which film Wes is himself proudest of.

Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny, the fifth Indy adventure, finally hits cinemas on June 30, with the final archeological outing seeing The Man In The Hat - one Harrison Ford - hanging up his, um, hat. Joining him for one last crack of the whip (and this interview special) are his costars Phoebe Waller Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen and more - including director James Mangold and a rather emotional Ali Plumb.

Ali is away on his hols so we bring you another chance to hear the classic Andrew Garfield Movies That Made Me interview from early 2022. He's a charmer, he really is. The pair talk about everything from The Social Network to Tick, Tick... Boom and back again, not forgetting his appearances in the Spider-Man movies and more than a few other highlights along the way.

Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Daniel Kaluuya, Jake Johnson, Phil Lord and Chris Miller swung onto a Zoom to chat to Ali recently, as the follow-up to 2018's Oscar winner Into The Spider-Verse finally thwips into cinemas. Expect conversation concerning baby noises, getting voice recognised and Skins' Posh Kenneth.

Been a minute since we last had a spoiler special on this here podcast but Guardians 3 seems like the perfect excuse for Ali and Ace to get back in the studio to talk in nerdy detail about their favourite (and least favourite, sure) moments from the latest big screen Marvel outing. So if you haven't seen James Gunn's trilogy capper, maybe don't press play on this one, but if you have... well, fill your jet boots - if you've remembered them.

Have you heard? Video game adaptations are back, and they are making big money. Well, Super Mario Bros. certainly is, and The Last Of Us is a critical darling, which means many more gaming do-overs will be on the way. To celebrate - and this is pretty tangential, sure, but any excuse to talk about Edgar Wright - Ali invited the wonderful and wise gaming expert Aoife Wilson onto the podcast to do an Ali Plumb's Film Club on a movie heavily inspired by gaming in all its glory: Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.

For just under ten years, the ragtag Marvel heroes known as the Guardians Of The Galaxy have been a part of our superheroic / cinematic lives, and with the third film in the series now in theatres, Ali caught up with writer-director James Gunn and his cast - including Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff and Karen Gillan - to ask that big ol' question: what's the secret of their intergalactic success?

After a Zoom chat with the gang a few weeks ago, Ted Lasso himself - the one and only Jason Sudeikis - stopped by London town to speak to Ali for a 'Becoming... Ted Lasso' interview special. Warning: contains moderate series 1-2 spoilers from the show as well as, um, a hug. An audio hug. As you do.

Joe and Anthony Russo are the directors of some of the biggest Marvel movies (and so biggest Movies full stop) of all time, including Captain America The Winter Soldier, Avengers Infinity War, Captain America Civil War, and the BIG one - the biggest film of all time (for a time) - Avengers Endgame. TV-wise they've also worked on Arrested Development, Community and much more, including their new Amazon Prime mega blockbuster spy series Citadel, which brought them to London recent to talk to our Ali about skis, exploding trains and director cameos.

Hot off the success of The Last Of Us, professional cinematographer / director of photography Eben Bolter joins Ali this week to talk about one of the most beautiful (and most influential) sci-fis ever made, Blade Runner. Impossible to do justice in under an hour - or given any length of time at all, really - this film of films goes under the microscope as they pair try, enthusiastically, to work out just what makes it so very, very special.

This is an interview special in honour of the extremely talented, utterly charming and truly delightful Melanie Lynskey. Currently she?s in Yellowjackets, the Paramount+ show about a high school soccer (that is to say, football) team who, in the '90s, survive a horrific plane crash that leaves them stranded in the Canadian wilderness, struggling to survive, stay warm, stay sane, and, um, stay fed. It's... not a comedy. Melanie, however, is an utter joy, and here's the interview to prove it.

British animation institution Aardman is celebrating 30 years since Wallace And Gromit gem The Wrong Trousers, so what better way to celebrate the home of Morph, Shaun The Sheep and The Pirate Captain than to... invite comedian Abi Clarke onto the show to talk about Chicken Run, eh? To be fair, the sequel is out on Netflix later on this yeah, so it kinda makes sense. And it's Chicken Run! It's a classic of classics! So any excuse, really...

