Ali Plumb
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'That interviewer guy', Q&A host, movie nerd at large, blockbusterer, 'Greg James's friend off Radio 1'. All over the internet. ali.plumb.enquiries@gmail.com
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Articles by Ali Plumb
Words Over Faces: The New Movie Poster Trend
With the arrival of these three new The Adjustment Bureau posters, featuring Matt Damon, John Slattery, and, um, Matt Damon and Emily Blunt together (why doesn't Emily get her own, huh?) we decided that enough was enough. What is it with movie poster designers just taking a picture of a character and slapping words over their faces? Is that all it takes now?
When actors throw their own movies under the bus
Some films are so bad even the actors promoting them can't deny just how rubbish they are – as these cinematic turncoats prove... 1. George Clooney: "I think we might have killed the franchise." Warner Bros.
What We Do In The Shadows Interview: Taika Waititi And Jemaine Clement
What We Do In The Shadows is a film Empire has not been shy about endorsing. So on top of our exclusive deleted scene in honour of the UK Blu-ray release, here's our exclusive interview with the directors of the much-loved vampire mockumentary, Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, first heard (in part) on the Empire Podcast back in November 2014. Bear in mind that the conversation is so beautifully dry you may need a glass of blood to hand to wet your throat...
40 Of The Unlikeliest Movie Character Posters
Think of a film, any film. Okay, not any film, but a film that holds ambitions for blockbuster status. That film, more likely than not, will be blessed with character banners, and this can result in some delightfully odd one-sheets. After some extensive research â read: a trawl through IMPAwards.com â are our favourites, from Paddingtonâs Mrs. Bird to a tiny mustachioed cameraman being chased through a jungle by some ravenous giant pickles. Youâll see...
Peter Fonda Empire Podcast Special
The one and only Peter Fonda needs no introduction, but he's getting one anyway. Star and co-writer of the Hollywood-upturning '60s classic Easy Rider, the father of Bridget, son of Henry and brother of Jane is a legend in his own lunchtime, and thanks to this special Empire Podcas**t**, he can now be a legend in yours, talking about everything from sailing to supermodels to surviving his friendship with Dennis Hopper.
Film Industry - Empire
By Ali Plumb Posted 17 Aug 2015 Come January 1, 2014, it’ll have been two long years since the premiere of Sherlock Series 2. That’s right, ‘A Scandal in Belgravia’ was broadcast way back on January 1, 2012. It makes sense, then, that Team Sherlock have picked New Year’s Day as the airdate for the first episode of Series 3, The Empty Hearse.
15 Man Of Steel Easter Eggs You May Have Missed
Man Of Steel director Zack Snyder and co-writer / producer David S. Goyer are self-confessed comic book nerds, the kind of guys who casually reference classic Superman covers and are more than happy to sneak geeky references into a multi-million dollar superhero movie. After speaking to the two of them for our spoiler podcast and video interviews, we’ve collated some of the stand-out bits of geekery from Kal-El’s cinematic return. Any we’ve missed? Let us know in the comment box below.
Ben Affleck Talks About His Batman Casting
Ben Affleck will be the Batman in Zack Snyder's Man Of Steel follow-up, Batman Vs. Superman, and there's nothing Team Anti-Batfleck can do about it. But lest anyone doubted that Affleck was aware of the controversy, read the following Jimmy Fallon interview transcription. "It’s so awesome, man. I’m so excited. They called me up and asked me if I wanted to do this.
Ridley Scott Talks Exodus, Prometheus 2 And Blade Runner 2
On parting The Red Sea and more... His latest, The Counsellor, may star Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt, and sure, Cormac McCarthy may have been on script duties, but Ridley Scott is not resting on his laurels. Speaking to Empire for this month's issue - out on Thursday - he elaborates on what's next. "Prometheus 2 is written," says Scott, but doesn't indicate when it might start shooting. "I have already got the next two films ready to go.
Red-Band Trailer For Lars Von Trier's Nymphomaniac
Your jaw dropped when the posters came out. Now your jaw will drop once more thanks to the redder-than-red band trailer for Lars Von Trier's sexual marathon, Nymphomaniac. This is the most traditional piece of marketing for the film so far, with a series of abstract clips - all voiceovers and hidden meanings - capped off with the aforementioned character posters (and that typographical masterpiece of a teaser one-sheet).
