The Pod Universe with Dylan & Dalton

Introducing: ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK UNIVERSE? Dylan and Dalton have been assigned to pick up the Dark Universe where it left off, and unfortunately that means revisiting the 2017 disaster that started (and ended) it all. Is the Tom Cruise-led, Alex Kurtzman-helmed flop as bad as it's made out to be? What elements are salvagable for our ongoing narrative, and what details are our storytellers going to have to find a way to live with? CORRECTION: Javier Bardem was cast to play Frankenstein's monster, not the Wolf Man, in a canceled Dark Universe project. Follow Dalton on Twitter @DaltonDeschain Follow Dylan on Twitter @DylanRoth

It's our first movie pitch episode, and Dalton has arrived with a brooding new adaptation/sequel to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, starring the Dark Universe's hand-picked leading man, Javier Bardem. Can our team steer the franchise into a more interesting direction? And what will the studio have to say about it? The NEW new world of gods and monsters starts HERE! Follow Dalton on Twitter @DaltonDeschain Follow Dylan on Twitter @DylanRoth TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Introduction 00:09:15 - Act One 00:22:51 - This is the end of Act One but we don’t really do any discussion 00:23:16 - Act Two 00:31:39 - Discussion 00:35:18 - Act Three 00:41:05 - Discussion

It's Dylan's first turn at pitching a movie, and he's arrived with a 41-page scriptment for a new Wolf Man starring Amber Midthunder, Mason Gooding, and Jon Bernthal! But remember how he was deriding The Mummy for not being a horror movie? Well, he's got some explaining to do. CORRECTIONS: For whatever reason, Dylan mispronounces "Prodigium" this entire episode. It should be "pro-DIJ-ee-um." Follow Dalton on Twitter @DaltonDeschain Follow Dylan on Twitter @DylanRoth

The Dark Universe takes an unexpected turn, as Dalton pitches a kooky comedy take on The Invisible Man starring John C. Reilly! And, no kidding, it's a pivotal entry in the franchise. It's our wildest episode yet! CORRECTION: Tiffany Haddish is only 42 years old, which is still older than Dylan had originally thought, but still a decade younger than Regina Hall. Follow us on Twitter @DarkUniversePod, @DaltonDeschain, and @DylanRoth.

CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains a brief scene depicting an attempted suicide. Skip from timestamp 36:00 to 36:20 if this is something you'd prefer not to hear. Dylan takes a swing at writing psychological horror, modernizing Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde" and setting it in our Dark Universe. What has Russell Crowe's Jekyll been up to since "The Mummy?" What is the nature of evil? What in god's name is Indrid Cold wearing? It's our last chapter before the big crossover! Follow us on Twitter @DarkUniversePod, @DaltonDeschain, and @DylanRoth.

SPOILER ALERT! This episode is our brainstorming session in which we break down the story and character objectives for our first major crossover. Since we're figuring out this story together instead of one of us pitching a finished idea to the other, as usual, that means we're going to be spoiling major details about the next two episodes. If you want to enjoy the creative process along with us, go ahead and listen to this episode! There will still be plenty of surprises in store in the rest of the finale. If you don't want to be spoiled, circle back to this episode later. The movie we discuss in this episode will be presented across the next two episodes, featuring a script written by both Dalton and Dylan, plus a FULL CAST of performers! We hope you enjoy it. Follow us on Twitter @DarkUniversePod, @DaltonDeschain, and @DylanRoth. Today's partner podcast is Comics-Coffee-Metal, a conversation with creatives about and around Comics, Coffee, and Heavy Metal music. Hosted by Don Cardenas. Check out Dalton's appearance in Episode #93, available wherever you stream Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe.

