The Next Best Picture Podcast

"Project Hail Mary" is a 2026 American science fiction adventure film produced and directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and written by Drew Goddard, based on the 2021 novel by Andy Weir. It stars Ryan Gosling (who also produced the film), Sandra Hüller, Lionel Boyce, Ken Leung, and Milana Vayntrub. The film follows Ryland Grace, a man who awakens on an interstellar spacecraft with no memory of how he arrived there. Goddard was kind enough to spend half an hour (and with a cold, too) speaking with us about his work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which will be released in theaters by Amazon MGM Studios on March 20th. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL REVIEW. Please check out the full podcast review on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture For this week's second podcast review, Megan Lachinski, Dan Bayer, Ben Langford, and Larry Fried join me to discuss the latest film from Disney Pixar, "Hoppers" starring Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan, Jon Hamm, Kathy Najimy, and Dave Franco. Directed by Daniel Chong and written by Jesse Andrews, from a story by Chong and Andrews, it follows Mabel Tanaka (Curda), an animal lover, whose mind is transferred into a lifelike robotic beaver to communicate with animals and save their habitat from destruction, inadvertently sparking an uprising in the process. What did we think of it? Please tune in as we discuss the story, animation, voice performances, score, where it ranks amongst other Pixar films, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Episode 482, I am proud to be joined by Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, Cody Dericks, Daniel Howat, Giovanni Lago, and Will Mavity, because this...this is the episode you've all been waiting for. It’s time for us to deliver our final Oscar winner predictions for the 98th Academy Awards, which will be held this Sunday, March 15th. Tune in as we discuss all categories in detail and use all of the information from this season’s precursors to make the best predictions we possibly can. We also reveal the winner of last week’s poll, asking, “Which Film Do You Think Should Be The Next Best Picture Oscar Winner?” and ask this week’s poll question for the last time this awards season, “Which Film Do You Think Will Be The Next Best Picture Oscar Winner?” We also answer your fan-submitted questions and give our reactions to the trailers for “I Swear” and “Scary Movie.” We will not have a show next Sunday afternoon. Still, we will have a "Night Before" episode on Saturday and another reactions episode for the Oscar winners following the ceremony next Sunday, all exclusive to our Patreon subscribers. We cannot thank you all enough for always listening, subscribing, and supporting us through another fun and eventful awards season. You’re the best fans any site could ever ask for, and we hope you enjoy this episode and the ceremony this Sunday! Enjoy, and we'll see you all, next tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmme ;) Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Ema Sasic, Nadia Dalimonte, Megan Lachinski, and Sara Clements join me to discuss the latest film from Maggie Gyllenhaal, "The Bride!" starring Jessie Buckley, Christian Bale, Peter Sarsgaard, Annette Bening, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Penélope Cruz. Drawing inspiration from the 1935 film "Bride of Frankenstein," which was based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel "Frankenstein," the film is a reimagining of Shelley's characters set in 1936 that spans many genres and takes a pro-feminist approach. What did we think of it, though? Tune in as we discuss the story, performances, makeup work, visual aesthetic, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Children No More: Were And Are Gone" is a documentary short film directed by Hilla Medalia. It follows activists in Tel Aviv who gather weekly to demonstrate their opposition to the war in Gaza with a silent vigil for the children killed in Israeli attacks. The film had its world premiere at DOC NYC, where it received positive reviews, and has since been nominated for Best Documentary Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Medalia was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about her experience and work on the film, which you can listen to below. We hope you'll be able to check out the film one day, which currently has no U.S. distributor. It is up for your consideration for this year's Academy Awards. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"All The Empty Rooms" is an American documentary short film, directed and produced by Joshua Seftel. It follows Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they embark across the United States to memorialize the bedrooms of children killed in school shootings. The film had its world premiere at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival and received positive reviews. Netflix released it globally on its streaming service on December 1st. It has been nominated for the Best Documentary Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Seftel was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience and work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Netflix and is up for your consideration for this year's Academy Awards. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The Girl Who Cried Pearls"  is a Canadian animated short film, directed by Chris Lavis and Maciek Szczerbowski. Made through stop-motion animation, the film centers on a young boy who meets and falls in love with a girl who secretly weeps pearls at night. The initial inspiration for the film came during the production of the duo's 2007 short film "Madame Tutli-Putli," when a prop necklace unexpectedly fell apart, scattering pearls across the set as they filmed the climactic scene. The film has received critical acclaim and is nominated at the 98th Academy Awards in the category of Best Animated Short Film. Lavis and Szczerbowski were both kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their experience and work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on YouTube and is up for your consideration for this year's Academy Awards. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Jane Austen's Period Drama" is a 2024 English-language short comedy film written and directed by Julia Aks and Steve Pinder. The film is a satire on Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice." The film had its world premiere at the 39th Santa Barbara International Film Festival and has been nominated for the Best Live Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Julia Aks and Steve Pinder were both kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their experience and work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on YouTube and is up for your consideration for this year's Academy Awards. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Retirement Plan" is a 2024 Irish animated short film directed by John Kelly and co-written by John Kelly and Tara Lawall. It is Kelly's debut film. The 7-minute animated film about the fantasies of a middle-aged man has received positive reviews and been awarded at various international film festivals, including Palm Springs International ShortFest and SXSW. The film's style, described as expressively understated, subdued, and stripped back, was animated using MoHo animation software. It has been nominated for Best Animated Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Kelly was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience and work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on YouTube through The New Yorker and is up for your consideration for this year's Academy Awards. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"The Singers" is an American short musical comedy film directed by Sam A. Davis. The film, featuring a cast discovered through viral videos and street casting, includes Mike Young and Judah Kelly. Based on a 19th-century Russian story by Ivan Turgenev, it depicts a downtrodden, improvised pub sing-off. It had its world premiere in the Narrative Short Competition at the 2025 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival. It received positive reviews and has been nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Davis was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience and work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Netflix and is up for your consideration for this year's Academy Awards. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"One Battle After Another" is an American black comedy action-thriller film produced, written, and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. It is inspired by the 1990 novel "Vineland" by Thomas Pynchon and features an ensemble cast led by Leonardo DiCaprio, with Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Regina Hall, Teyana Taylor, and Chase Infiniti (in her film debut). The story follows an ex-revolutionary who is forced back into his former life of violence when a corrupt military officer pursues him and his daughter. With a budget of $130–175 million, it is the most expensive film of Anderson's career. It garnered widespread acclaim and numerous accolades. These include three wins at the 31st Critics' Choice Awards (including Best Picture), four wins at the 83rd Golden Globes (including Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy), one win and a record seven nominations at the 32nd Actor Awards (including Outstanding Performance by a Cast), six wins at the 79th British Academy Film Awards (including Best Film), and thirteen nominations at the 98th Academy Awards (including Best Picture). The American Film Institute also listed the film among the top ten films of 2025, and it won five awards from the National Board of Review (including Best Film), as well as Best Picture prizes from the New York Film Critics Circle, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and the National Society of Film Critics. Teyana Taylor and cinematographer Michael Bauman were kind enough to spend some time speaking with Next Best Picture Owner & Editor In Chief Matt Neglia. Ema Sasic spoke with Chase Infiniti, and Brendan Hodges spoke with the film's editor, Andy Jurgensen. You can listen to all of these interviews below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to watch at home on 4K UHD from Warner Bros. Pictures and is up for your consideration for the 98th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Anderson), Best Actor (DiCaprio), Best Supporting Actor (Del Toro and Penn), Best Supporting Actress (Taylor), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, and Best Sound. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Sinners" is an American horror film produced, written, and directed by Ryan Coogler. Set in 1932 in the Mississippi Delta, the film stars Michael B. Jordan in dual roles as identical twin criminal brothers who return to their hometown in the Jim Crow South, where they are confronted by a supernatural evil. It co-stars Hailee Steinfeld, Miles Caton (in his film debut), Jack O'Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, and Delroy Lindo. The film has received critical acclaim and was a commercial success, grossing $369 million worldwide on a $90–100 million budget. In addition, the National Board of Review and the American Film Institute listed it among the top 10 films of 2025. The film garnered several awards and nominations, including a record 16 nominations at the 98th Academy Awards and 13 at the 79th British Academy Film Awards, with Coogler winning the award for Best Original Screenplay at the