Los Angeles-based film critic Grae Drake joins Ali for a spoilerific chat about Steven Spielberg's future-predicting sci-fi classic Minority Report, starring some guy called Tom Cruise. He'll be back on the big screen later this year for another Impossible Mission, but for now let's celebrate one of the best entries in either Cruise's or Spielberg's back catalogue (yep, we went there).

HBO, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann absolutely knocked it out of the park with The Last Of Us, we can all agree - nine episodes of some of the best TV we've seen in quite some time - but that isn't going to stop Ali and friend of the show Ash Crossan from doing a spoiler special Screen Time podcast about. They may both love the games and love the show, but when it comes to spoiler specials, if there are nits, they will be picked - even if they're pretty darn hard to find. So if you've watched the first series, welcome, this is just the spoilery discussion podcast for you!

John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein are the brilliant people who gave us Rachel McAdams and Jason Bateman comedy hit Game Night a few years ago, and now they're back with the charming action adventure fantasy heist movie Dungeons And Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, taking stars like Chris Pine, Hugh Grant, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page and more on the ride of their lives. Here, all of the above speak to Ali about riding horses, the perils of sweaty armour and, um, hugging.

Florence Pugh is just extraordinarily talented. Whether it's Midsommar, Little Women, Fighting With My Family or her latest - A Good Person, in cinemas now, fact fans - she's just an outstanding acting take, and we can look forward to even more of her over the next few years in the likes of Marvel's Thunderbolts, Oppenheimer and Dune Part 2. This is the audio version of her Movies That Made Me interview with Ali, which you can watch on BBC iPlayer in all its glory closer to its Sky Cinema release on April 28th. Write that down in your copybooks... now.

Radio 1 veteran - and the man who literally wrote the book on Keanu Reeves - one James King, esq, speaks to Ali this week about the man also known as John Wick in honour of the fourth chapter of the action franchise hitting cinemas this weekend. And after all the Keanu love, right at the end we have a few minutes with Mr. Reeves himself, as well as his director Chad Stahelski and co-stars Rina Sawayama and Ian McShane.

This Sunday it's time for a throwback interview from late last year, one with Daniel Craig himself. In lieu of a 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' spoiler special - darn those technical gremlins - we're reaching back a few months to give you Ali's chat with the artist formerly known as James Bond, touching on how he got the role, what it means to him and where that accent of accents comes from (in a classic 'Becoming...' interview way).

Zachary Levi, then: aka Tangled's Flynn Rider, aka Thor's underseen best mate Fandral, aka Chuck's Chuck, aka Shazam (aka Billy Batson). With the Shazam! sequel in cinemas now - that's Shazam! Fury Of The Gods - Ali spoke to the fast-talking, quick-witted actor about how he got the role (after originally turning down the chance!), playing Mario Kart on set and how you go about dashing to the loo when you're wearing such a form-fitting superhero get-up.

At long last, Ted Lasso returns to our screens on March 15th for a third series on Apple TV+. It has felt like an eternity for die-hard fans of the show who've fallen in love with the world of Richmond AFC since it first appeared in our lives in August 2020 - so to help tide you over just a few more days, here are Jason Sudeikis, Hannah Waddingham, Brett Goldstein, Nick Mohammed, Brendan Hunt and Toheeb Jimoh talking about the phenomenon of Ted, shortbread biscuits, "the signal" and much, much more.

Scream 6 - or Scream VI (or ScreaVI) - has arrived in cinemas, and with it... a lot of questions. It's the latest in the meta horror slasher ghostfaced series we all know and love, a treasure trove of twists and references and big plot points - so we all have some queries we'd love to have answered. But also... kinda not. Welcome to: the spoiler zone. In a nutshell, here are some short and sweet interviews with the cast of Scream 6 where Ali tries to ask them moderately interesting questions without anyone giving any spoilers away. It's quite the highwire act, but if anyone can do it, it's Melissa Barrera, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, Dermot Mulroney, Jenna Ortega, Hayden Panettiere and the directors, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett.

Pedro Pascal is, as they say, so hot right now. In the past he's been in the likes of Game Of Thrones, Narcos, The Good Wife, Wonder Woman 1984, Kingsman: The Golden Circle (and many many more) but these days he could well be the biggest TV star out there, thanks in no small part to The Mandalorian, a tiny Yoda-like creature called Grogu and, well, that zombie show. You know the one. Here, Pedro speaks to Ali about how he got the role, what it means to him, and how to best pronounce the word "wizard".