Beautiful New UK Under The Skin Poster
Update: We now have the trailer to accompany the poster for Jonathan Glazer’s next feature, Under The Skin, which has been getting a lot of buzz of late because of its mysterious teaser trailers (see the bottom of the page) and out-there story. This is a film that sees Scarlett Johansson as an extra-terrestrial, after all. And to see her in an altogether different form, check out this stunning new poster and trailer. Warning: do not expect this to reveal a whole lot of plot.
Liam Neeson Casts Doubt On Taken 3
Taken, for all its detractors, was a huge hit. It relaunched Liam Neeson's somewhat pigeonholed career, making him a late-in-life action star with a sequel currently on its way to cinemas – but according to Neeson himself on the latest Empire Podcast, he thinks the chances of Taken 3 are minimal.
Film Industry - Empire
Updated! Stan Lees Marvel-lous Cameos Now With Even More Cameos stan lee hot dog vendor x-men 2000 Stan The Man is: Hot Dog Vendor What Happens? Newly mutated Senator Kelly (Bruce Davison) walks out of the ocean onto a beach full of stunned onlookers, who can’t quite believe the gloopy, morphing, watery sight that greets them. And who’s that old geezer running the hot dog stand, with his mouth agape?
Which of Lara Croft's twin-pistol-toting puzzlers is best?
With Lara Croft finally reaching the ripe old age of 20, it's time to look back on her gaming achievements across two decades. We've gone through all of the memorable moments from the entire Tomb Raider series including dinosaurs, gun battles, badly-timed jumps and Siberian survival to rank the entries in the gaming series that would kickstart the careers of Hollywood heavyweights Angelina Jolie and… Nell McAndrew.
Which Assassin's Creed game is best? We rank all nine
Update: Though there are currently 10 main Assassin's Creed games, that number will soon be zipping up to 11 with Assassin's Creed Odyssey. Once it finally hits shelves later this year we'll be adding it to this list. In the meantime, why not check out our article detailing everything you need to know about Origins. Original Article: It's high time we revisited the games that inspired Michael Fassbender to pick up a sword and manipulate his DNA memory. In the end, it was a bloody massacre.
Empire's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 Covers Are Here
Exclusive new look at Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss Everdeen The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1's Katniss Everdeen, in full body armour and sporting a brand new bow, stands proud on the cover of the December issue of Empire, which will hit newsstands on Thursday, October 30 and the doormats of subscribers over the next few days. Below, you can get a good look at what to expect.
Prometheus Trailer Arrives Online
Nothing to do with Alien, eh? Trailer week 2011, you've been good to us. The Dark Knight Rises, The Hobbit, and now this, the very teasery trailer for Ridley Scott's Prometheus.
Chuck Palahniuk Announces Fight Club 2 Comic Book
Guess what we're talking about? Rules are made to be broken, and author Chuck Palahniuk is breaking one of the big ones, talking as he is about his most famous and best-loved work, Fight Club, and the sequel he's writing for Dark Horse Comics. More details will be announced at a special Fight Club Comic-Con panel later this week, but the key news is this: a ten-issue Dark Horse Comics maxiseries illustrated by Cameron Stewart will arrive May 2015.
X-Men: Days Of Future Pasts Secrets Explained
X-Men: Days Of Future Past is one of those films that provokes fevered discussion as soon as you leave the cinema. While your friends are of course available for the purpose of dissection and deliberation, chances are they don’t include the producer and writer of the film, Simon Kinberg, who is in a position to give pretty definitive answers on many thorny questions of time travel and mutant powers.
Gareth Edwards' Star Wars Standalone Film Titled Rogue One
Big Star Wars news has arrived, and that news can be split into three parts: 1) The name of the first standalone Star Wars film, as directed by Godzilla and Monsters helmer Gareth Edwards, is Rogue One, and it's coming out on December 16, 2016. 2) Felicity Jones, as long expected, is the first confirmed cast member for the film. 3) Star Wars Episode VIII will come out on May 26, 2017. Rian Johnson, of Looper fame, will write the script as well as direct it.