latter. The film also earned record-breaking nominations and wins at the 57th NAACP Image Awards, scoring 18 nominations and 13 wins, including the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture. It also earned four wins at the 31st Critics' Choice Awards, two wins at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards (including Cinematic and Box Office Achievement), and two wins at the 32nd Actor Awards (including Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture). Delroy Lindo and the film's visual effects team (VFX Producer James Alexander and VFX Supervisor Michael Ralla) were kind enough to spend some time speaking with Will Mavity, while Nadia Dalimonte got the chance to speak with Wunmi Mosaku, Giovanni Lago spoke with Miles Caton, and Next Best Picture Owner & Editor In Chief Matt Neglia had the opportunity to speak with cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw and the film's sound team (Production Sound Mixer Chris Welcker, Supervising Sound Editor Benny Burtt, and Re-Recording Mixers Brandon Proctor & Steve Boedderker). You can listen to all of the interviews below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to watch at home from Warner Bros. Pictures and is up for your consideration for the 98th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Coogler), Best Actor (Michael B. Jordan), Best Supporting Actor (Lindo), Best Supporting Actress (Mosaku), Best Original Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Cinematography, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, Best Makeup & Hairstyling, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Original Song ("I Lied To You"), Best Sound and Best Visual Effects. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"In The Blink Of An Eye" is an American science fiction drama film directed by Andrew Stanton and written by Colby Day, starring Kate McKinnon, Rashida Jones, and Daveed Diggs. The film depicts three interconnected stories exploring the history of the world. The first story is set in prehistoric times (about 45,000 years ago), the second story is set in the present day with a research scientist, and the third story takes place in the future aboard a spaceship heading toward the Kepler system. It premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Alfred P. Sloan Prize. Stanton was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his work and experience making the film, which you can listen to down below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now available to stream on Hulu from Searchlight Pictures. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Sentimental Value" is a drama film directed by Joachim Trier, who co-wrote it with Eskil Vogt, following their critically acclaimed, Oscar-nominated hit "The Worst Person In The World." Their latest follows sisters Nora (Renate Reinsve) and Agnes (Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas) as they reunite with their estranged father, Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård), a film director looking to make a film with American star Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning). The film premiered in the main competition of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, where it received widespread critical acclaim and won the Grand Prix. At the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, it was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama, and won Best Supporting Actor for Skarsgård. Joachim Trier, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and film editor Olivier Bugge Couté were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with Next Best Picture Owner & Editor In Chief Matt Neglia, while Ema Sasic got the chance to speak with Renate Reinsve, Elle Fanning, Eskil Vogt, and casting director Yngvill Kolset Haga, and Giovanni Lago had the opportunity to speak with Stellan Skarsgård. You can listen to all of the interviews below. Please be sure to check out the film, now playing in select theaters from NEON. The film is up for your consideration for the 98th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Trier), Best Actress (Reinsve), Best Supporting Actor (Skarsgård), Best Supporting Actress (Fanning and Lilleaas), Best Original Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best International Feature Film. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THIS IS A PREVIEW PODCAST. NOT THE FULL EPISODE. Please check out the full podcast episode on our Patreon Page by subscribing over at - https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture Last night, the Actor Awards (SAG-AFTRA) held their 32nd annual ceremony, honoring the best acting in film and television for 2025. For the fourth year in a row, the ceremony was streamed through Netflix. There were some heartfelt tributes and montages, a touching honorary award given to Harrison Ford and some delightful moments featuring Kristen Bell as host. There were some expected winners and slightly unexpected ones, rousing speeches, and a lot of doubt about our final Oscar winner predictions. Joining me for this instant reactions podcast are Dan Bayer, Ema Sasic, Daniel Howatand Alyssa Christian. Please tune in below to listen and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For Episode 481, Amy Kim, Josh Parham, Dan Bayer, and Ben Langford join me for a jam-packed episode two weeks before the 98th Academy Awards. We discuss the fallout from the BAFTA Awards, including the John Davidson controversy, the seismic news of Paramount purchasing Warner Bros. Discovery, the Producers Guild of America (PGA) winners, along with the American Cinema Editors (ACE), Art Directors Guild (ADG), and Visual Effects Society (VES) award winners this week. We also give our predictions for what we feel will win tonight's Actor Awards and reveal the winners for our 2025 NBP Film