The perfect jumping on point for new listeners! It's Part One of our Phase One finale, our Dark Universe's equivalent to Marvel's The Avengers. For the first time, Dylan and Dalton have co-written a treatment, bringing the characters they've been developing all season — The Mummy, The Wolf Man & Wolf Woman, The Invisible Man, etc. — into a single climactic crossover film! We've also roped some of our friends into performing the script along with us. Join us for the first half of our wildest project yet, and stay tuned for the conclusion in just one week. SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CAST (in order of appearance): Patrick Willems (Jonathan Harker) is a filmmaker and video essayist whose work can be found on YouTube and Nebula. He's on Twitter, Instagram, etc. @patrickhwillems. Gita Jackson (Count Dracula) is a freelance journalist and critic whose work can be found at Motherboard, Kotaku, GQ, Polygon, and more. They're @xoxogossipgita across social media. Rachel Millman (Gwen Conliffe) is a writer and social media editor for Observer, and the co-host of the delightful wrestling podcast Wrestlesplania. She's on social media @rachelmillman. Julian Ames (Larry Talbot) is one third of the NY rock band No Jersey and a very prolific gamer. He's around the web @AutoAmes. Dominic Griffin (Victor Frankenstein) is a pop culture writer and film critic writing for Baltimore Beat and his YouTube channel, The Armchair Auteur. He's on social media @AllNewDom. Kate Wardell (Rita Talbot) is a musician, animator, voiceover artist, and Lego enthusiast. She's on Twitter @katewardell. Ella Dawson (Jennifer Halsey) is an author and sex and culture critic. Her book "The Reunion" is coming soon from Dutton Books. She's on Twitter @brosandprose. Nick Miller (Chris Vale) is a NY-based singer-songwriter and weekend enjoyer. His music is probably available on whatever platform you're using to stream this show, but he'd prefer you check it out on BandCamp. He posts a lot on Twitter @NickMillerMusic. Steph Salo (Carol Laemmle) is an extremely chill homie and her posts are for homies only. Joe Stando (Jack Griffin) is a midwestern folk hero in New York City, a snappy dresser, and general bon vivant. He's on Twitter @depechejoe and on Instagram @joestando. Follow us on Twitter @DarkUniversePod, @DaltonDeschain, and @DylanRoth. Our partner podcast for this episode is Original Podcast Do Not Steal, a show in which hosts Devin and Amber create a new original character in a different established universe every week.

It's the exciting conclusion of our giant sized season finale, The Dark Legion: House of Dracula! Can our motley crew of benevolent monsters spoil the plans of Count Dracula? Will Nick Morton rise to the challenge of leadership? Will Wolf-couple Gwen and Larry patch things up? What does the Count have in store for The Invisible Man? Whatever you do, DON'T START WITH THIS EPISODE! Go back at least to Part One of the finale, or else risk BIG spoilers! SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CAST (in order of appearance): Patrick Willems (Jonathan Harker) is a filmmaker and video essayist whose work can be found on YouTube and Nebula. He's on Twitter, Instagram, etc. @patrickhwillems. Gita Jackson (Count Dracula) is a freelance journalist and critic whose work can be found at Motherboard, Kotaku, GQ, Polygon, and more. They're @xoxogossipgita across social media. Rachel Millman (Gwen Conliffe) is a writer and social media editor for Observer, and the co-host of the delightful wrestling podcast Wrestlesplania. She's on social media @rachelmillman. Julian Ames (Larry Talbot) is one third of the NY rock band No Jersey and a very prolific gamer. He's around the web @AutoAmes. Dominic Griffin (Victor Frankenstein) is a pop culture writer and film critic writing for Baltimore Beat and his YouTube channel, The Armchair Auteur. He's on social media @AllNewDom. Kate Wardell (Rita Talbot) is a musician, animator, voiceover artist, and Lego enthusiast. She's on Twitter @katewardell. Ella Dawson (Jennifer Halsey) is an author and sex and culture critic. Her book "The Reunion" is coming soon from Dutton Books. She's on Twitter @brosandprose. Nick Miller (Chris Vale) is a NY-based singer-songwriter and weekend enjoyer. His music is probably available on whatever platform you're using to stream this show, but he'd prefer you check it out on BandCamp. He posts a lot on Twitter @NickMillerMusic. Steph Salo (Carol Laemmle) is an extremely chill homie and her posts are for homies only. Joe Stando (Jack Griffin) is a midwestern folk hero in New York City, a snappy dresser, and general bon vivant. He's on Twitter @depechejoe and on Instagram @joestando. Follow us on Twitter @DarkUniversePod, @DaltonDeschain, and @DylanRoth. Our partner podcast for this episode is The Film Majors Podcast, streaming wherever you stream our show.