The Empire Podcast #106: Sam Claflin, Gareth Evans
Quite the Carry On With The Raid 2 coming out this week, it made sense to invite director Gareth Evans round for a chat about it on this week's podcast. Likewise, as Hammer's latest horror, The Quiet Ones, has Sam Claflin as one of its leads, it seemed like the right thing to ask him over for a cup of tea and a good scream. In other news, there's new movie news, and in the question-and-answer portion of proceedings Carry On comes up. "Oo matron" and so on.
Podcast #129: Liam Neeson, The Riot Club Stars
Take them on, on your own The Empire Podcast breaks new ground this week, as just one person interviews five different people, all at once. Give a warm Empire welcome, then, to Max Irons, Sam Claflin, Douglas Booth, Holliday Grainger and Jessica Brown Findlay, all dropping by to talk (in a rather posh fashion) about The Riot Club. Oh, and some guy called Liam Neeson (whoever he is) turns up in honour of A Walk Among The Tombstones.
Kristen Wiig Joins Arrested Development
As our exclusive Arrested Development Season 4 quotes from Jason Bateman went down so well yesterday, it's only fair to announce some more AD4 news: both Kirsten Wiig and Seth Rogen are on board for Netflix's comedy revival.
Want To Appear In The Kick-Ass 3 Comic?
Not your traditional movie news story this, but as it's for charity, please forgive us. Mark Millar - creator of Kick-Ass, Wanted, The Secret Service and more - has long had a tradition of auctioning off character names in his comic books to the highest bidder, with the proceeds going to St. Bartholomew's primary school in Glasgow. Most famously, of course, Dave Lizewski - Kick-Ass himself - was named after a previous auction winner.
Classic Kids' TV Shows That Still Rock Our World
Stargate for the under-12s, Mr. Benn sees its titular banker disappear through a magical fancy dress shop and into a range of adventures, usually returning before the mysterious fez-wearing shopkeeper hits him with late fees. It was all the handiwork of an unassuming Devonshire illustrator called David McKee – and, frankly, big high-fives to him. McKee later created King Rollo, a benevolent monarch who looked a bit like Paul Giamatti in Ironclad, but Benn is the one we really love.
15 Amazing Adverts from 15 Amazing Directors
Many big name Hollywood directors made their name not on movie sets, but on commercial ones, earning a living selling bread (Ridley Scott), cars (Neill Blomkamp) and, well, everything else in the world (David Fincher).
13 Actors You Didn't Realize Were in the Star Wars Movies
Film fans around the world rewatching the old Star Wars movies to prepare for The Force Awakens are in for more than a few surprises. Putting Jar Jar's unabashed Jar Jar-iness to one side, some of the biggest surprises are when you recognize now-famous actors, young and eager, gurning for the camera in the prequels trilogy.
13 actors you never knew were in Star Wars movies
Film fans around the world are rewatching the old Star Wars movies to prepare for The Force Awakens, and there are more than a few surprises in store. Putting Jar Jar's unabashed Jar Jar-iness to one side, some of the biggest "What the!?" moments are when you recognise now-famous actors, all young and eager, gurning for the camera in the prequels trilogy.
9 movie-related Christmas jumpers good enough to wear all year round
Unbelieveably, Christmas is here, and with it a flood of mock-ironic seasonal jumpers. But which one to pick? The trick is to choose a movie-related chest-warmer, because that way if someone hates the Christmas "tat" of it all, they'll love the cult classic film you're proudly promoting. Here, then, are Digital Spy's favourites currently available in December 2015 - just try not to involuntarily itch too much looking at them.
GoldenEye's 20th anniversary - Pierce Brosnan on his first Bond film: "You walk into the history books"
That sound you can hear is time flying by (wearing a Union Jack parachute, presumably). Yes, it's true: classic Bond movie GoldenEye has just turned 20 years old. In honour of this milestone, we spoke to Pierce Brosnan about his memories of filming what has become, for many, their favourite Bond film. So without any further ado, here's our interview with the 63-year-old charmer, covering everything from exploding pens to that walk... It's 20 years since GoldenEye. How does that make you feel?