Awards (You can see the Community Winners here). For the Actor Awards, in last week's poll, we asked everyone, "Which Was Your Favorite Oscar-Nominated Acting Performance Of 2025?" and now, for this week's poll, with our final Oscar winner predictions episode approaching next week, we're asking, "Which Film Do You Think Should Be The Next Best Picture Oscar Winner?" We also give our reactions to the trailers for "The Christophers," "Hamlet" (Yes, another one), "Mortal Kombat II," answer your fan-submitted questions, and more. Thank you all for listening, supporting, and subscribing. Enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this week's main podcast review, Katie Johnson, Dan Bayer, and Aaron Isenstein join me to discuss the latest film in the "Scream" franchise, "Scream 7" with Neve Campbell, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard, and Courteney Cox reprising their roles from the previous films, and Isabel May, Anna Camp, Michelle Randolph, Jimmy Tatro, Mckenna Grace, Asa Germann, Celeste O'Connor, Sam Rechner, Mark Consuelos, Tim Simons, and Joel McHale also starring. Following the exit of "Scream" (2022) and "Scream VI" directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett in August 2023, Christopher Landon was hired to direct the film. However, the film underwent creative retooling after the firing of star Melissa Barrera and the departure of Jenna Ortega in late 2023, with Landon also leaving the project. In March 2024, Campbell confirmed her return to the franchise after being absent from the last film, with series creator Kevin Williamson hired to direct the film after serving as writer and producer on the early films in the series. This latest entry follows a new Ghostface killer who targets Sidney Prescott's daughter. After all the controversy surrounding its production, what did we think of the final product? Tune in as we discuss the story, its use of legacy characters, its themes of AI technology and generational trauma, the brutal kills, the franchise's future, and more in our SPOILER-FILLED review. Thank you for listening, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Dreams" is a drama film produced, written, and directed by Michel Franco. It follows the secret affair of wealthy socialite Jennifer (Jessica Chastain) with Mexican ballet dancer and undocumented immigrant Fernando (Isaac Hernández). The supporting cast includes Rupert Friend, Marshall Bell, Eligio Meléndez, and Mercedes Hernández. The film had its world premiere in the main competition of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Golden Bear. Franco, Chastain and Hernández were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about their experience and work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is now playing in theaters from Greenwich Entertainment. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Hamnet" is a biographical period film directed by Chloé Zhao, who co-wrote the screenplay with Maggie O'Farrell, based on O'Farrell's 2020 novel. The film dramatizes the family life of William Shakespeare and his wife Agnes, as they cope with the death of their 11-year-old son Hamnet. It stars Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal as Agnes and William, alongside Emily Watson, Joe Alwyn, and Noah Jupe in supporting roles. The film had its world premiere at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival and received glowing reviews, with Buckley's performance receiving particular praise. The film has received numerous accolades, including winning the Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama for Buckley at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, and eight nominations at the 98th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Zhao, and Best Actress for Buckley. It was listed among the top ten films of 2025 by the American Film Institute. Zhao, Mescal, and composer Max Richter were all kind enough to spend some time speaking with Next Best Picture Owner & Editor In Chief Matt Neglia, while Ema Sasic got the chance to speak with Jacobi Jupe, production designer Fiona Crombie spoke with Dan Bayer, and Cody Dericks had the opportunity to chat with costume designer Malgosia Turzanska. Please be sure to check out the film, now playing in select theaters from Focus Features and available to watch from home. The film is up for your consideration for the 98th Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Casting, Best Costume Design, Best Production Design, and Best Original Score. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Butcher's Stain" is a live-action short film, directed, written by, and starring Meyer Levinson-Blount, co-starring Omar Sameer and Rona Toledano. The film follows Samir, an Arab Israeli working in a supermarket in Tel Aviv, who is accused of tearing down hostage posters in the break room. He sets out to prove his innocence to keep this job that he desperately needs. Since its release, it has been nominated for the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film at the 98th Academy Awards. Meyer Levinson-Blount was kind enough to spend some time speaking with us about his experience and work on the film, which you can listen to below. Please be sure to check out the film, which is up for your consideration for this year's Academy Awards. Thank you, and enjoy! Check out more on NextBestPicture.com Please subscribe on... Apple Podcasts - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negs-best-film-podcast/id1087678387?mt=2 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/7IMIzpYehTqeUa1d9EC4jT YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWA7KiotcWmHiYYy6wJqwOw And be sure to help support us on Patreon for as little as $1 a month at https://www.patreon.com/NextBestPicture and listen to this podcast ad-free Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices