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No./8

How Cocaine Bear got uncaged

JIMMY WARDEN, the writer of the year’s grizzliest thriller, on how he found ursine inspiration
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Empire
Apr-23
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EMPIRE
EMPIRE
WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO THIS MONTH
TALK TO US
COMMENT OF THE MONTH
EMPIRE
Editor NICK DE SEMLYEN Creative Director CHRIS LUPTON
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EDITORIAL
THIS MONTH
A GROUCHY PEDRO Pascal, navigating an unrecognisable planet
TAKE 20
The Fast family approaches the finish line
Director Louis Leterrier on the franchise’s dramatic penultimate chapter, FAST X. It’s boom time
DC’s new breed of heroes are ready for action
With the studio unveiling its new super-slate, we break down the ins, outs and weaponised weasels
EVERY-SING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE
With Michelle Yeoh calling for a musical EEAAO spin-off, we imagine the perfect accompanying songs
BLACK IN FOCUS
AMON WARMANN chews over the main moment in Black film and TV this month
M3GAN: from AI to A-lister
Blumhouse’s JASON BLUM on the doll’s phenomenal success — and sequel
DO THE ROBOT
Your step-by-step guide to striking a pose, M3GAN-style
South London gets its romcom moment
Rye Lane director Raine Allen-Miller on showing a different side to her city
The twists and turns of the Oscars race
From big risks to a year of dicks, this year’s list of ACADEMY AWARDS contenders came with highs and lows aplenty
The rise of the 60+ female star
From Michelle Yeoh to Jennifer Coolidge, Hollywood is giving sexagenarians their due
NEXT IN THE SERIES
You fell in love with that incredible new TV show. And then it ended! Don’t despair — Boyd Hilton recommends the sibling shows to watch next
THE ROAD BACK TO THE COLOSSEUM
With Ridley Scott’s Gladiator sequel seemingly finally ready to go, we unleash 23 years of development hell
Meet the godly sisters taking on Shazam
HELEN MIRREN, LUCY LIU and RACHEL ZEGLER reveal the highs and lows of their magic-wielding DC debut
“‘Cut the cheque!’ will always be my line on set. I know when a take is good”
[ THE Q&A]
Payakan-mania explained
The Avatar: The Way Of Water scene-stealer’s designers and fans on why this hyper-whale is winning hearts
DRAMA-BEARING YACHTS
Proof that theatrics thrive on open water
Tetris
[ ON-SET REPORT]
Putting on a one-woman pity parade
Sick Of Myself star Kristine Kujath Thorp on getting under the skin of a 20-something liar
CAPTAIN PLANET POWERS UP
Glen Powell hopes to write and star in the ’90s animated superhero’s movie outing. Here’s why you should be excited
Inside an apocalyptic masterpiece
The team behind THE LAST OF US’ stand-out third episode describe its journey to the small screen
Welcome to the year of the Sandman
Adam Sandler is set to have his most creatively daring year yet. Here’s why we need to pay him more attention
TRAILER TALK 65
Unfiltered, uncensored, uncompromising trailer reactions from team EMPIRE
INTRODUCING...
Zen McGrath
Bringing a Greek tragedy to an Irish village
God’s Creatures’ co-directors break down their rainswept parable about a small-town predator
PINT OF MILK
SAM RILEY
ON SCREEN
PEARL
Mia Goth raises the bar as horror-icon-in-the-making Pearl.
WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT?
Meet cute? Childhood friends Kazim (Shazad Latif) and
DEVOTION
Jonathan Majors as history-maker Jesse Brown, ready to
EPIC TAILS
★★ OUT NOW / CERT U / 95
CREATURE
★★★★ OUT 24 FEBRUARY / CERT 12A /
MISSING
The new seekers: June (Storm Reid) and Veena
MARCEL THE SHELL WITH SHOES ON
Nana Connie (voiced by Isabella Rossellini) and
SHARPER
Damn them for revealing the end of Happy
JOYLAND
The star-crossed Haider (Ali Junejo) and Biba (Alina
SHOTGUN WEDDING
★★★ OUT NOW (PRIME VIDEO) / CERT 15
JUNG_E
★★★ OUT NOW (NETFLIX) / CERT 12 /
YOU PEOPLE
★★★ OUT NOW (NETFLIX) / CERT 15 /
THE INSPECTION
★★★ OUT 17 FEBRUARY / CERT 15 /
UNWELCOME
★★★ OUT NOW / CERT 15 / 104
CLOSE
★★★★ OUT 3 MARCH / CERT 12A /
KNOCK AT THE CABIN
Leonard (Dave Bautista, right): an altogether unusual horror
ELECTRIC MALADY
★★★ OUT 1 MARCH / CERT TBC /
PATHAAN
★★★ OUT NOW / CERT 12A / 146
SKINAMARINK
Taking a dim view: Skinamarink plays on our
SERVANT: SEASON 4
★★★★ OUT NOW (APPLE TV+) / EPISODES VIEWED
THE MAKANAI: COOKING FOR THE MAIKO HOUSE
★★★★ OUT NOW (NETFLIX) / EPISODES VIEWED 9
SHRINKING
‘Indiana Jones And The Quest For The Missing
LOCKWOOD & CO.