Playing the son of Apollo Creed, Adonis "Donny" Creed, is hard enough a task just by itself, but to also direct and produce the latest Creed film? That's a lot - but fortunately Michael B. Jordan is up to the task(s) required putting Creed 3 together, as this interview undoubtedly proves. Hear him discuss with Ali how much the role means to him, the physical training required, and what it's like to give directions when you have boxing gloves on and mouthguard in.

Creed III is on the way, so it's a great time to revisit the classic of classics that is the original Rocky. Joining Ali to talk about The Italian Stallion is My Dad Wrote A Porno's Jamie Morton, whose dad wrote the immortal Belinda Blinked, um, "books". His dad's nom de plume? Rocky Flintstone. We don't throw this stuff together, you know. So here's an Ali Plumb's Film Club that digs into the super inspirational 1976 sports film in a highly spoilerific fashion, so if you haven't seen it, go treat yourself and come back to us soon, ya hear?

It's been a BIG week for our Ali, what with the BAFTAs and all this movie and TV news that keeps hitting the press. Oh, and all the interviews! Including with Jamie Demetriou, aka Stath from Stath Lets Flats, and now the star and creator of a new Netflix comedy special, A Whole Lifetime With Jamie Demetriou. So here's a Friday episode that keeps you up to date with what's worth knowing in terms of big blockbuster headlines, as well as reminding you of the brilliance of our Jamie (not too hard a task, to be fair).

Fellow Paul Rudd fans, good news: some primo, top quality, high grade Paul Rudd nonsense is about to hit your eardrums. Also along for the ride are his castmates from the third Ant-Man outing, including Evangeline Lilly, Katherine Newton, Jonathan Majors and Michael Douglas - plus their director, Peyton Reed (lest we forget). Talking about breaking, CGI chicanery, fan interactions and plenty of other teeny tiny bits and pieces, quite a lot it covered in this Giant-Man-sized interview special, so please do enjoy.

Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, then: a live-action-cum-stop-motion hybrid animated comedy-drama that couldn't be "indier" if it tried, telling the story of a tiny adorable shell (called Marcel, you guessed it) who lives, Borrowers-style, with his grandmother in an empty house. Oh, and he wears little shoes. Honestly, you have to see it to believe it, but it truly is one of the best films you'll see this year. Here then is the voice of Marcel (and co-creator) Jenny Slate, talking about the meaning of this instant cult classic now that it's finally hit UK cinemas.

Daryl McCormack is having a very good moment right now: nominated for two Baftas, recently seen in a critically-acclaimed Apple TV+ show Bad Sisters, and happily talking about his new best friendship with Emma Thompson, his co-star in sexual discovery comedy-drama Good Luck To You, Leo Grande. Charming and chatty and just generally a tip-top human being, Daryl nattered away with Ali over magic of the internet earlier this week, and here is the double pizza-fuelled result. That'll make just a touch more sense once you've listened, by the way. Hopefully.

You have made an excellent decision today, pressing play on this particular podcast episode. Ke Huy Quan was for the longest time known as Short Round or Data (thanks to Temple Of Doom and The Goonies) but now he is Waymond, the multiverse-hopping hero (alongside Michelle Yeoh's Evelyns, of course), in Everything Everywhere All At Once. He is a DELIGHT here talking to Ali, charming him beyond belief and even getting close to tears on a couple of occasions. So press play, enjoy and share with one and all, we dare you.

Joe Cornish - podcasting legend of Adam And Joe fame, and director extraordinaire behind Attack The Block and The Kid Who Would Be King - is back with Lockwood & Co, a TV show about gifted teenage paranormal investigators that currently happens to be the number one most watched show on Netflix in a number of countries, thanks for asking. In this episode of Radio 1's Screen Time, Joe tells Ali about finding his excellent cast (Ruby Stokes as Lucy Carlyle, Cameron Chapman as Anthony Lockwood, Ali Hadji-Heshmati as George Kari), his memories of '70s super spookery The Ghost Hunters and what ever happened to his once-announced-now-disappeared 'Snow Crash' sci-fi film project.