Watch the cast of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory reunite, 44 years on
Prepare to feel old: it's been 44 years since Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory opened its doors. For US morning chat show Today, this means it's reunion time, because why wait until the 45th or 50th anniversary when the 44th is, well, now? In case you'd forgotten, here are your stars: Paris Themmen (Mike Teavee), Julie Dawn Cole (Veruca Salt), Michael Bollner (Augustus Gloop), Denise Nickerson (Violet Beauregarde), Peter Ostrum (Charlie Bucket) and Rusty Goffe (chief Oompa Loompa).
Robin Williams's Will Forbids Aladdin Sequel
Ever wondered whether Disney might make another Aladdin movie? Well, if they do, they won't be using Robin Williams's outtakes for it. The Sunday Times has revealed that the much-loved late comic's outtakes have been specifically ruled out of any potential sequel through his will. This is primarily to prevent punitive financial punishment this would cause his children, due to complicated tax rules on posthumous earnings.
Robin Williams's will specifically forbids Disney from using his Genie outtakes for an Aladdin sequel
Ever wondered whether Disney might make another Aladdin movie? Well, if they do, they won't be using Robin Williams's outtakes for it. The Sunday Times has revealed that the much-loved late comic's outtakes have been specifically ruled out of any potential sequel through his will. This is primarily to prevent punitive financial punishment this would cause his children, due to complicated tax rules on posthumous earnings.
Watch Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller play our 'Mr and Mrs' quiz
Bradley Cooper and Sienna Miller play chefs in new cooking drama Burnt, so we played a Mr and Mrs-style 'How well do you know each other?' game with them. Because... because. Of course, the real reason is that this is the second film Cooper and Miller have appeared in together - after last year's smash hit American Sniper - so they really should know each other pretty well by now.
What would an Aaron Sorkin Pixar movie look like? The West Wing writer reveals his office-themed pitch
What would an Aaron Sorkin Pixar movie look like? Well, the cat's finally out of the bag as Aaron Sorkin exclusively told Digital Spy his pitch for an animated movie back in the '90s. His first act idea was revealed during an interview in honour of his latest movie Steve Jobs. Jobs, of course, just so happened to be heading up Pixar when Sorkin was initially approached about the gig.
17 sequels that are better than the original, from The Dark Knight to Toy Story 2 and beyond
Movie sequels are meant to follow the law of diminishing returns, but the following fought that law - and won.Of course, this is all a matter of opinion, and if you personally think Babe: Pig in the City is better than the original - hint: it's not - do let us know in the comment box below.The best of Christopher Nolan 's Batman trilogy? Undoubtedly.
Daniel Craig on quitting James Bond: "I have the right to change my mind"
The current incarnation of James Bond, Daniel Craig , has revealed that those quitting rumours are just that.Speaking toand other journalists at the Spectre press junket, Craig said: "I have the right to change my mind any time I want. And sometimes I say things, like I did when I was asked two days after I just finished shooting for eight months, 'Would I do another one?'"That's what was on my mind, and I said what was on my mind. It's the way I've always spoken.
"Where's Luke?" 25 burning questions from the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer
Unless you're in a coma, dead, or - worse - just at work, you'll know that the full-length trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens has finally arrived. And by Grabthar's hammer, it is a thing of beauty.But with all the soaring music, aerial dogfights and shots of Han and Chewie dancing , there are dozens of questions still left unanswered - thank goodness.Here, then, are 25 of the biggest burning questions posed by the latest Star Wars trailer.
What are the top 25 movies of the past 25 years? IMDb users reveal their list of the best of the best
IMDb is a dangerous place, full of knowledgeable people packing hella big opinions. Now, the Internet Movie Database - to use its full title - has unveiled something extraordinary: what its users think are the best films from the past 25 years.To be clear, these are the top 25 films from the last 25 years, as voted for by millions of IMDb-ers on an individual basis. So these, in effect, are the highest-voted films on IMDb, each year, for the past 25 years.It's simpler that it sounds, honest.