That diavolo pizza had been a mistake.
FLEISHMAN IS IN TROUBLE
Carry on doctor: Fleishman (Jesse Eisenberg) embarks on
ON SCREEN CHECKLIST
Your at-a-glance view of this month's reviews 
FEATURES
REAL STEEL
FOR THE ACTORS ON THE SHOW, THE MANDALORIAN IS AN EXPERIENCE LIKE NO OTHER. AND, AS PEDRO PASCAL, KATEE SACKHOFF AND MORE TELL US, SEASON 3 HAS PUSHED THEM FURTHER THAN EVER…
BABY STEPS
NO MATTER WHAT YOU CALL HIM — GROGU, THE CHILD, OR SIMPLY BABY YODA — HE’S THE MANDALORIAN’S BIGGEST BREAK-OUT STAR. THE CREATIVES BEHIND THE BELOVED SCENE-STEALER TALK HIS JOURNEY TO THE SCREEN — AND INTO EVERYONE’S HEARTS
THE RS STHE WAY
WITH THE MANDALORIAN, DAVE FILONI AND JON FAVREAU REINVENTED STAR WARS AND REVOLUTIONISED TELEVISION. WE GOT THEM TOGETHER ON SET TO TELL US HOW THEY’VE MADE THE SMALL SCREEN SO BIG
RESTRAINTS
BREAKING THE 
COMING THROUGH
ALMOST TWO DECADES INTO A CHAMELEONIC CAREER, TO LESLIE’S OSCAR NOMINATION HAS CATAPULTED ANDREA RISEBOROUGH TO CENTRE STAGE. WE MEET HER IN THE MIDST OF A DEFINING MOMENT
THE Rolling Dice
SINCE THE GAME WAS CREATED FIVE DECADES AGO, FANS HAVE BEEN CRYING OUT FOR A WORTHY MOVIE. CAN DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: HONOUR AMONG THIEVES FINALLY GET THAT RIGHT? BRING ON THE GELATINOUS CUBES…
ON BOARD
D&D’S GREATEST POP-CULTURE CAMEOS
MABEL NORMAND
WAS A SILENT-FILM SUPERSTAR WHO BROKE BOX-OFFICE RECORDS, MENTORED CHARLIE CHAPLIN AND... DISAPPEARED. WE INVESTIGATE THE THRILLING RISE AND DRAMATIC FALL OF A LOST HOLLYWOOD ICON
LOST LEGENDS
MABEL NORMAND ISN’T THE ONLY FORGOTTEN FEMALE SILENT STAR
REVIEW
Living it up
Bill Nighy, star of LIVING, on the Ikiru remake that has given him the role of his incredible career
Charley Varrick
THE MASTERPIECE
WALTER MATTHAU IN NUMBERS
1/10/1920 WALTER JOHN MATTHOW IS BORN ON THE
A Patton emerging
From a rat to a troll, PATTON OSWALT talks us through key beats in his unique career
MARK KERMODE’S MOVIE PLAYLIST
THE CRITIC AND SCALA RADIO PRESENTER CHOOSES SCORES HE’S BEEN PLAYING ON HIS WEEKLY SHOW
GoldenEye
THE STORY OF THE SHOT
How to eat the rich
TRIANGLE OF SADNESS director Ruben Östlund on his scabrous satire
THE CUT OF KIM NEWMAN
The critic and novelist selects the month’s weirdest home-ent releases
Bros
THE VIEWING GUIDE
Al Pacino movies
THE RANKING
6 OF THE BEST
PICK OF THE MONTH
WIN!
SIX FILM AND TV BOARD GAMES FROM FUNKO GAMES
Spartacus Chosen by MICHAEL DOUGLAS
CLASSIC SCENCE
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