The incredibly talented and incredibly charming Russell T Davies (Queer As Folk, A Very English Scandal, Years And Years and It's A Sin) spoke to Ali this week in honour of his new ITV (and ITVX) drama Nolly, all about Noele Gordon, the '70s and early '80s soap superstar who played the indomitable Meg Richardson in Crossroads, and how her seemingly unstoppable small screen success suddenly... stopped. Oh, and it should be mentioned: Helena Bonham Carter plays Noele. Yep, it's a good 'un. And with RTD (as no-one calls him) also the man behind the 2005 revival of Doctor Who - and soon to return to the beloved franchise - that topic may up as well, if only just a little bit.

Darren Aronofsky and Brendan Fraser talk to Ali this week about their critically-acclaimed drama The Whale, as well as The Mummy bumper stickers, screentesting, Stephen Sommers' incredible directorial tips and much, much more. Forgive Ali for being particularly smitten with Brendan on this one, he's a big fan.

The Fabelmans finally arrives on British shores this weekend, with Steven Spielberg's latest enjoying the awards nominations as a not-so-little boost to remind you that yes, yes indeed, Spielberg has made another motion picture, and this one is about... him. That's right, this is a semi-autobiographical film starring the likes of Michelle Williams (who you'll hear from on this podcast), Paul Dano, Judd Hirsch and newcomer Gabriel LaBelle (again, also on this podcast!). Here you hear from Michelle and Gabe (as he prefers to be called) about the honour of bringing Spielberg's young life to, um, life.

There's a lot of big telly coming your way in 2023, so friend of the show - and all-round TV expert - Scott Bryan dropped by the Radio 1 studios to chat to Ali about what to look forward to, from Nolly to The Last Of Us to Loki to The Mandalorian to... The list goes on and on. As you'll hear!

Damien Chazelle is just 37 years old but he's already given us Whiplash, La La Land, First Man and now his 1920s Hollywood epic, Babylon. He's an outrageous talent. There, it's been said. Here he talks to Ali about his story so far, with some of his stars - including one Ms. Margot Robbie - chipping in here and there.

The Last Of Us TV show is finally with us, on HBO in the US and here in the UK through Sky Atlantic / NOW. At long, long last - so to speak - The Last Of Us is here. At last. In 2013 the first game came out on PS3 - remember that? - and now, a decade later, Naughty Dog's critically-adored post-apocalyptic zombie heartbreaker has finally been adapted for the small screen, and by Chernobyl's Craig Mazin no less, so that's how you know it'll be a laugh riot. Ahem. Talking to TLOU superfan Ali we have Craig himself, as well as our Joel and Ellie, Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, not forgetting game co-creator Neil Druckmann and, well, quite a few others as it goes.

There are "unbelievable stories", then there's the tale they're telling with Welcome To Chippendales, the latest Hulu drama to make its way over to the UK and land on Disney+ (alongside Welcome To Wrexham and, um, the Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers movie), inspired by a book that says a lot just in the title: 'Deadly Dance: The Chippendales Murders'. Best to say not too much more, eh? But! Kumail Nanjiani and Murray Bartlett play the two key figures in the incredible tale of how the all-male dancing revue took over the world, and how good ol' power does so love to corrupt.

Gillian Anderson needs no introduction, but with this being the introduction part of the podcast, an introduction is what she shall have. An Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild (the list goes on and on, and quite rightly) award winner, Anderson is a veteran of the X-Files series - but of course - as well as, more recently, The Crown and Sex Education, not forgetting Bleak House, American Gods, Great Expectations and much, much more. Here she talks to a very chilly Ali over Zoom in honour of her latest, the Netflix detective mystery thriller The Pale Blue Eye. No spoilers here, we promise!

2023 is here! And with it, Radio 1's Screen Time interview specials for you to listen to, you lucky, lucky things. First up is Blake Harrison, most recently seen in the second series of I Hate Suzie on Sky, but also in the likes of The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret (a must watch if you're a David Cross fan), The Great, A Very English Scandal and some thing called - checks notes - The Inbetweeners, where of course he played the legendary Neil. Here Blake talks to Ali about all of the above and more, even coming up with a whole new word in the process...