Daniel Craig would rather 'slash his wrists' than do another Bond film now: "It would only be for the money"
Daniel Craig is contracted for one more James Bond film, but don't expect him to shoot it any time soon: "Now? I'd rather break this glass and slash my wrists." Speaking to Time Out, the current embodiment of agent 007 added that if he did another Bond movie, "it would only be for the money". © 2015 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., Danjaq, LLC and Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc.Daniel Craig as James Bond in Spectre.
Director George Miller has two scripts ready for the sequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, Mad Max: The Wasteland
It's no surprise that a sequel to this summer's most critically-acclaimed blockbuster, Mad Max: Fury Road , is on its way.
Arnold Schwarzenegger killed 81 people in Commando? Hollywood's 5 deadliest action heroes by body counts
Commando, the iconic Arnie action movie with one of the biggest kill counts in the world, is 30 years old.
From The Phantom Menace to Masters of the Universe: 10 great posters for terrible films
Movie posters are there to sell the movie. But some of them sell the movie too well, making you think a bad film will be a really, really good one.To celebrate those rare moments when the publicity succeeds where the movie doesn't, here are just ten examples of great posters for terrible films.57%The teaser poster for the second coming of Star Wars was screaming-in-the-street exciting when it first hit bus stop billboards.
Robert De Niro says he'll be reuniting with Martin Scorsese next year for I Heard You Paint Houses
Robert De Niro has confirmed that his long-planned Scorsese collaboration, I Heard You Paint Houses, is set to shoot next year. De Niro revealed the news to Digital Spy while promoting The Intern with Anne Hathaway. "We are doing it... We should be doing it sometime next year," De Niro said.
Assassin's Creed Syndicate hands-on: Grand Theft Auto meets Charles Dickens in Ubisoft's period romp round London
Assassin's Creed: Syndicate takes the running-jumping-stabbing-climbing-leaping-into-hay series to Victorian London for the first time.After last year's fumbled launch with this Paris-set Unity , there were reasons to be concerned, but an afternoon of play shows what looks to be a reassuring return to form for the series: a slick, confident and above all fun game that mixes the best parts of previous outings with several controversial additions - for Assassin's Creed, anyway.As game director...
Dodgier than the Krays: Two-star film review hidden on Tom Hardy's Legend poster is a bit of a cheat
A two-star review from The Guardian (that's just one star per twin) is hiding in this new poster for Tom Hardy 's Kray twins biopic Legend , and you've got two seconds to spot it.The incident was first brought to light by the alarmed Guardian reviewer himself, Benjamin Lee, who tweeted this:A tip of the cap to Legend's marketing team, then, for turning an unfortunate critical assessment into a social media phenomenon.Lighting up Twitter like it's the second coming of Keyboard Cat, the...
Two-star Guardian review snuck into poster for Tom Hardy's film Legend
A two-star review from The Guardian (that's just one star per twin) is hiding in this new poster for Tom Hardy 's Kray twins biopic Legend , and you've got two seconds to spot it.The incident was first brought to light by the alarmed Guardian reviewer himself, Benjamin Lee, who tweeted this:A tip of the cap to Legend's marketing team, then, for turning an unfortunate critical assessment into a social media phenomenon.Lighting up Twitter like it's the second coming of Keyboard Cat, the...
When they were young: 8 A-listers' amazingly fresh-faced audition tapes
At some point in our lives - most often early on - we were all young. But when it comes to some actors, that's hard to believe... until you watch their fresh-faced audition tapes, that is.Here, then, are 8 examples of joyfully awkward casting tapes where the now rich and famous were very young and eager to please.
Trainspotting cast then and now: Danny Boyle and Ewan McGregor want to make a Porno
News of a possible Trainspotting sequel - based on Irvine Welsh's follow-up novel Porno, released in 2002 - has left us climbing on the ceiling with anticipation. Could director Danny Boyle really wrangle together the cast once more?
7 Things You Need to Know About Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
If you've seen Marvel's space opera Guardians of the Galaxy - "I am Groot!', by the way - you're guaranteed to be interested in its sequel, Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Here, then, is everything you need to know about Chris Pratt's other blockbuster franchise... Details are thin on the ground at the moment, but consider this article (which we'll update as new info drops) your one-stop shop for cast, plot rumours and potential spoilers on Guardians of the Galaxy 2...
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