If AYADU had a Comic Con Hall H panel, this is what it would be like. Having completed the six-part opening salvo of movies in their imaginary Dark Universe, Dalton and Dylan revisit their creative process so far and determine whether or not they would do anything differently, if given the chance. Then, the duo announces the complete slate of fake movies planned for Phase Two, which will be premiering throughout 2023! Follow us on Twitter @DarkUniversePod, @DaltonDeschain, and @DylanRoth. Today's partner podcast is Comics-Coffee-Metal, a conversation with creatives about and around Comics, Coffee, and Heavy Metal music. Hosted by Don Cardenas. Check out Dalton's appearance in Episode #93, available wherever you stream Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe.

Dylan and Dalton open up the gates to their Dark Universe for the very first time, as Giovanni Colantonio of Digital Trends and Left Trigger Right Trigger arrives to pitch a new video game based on their canon! It's the biggest and most ambitious Dark Universe video game yet — but not actually the first! Learn about the short-lived line of The Mummy tie-in games from 2017, then let Gio walk you through his creation, The Dark Universe Omnibus! Our partner podcast this week is Giovanni's show Left Trigger Right Trigger, your video game book club where the hosts discuss games centering around a new theme every week.

Our Phase Two begins at last with a sequel to the only Dark Universe film that actually exists. That's right, it's time for Dalton Deschain's THE MUMMY RETURNS! After obsessing over 2017's The Mummy, Dalton is convinced they've figured out how to turn this franchise around. Have they succeeded? Whether or not the studio is on board, Dalton's about to put Nick Morton through hell in an experimental and yet potentially very crowd-pleasing new installment in the Dark Universe canon. Our partner podcast this week is Left Trigger Right Trigger, your video game book club where the hosts discuss games centering around a new theme every week. TIMESTAMPS 0:00:00 - Start 0:03:08 - Mummy Talk: 0:17:04 - Mummy Returns’ Job: 0:17:53 - Director choice 0:20:00 - Act 1 0:47:07 - Act 1 Discussion 0:54:09 - Act 2 1:04:44 - Surprise Guest Star Reaction 1:07:29 - Ad Break 1:08:15 - Act 2 Continues 1:18:50 - Act 2 Reaction 1:26:52 - Act 3 1:45:27 - Mid Credits Scene 1:46:07 - Post Credits Scene 1:47:23 - Post Pitch Breakdown 1:55:05 - Picture Lock 1:59:10 - Housekeeping Thank you to Callie for providing the timestamps for this episode!

The studio has been closely monitoring Dalton and Dylan's progress with their Dark Universe revamp, and now it's time for them to weigh in! Though the identity of their benefactor at Universal remains a mystery,* they've hired fan relations consultant Frankie Starker (they/them) to weigh in on the probable response of the so far entirely hypothetical fanbase. What will Dark Universe fan fiction look like? Who are people shipping? WHERE ARE ALL THE TWINKS? All these answers and more in this episode. * = We're legally required to clarify that this person does not exist.

