Val Kilmer, the celebrated actor whose singular performances in everything from Real Genius to Tombstone made him an unforgettable screen presence, died today at 65. His legacy Although his death is undoubtedly a tragedy, his contributions to the entertainment industry remain larger than life. The Empire Podcast, in its latest episode (#662), dedicated part of its airtime to reflect on Kilmer’s life and career.
In that episode, Will Poulter joined as a special guest. He was an incredibly honest and generous conversationalist, coming straight off his critically acclaimed, and intensely weird, recent leading role in Alex Scharfman’s indie comedy, Death Of A Unicorn. As a result of playing such a prize A-hole, Poulter’s performance has become a runaway hit, lauded for its surprising comedic depth. Throughout the panel, Poulter proved to be both whimsical and insightful. He accompanied Hewitt on some spontaneous impromptu tongue-twisters, inducing a touch of whimsical levity to the otherwise darkly-toned episode.
Apart from paying tribute to Kilmer, the podcast blasted through plenty of other recent movie news. The hosts discussed highly anticipated projects such as John Wick 5, Now You See Me Now You Don’t, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In addition, they kept us posted on Beyond The Spider-Verse, which has just put out its new release date. To kick off the event, this panel discussed the rapidly changing landscape of the film industry and the inspiring trends emerging with new releases.
Joining Poulter and Hewitt on this episode were guests James Dyer and Ben Travis. Dyer’s comments provided a fascinating glimpse into the current cinematic landscape. In the meantime, Travis makes an amazing long-awaited comeback to the podcast. The camaraderie among the guests added depth to the discussions, covering not only film news but exploring the videogames they would like to see adapted into movies.
Poulter’s podcast critiqued the Better Angels’ film, Death Of A Unicorn. As story-based podcasters themselves, they provided listeners with a deep dive into its themes and execution. The Empire Podcast, as you might imagine, does equal parts tribute and entertainment. This combination really distills the legendary quality that’s made it a must-have for cinephiles.