It's time for Dylan's first contribution to Phase 2 and our first sequel to one of our own movies: Werewolves of London! What are our characters from The Wolf Man up to after House of Dracula? Can Dylan avoid the structural problems that have plagued his previous pitches? PLUS: Dalton issues their co-host a challenge that could change the course of the Dark Universe! Our podcast partner for this episode is The Mirror Universe Star Trek Podcast, a thoughtful program in which an Australian and a Canadian have a conversation about Star Trek: what we think it is, how it's evolved over the years, and how it reflects our culture...like a mirror. Dylan is their guest for their March 2023 episodes, so be sure to check it out! TIMESTAMPS 0:00:00 - Intro 0:10:34 - Dalton’s Expectations 0:13:55 - Dalton’s Challenge to Dylan 0:17:40 - Prologue 0:21:15 - Act 1 0:44:00 - Act 1 Reaction 0:53:43 - Act 2 1:05:25 - Mid Act 2 Questions 1:10:42 - Act 2 Continues 1:20:24 - Act 2 Discussion 1:31:55 - Act 3 1:44:45 - Mid Credits Stinger 1:45:15 - Post Credits Stinger 1:46:05 - Act 3 Discussion 1:54:07 - Final Details/Picture Lock 1:55:53 - Next Movies Special thanks to Callie for marking this episode's timestamps!

The success of our revived Dark Universe is bound to spark competition, and that means someone's bound to reboot The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen! As a form of opposition research, the studio has assigned Calvin Kasulke, author of the novel Several People are Typing, to pitch a requel to the 2003 flop based on the Alan Moore/Kevin O'Neill comic. It's our rowdiest episode yet! Starting this week, not only can you contact us at Twitter or Instagram @DarkUniversePod or email us at darkuniversepod@gmail.com, you can also leave us a voicemail at US ‪(917) 819-2574‬! Our partner podcast this week is Finding Monster Right, where hosts Adam and Allie answer questions you've never asked about monsters from folklore, pop culture, and our own world.

Brace yourself as we dive into Dalton’s bold and unexpected new take on another Universal classic, simply titled: The Black Lagoon. What are the essential ingredients to an aquatic creature feature? What’s the difference between art and pop? How does one escape the shadow of The Shape of Water? Those answers and more in the latest chapter in our ongoing Dark Universe.  Plus, a major announcement: Dylan & Dalton are launching a Patreon! Please consider joining their Discord and supporting their new creative podcast, Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? Find more details towards the end of this episode, or at patreon.com/dylananddalton Our partner podcast for this episode is What Mad Universe?!?, a podcast about genre pulp and the origins of SF and fantasy! Every two weeks we read a book or book series, suggested by either Adam Prosser or Philip Rice, the hosts, and look at its place in pop culture history.  TIMESTAMPS Start: 0:00:00 Fan Expectations: 0:04:20 Dylan’s Expectations: 0:12:10 Dalton’s Process: 0:13:02 Cold Open: 0:17:58 Cold Open Reaction: 0:24:51 Act 1: 0:27:06 Act 1 Reaction: 0:57:53 Act 2: 1:03:00 Act 2 Mid Point Discussion: 1:18:30 Act 2 Continues: 1:25:20 Act 2 Discussion: 1:33 :34 Act 3: 1:35:29 Mid Credits Scene: 1:50:22 Post Credits Scene: 1:51:20 Post Pitch Breakdown: 1:52:13 Housekeeping: 2:00:50 Special thanks to Callie for marking this episode's timestamps!

Wrestling columnist Nick Bond phones into the show (against former co-worker Dylan's objections) to pitch a WWE match incorporating characters from our Dark Universe! Which WWE Superstars will be entering the AYADU canon? Which of our famous movie monsters will be taking a Canadian Destroyer off of a hotel staircase? All this plus the listener mail bag in this electrifying new episode. Today's partner podcast is Comics-Coffee-Metal, a conversation with creatives about and around Comics, Coffee, and Heavy Metal music. Hosted by Don Cardenas. Check out Dalton's appearance in Episode #93, available wherever you stream Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe. You can support Dylan & Dalton's creative pursuits by subscribing to their Patreon, Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? Contact us at Twitter or Instagram @DarkUniversePod or email us at darkuniversepod@gmail.com, you can also leave us a voicemail at US ‪(917) 819-2574‬!

It's Dylan's turn to pitch a movie, and he's unmasking a new take on The Phantom of the Opera! One of the most unlikely Universal Monsters is also one of the oldest, dating back to a 1925 silent film starring Lon Cheney, Sr. But can any modern retelling of the Gaston Leroux novel escape the gravity of Andrew Lloyd Weber's musical adaptation? Should it? Oh, have we got some surprises in store for you this week... Our podcast partner for this episode is The Mirror Universe Star Trek Podcast, a thoughtful program in which an Australian and a Canadian have a conversation about Star Trek: what we think it is, how it's evolved over the years, and how it reflects our culture...like a mirror. Dylan has become a regular panelist on this show, so if you're not tired of hearing this guy talk, here's where you can find some more. You can support Dylan & Dalton's creative pursuits by subscribing to their Patreon, Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? Contact us at Twitter or Instagram @DarkUniversePod or email us at darkuniversepod@gmail.com, you can also leave us a voicemail at US ‪(917) 819-2574‬! Special thanks to Ella Dawson, Izzy Hodnett, Steph Salo, and Joe Stando for their contributions to this episode.

We've worked through all of the major classic Universal Monsters, but our Dark Universe is still going strong! So, in the tradition of Marvel Studios, we're inviting some of the Internet's keenest creative minds to pitch us new takes on more obscure Universal horror properties. First up, cartoonist Mattie Lubchansky and writer Jaya Saxena attempt to charm us with a requel based on a 1973 snake-centric creature feature, "Sssssss!" (Emphasis ours; This is important.) That's not a typo in the title above — Mattie and Jaya's version is spelled with eight esses and an exclaimation point, rather than the original's seven and no exclaimation point. Find out why in this exciting episode! You can support Dylan & Dalton's creative pursuits by subscribing to their Patreon, Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? Contact us at Twitter or Instagram @DarkUniversePod or email us at darkuniversepod@gmail.com, you can also leave us a voicemail at US ‪(917) 819-2574‬! Our podcast partner for this episode is No Bad Food, a show about great food and the people who love to make & eat it. Every week, hosts Tom Zalatnal & Teffer Adjemian dig into a different dish, meal, ingredient, cuisine, or piece of food media, exploring the history & culture around it, sharing favorite recipes, and learning from their wonderful guests. The only rule? You've gotta love it. After all, there's no such thing as bad food.

We might need to subtitle Phase 2 as "The Experimental Era," because once again we've taken a well-known, well-loved Universal monster title and turned it completely on its head. It's time for Dalton's take on The Bride of Frankenstein, and it's not what any one could have possibly expected. Will this be the installment that polarizes the fanbase, The Last Jedi-style, or another entirely hypothetical smash hit? You can support Dylan & Dalton's creative pursuits by subscribing to their Patreon, Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? Start a FREE 7-day trial today and get access to our Discord server, where we host movie watch parties on weeks when there's no new AYADU episode. Contact us at Twitter or Instagram @DarkUniversePod or email us at darkuniversepod@gmail.com, you can also leave us a voicemail at US ‪(917) 819-2574‬! Our partner podcast this week is Shit We've Read, a sci-fi/fantasy book podcast. Each month, Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero (with the occasional guest host) will read a new book, then discuss it in an episode.

Writer, editor, and podcaster merritt k. visits the studio to pitch her remake of the 1934 Universal classic that's kinda-sorta-not remotely based upon an Edgar Allan Poe story: The Black Cat! It's a film that asks, "What if a house had bad vibes?" as well as a number of other interesting questions that it doesn't have time to answer in its scant 65-minutes runtime Can merritt's new take fulfill the promise of the original? You can support Dylan & Dalton's creative pursuits by subscribing to their Patreon, Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? Start a FREE 7-day trial today and get access to our Discord server, where we host movie watch parties on weeks when there's no new AYADU episode. Contact us at Twitter, Instagram, or Bluesky @DarkUniversePod or email us at darkuniversepod@gmail.com, you can also leave us a voicemail at US ‪(917) 819-2574‬! Our partner podcast this week is past guest Giovanni Colantonio's show Left Trigger Right Trigger, your video game book club where the hosts discuss games centering around a new theme every week.