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 @DylanRothTIMESTAMPS 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.

In 2022, Dylan Roth and Dalton Deschain set out to finish writing the Dark Universe that began and ended with Universal's 2017 remake of The Mummy. Three years and 29 scripts later, they're embarking on a whole new journey, leaving the realm of fan fiction behind to write, workshop, and perform an entire new universe of imaginary movies on their podcast.You are now entering... THE POD UNIVERSE.This episode was sponsored by three independent creative projects:PV Guide - Ditch the algorithm with PV Guide, featuring recommendations, reviews, and interviews from former Polygon senior curation editor Pete Volk. Forget the robots: Find what to watch next with a human touch.Vampirocene by merritt k. - When viral pop star Janie Mack "comes out" as a vampire, most people think it's just a play for attention. But when she launches a new movement to stop climate change, people start listening...Bloodbound by Chase McPherson - Bloodbound is a gripping saga of identity, resilience, and redemption—where every choice could save two worlds… or doom them both. Learn more at byChaseMcP.com for direct links to your favorite online book retailers.Want to promote your art on our show? Look us up at thepoduniverse.com for details.CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - What is the Pod Universe? 00:38:00 - Sponsor: PV Guide 00:40:15 - Slate Reveal, Part 1 00:58:52 - Sponsor: Vampirocene 01:01:11 - Slate Reveal, Part 2 01:14:03 - Sponsor: Bloodhound 01:19:28 - Pod People teaser trailer

It's the opening chapter of Dylan & Dalton's original cinematic universe of imaginary sci-fi movies!Pod People is a sci-fi thriller set in Silicon Valley, where a pair of brilliant young engineers discover that their employers, their co-workers, and maybe even their friends and family are being systematically replaced by doppelgängers. But for what purpose, and how deep does the conspiracy go?It’s a modern riff on 1950s paranoid thrillers, most obviously Invasion of the Body Snatchers, but if you know us, then you know we’ve got our own wild twist on the premise.SPONSORS Has to Do With Spider-Man, I Think? - a podcast that expands on Sony's failed cinematic universe of Spider-Man characters Bloodbound - a fantasy/espionage/romance novel series by Chase McPherson Vampirocene - a horror novella by merritt k.And of course you can join our Patreon at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton for access to our bonus podcast, Discord server, and other fun perks.CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Cold Open 00:04:10 - Discussion 00:15:04 - Act One 00:45:07 - Sponsors: Has to Do With Spider-Man, I Think? & Bloodbound by Chase McPherson 00:54:31 - Act Two 01:22:36 - Sponsor: Vampirocene by merritt. k 01:23:24 - Discussion 01:29:37 - Patron acknowledgements

It's the thrilling conclusion to the sci-fi thriller that kicks off our entire shared universe of imaginary sci-fi movies! What's the secret of Alterr, the shadowy tech corporation that seems to be replacing people with clones? What does their plan have to do with a failed quantum computing experiment? And, most importantly of all, where do we go from here?Featuring Sarah Norcross as the voice of Stephanie.SPONSORSOrder your copy of Dim Stars: A Novel of Outer-Space Shenanigans from Amazon, or from your favorite bookseller. Check out Dimstarsbook.com for more information.Check out DC3cast, your exhaustive guide to DC Comics, at DC3cast.com or searching on your podcatcher of choice. Ditch the algorithm with PV Guide, featuring recommendations, reviews, and interviews from former Polygon senior curation editor Pete Volk. Find it at pvguide.ghost.ioAnd of course you can join our Patreon at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton for access to our bonus podcast, Discord server, and other fun perks!CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intros 00:04:22 - Our Story So Far... 00:09:12 - Act Two, continued 00:28:10 - Discussion 00:37:34 - Sponsors: Dim Stars, DC3Cast 00:39:21 - Act Three 01:15:37 - Sponsor: PV Guide 01:16:56 - Mid-Credits Scene 01:18:42 - Discussion 01:29:15 - Post-Credits Scene 01:31:41 - Unpacking that Post-Credits Scene! 01:35:07 - Patron Acknowledgements

CONTENT WARNING: This episode is about "The Happening," a film in which a toxin compels people to kill themselves in a variety of weird and novel ways. If you are sensitive to the topic of suicide or self-harm, this might not be for you.Emmy-winning writer and comedian Josh Gondelman visits the Pod Universe to re-examine M. Night Shyamalan's disastrous disaster movie, "The Happening." What makes this potentially poignant thriller so disappointing, and how would Josh do it differently if he could remake it after the COVID-19 outbreak?Also, should Ted from the movie "Ted" be involved? (No. No he shouldn't. We're trying to make a serious movie over here.)OUR SPONSORS: Dim Stars: A Novel of Outer-Space Shenanigans PV Guide BloodboundSign up for our Patreon!CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Introducing our guest 00:11:30 - Let's talk about The Happening (2008) 00:55:32 - Sponsor: Dim Stars 00:56:43 - Josh's pitch 01:44:54 - Sponsor: PV Guide 01:46:04 - Trailer: Last Flight of the Stone Hammer 01:49:38 - Sponsor: Bloodbound 01:50:34 - What's coming up?

In the far reaches of space, two civilizations are locked in an endless conflict. The Eridai’s reckless industry cost the Ley-to their homeworld. The Ley-to’s quest for vengeance has consumed their entire culture, and there’s no end in sight. But when a twist of fate brings their starships to a halt, two opposing crews will have to bring their long conflict to a conclusion — one way or another.It’s Dylan’s first solo pitch for The Pod Universe, and he’s jumping directly into his favorite sci-fi subgenre: the Space Opera! It’s Battlestar Galactica meets Pirates of the Caribbean, but is that going to mean anything to Dalton — who, improbably, has no interest in either? Tune in to find out!OUR SPONSORS The DC3cast, a weekly podcast about DC Comics that recently celebrated its 500th episode! dc3cast.comDim Stars: A Novel of Outer-Space Shenanigans by Brian P. Rubin - dimstarsbook.comRPG Zine Club, a subscription service for artisan tabletop games - rpgzine.club/zineuniverseCheck out our new MERCH STORE, shop.thepoduniverse.comAnd as always you can join our Patreon at Patreon.com/DylanAndDaltonTIMESTAMPS00:00:00 - Cold Open 00:09:59 - Discussion 00:15:24 - Fan Predictions 00:26:40 - Lore Recap 00:32:04 - Act One 01:01:11 - Discussion 01:12:47 - Act Two Part One 01:32:39 - Discussion

It's the (hopefully) thrilling conclusion of Dylan's space sci-fi drama, Last Flight of the Stone Hammer! Will the Ley-to and Eridai find a way to survive this cosmic calamity? And what will this mean for our Pod Universe going forward?PLUS: Check out Dalton's newest single, a refreshed and rearranged "Some Dark Magik," at the end of this episode.THIS WEEK'S SPONSORS:Vampirocene by merritt k. - When viral pop star Janie Mack "comes out" as a vampire, most people think it's just a play for attention. But when she launches a new movement to stop climate change, people start listening... - merrittk.itch.io/vampiroceneReturn to Blacktail Harbor by Rogue Centaur - A single-player murder mystery journaling game, where you play as a guest investigating the mysterious events surrounding the wedding and try to stay alive. - Roguecentaur.Itch.Io/BlacktailThe Frankencast by Mad Scientist Anthony Bowman - If you’re missing Frankenstein after the conclusion of the Dark Universe, the Frankencast has been watching a discussing Frankenstein movies for over 200 episodes.And as always you can check out our merch on shop.thepoduniverse.com or support us directly on Patreon. https://Patreon.com/DylanAndDaltonCHAPTERS00:00:00 - Discussion00:09:56 - Previously On00:14:37 - Act Two Part Two00:25:09 - Ad Break 100:26:02 - Ad Break 200:27:13 - Discussion00:38:34 - Act Three01:00:05 - Ad Break 301:00:44 - Mid-Credits Scene01:02:41 - Discussion01:22:59 - “Some Dark Magik”

Fan favorite guest Branson Reese (Swan Boy, Rude Tales of Magic) returns for another insane new take on a classic film property. This time his sights are set on one of pop culture's most radioactive franchises, GHOSTBUSTERS, which no one has ever made a fool of themselves trying to relaunch before! How does Branson suggest recapturing the magic of the original while avoiding the pitfalls of the underwhelming 1989 followup, the disproportionately hated 2016 remake, or the creatively bankrupt legacy sequels of the 2020s?PLUS: The trailer for Dalton's upcoming scripted pitch, LOS ALAMOS!Our sponsors this week: Return to Blacktail Harbor by Rogue Centaur: Roguecentaur.Itch.Io/Blacktail Ritual Deck RPG: PlusOneExp.com Dim Stars: DimStarsBook.comAnd as always you can check out our store at shop.thepoduniverse.com or support us on Patreon at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton.CHAPTERS 00:00:00 - Intro 00:06:26 - Let's Talk Ghostbusters 00:23:01 - The Leprechaun Bit 00:27:13 - Back to Ghostbusters 00:41:28 - SPONSORS: Return to Blacktail Harbor & Ritual Deck 00:44:31 - Branson's Pitch for Ghostbusters 01:33:11 - SPONSOR: Dim Stars by Brian P. Rubin 01:36:01 - Los Alamos trailer 01:39:11 - Acknowledgements and Coming Attractions

In 1944, scientists in the employ of the United States Military were on the cusp of the most consequential discoveries in history. Fearing that the US might use their invention — an atomic fusion bomb — to hold the world hostage, a few of its creators attempted to leak its specifications to the Soviet Union. One tried to stop its construction altogether. This is his story — but in our Pod Universe, nothing is quite so simple as a spy drama, is it?It's Dalton's first solo pitch of the Pod Universe, and like Dylan's space opera, it's a big swing! Will this historical sci-fi thriller capture the interest of the Pod Universe faithful? Has Dalton stepped too far out of their monster movie wheelhouse?Only one way to find out.OUR SPONSORS:Ritual Deck RPG: plusoneexp.comThe FrankencastReturn to Blacktail Harbor: roguecentaur.itch.io/blacktailOUR PATREON: patreon.com/dylananddaltonOUT SHOP: shop.thepoduniverse.comCHAPTERS00:00:00 - Cold Open00:04:21 - Predictions and Expectations00:21:30 - Act One00:45:17 - Sponsor: Ritual Deck RPG00:46:05 - Discussion01:02:13 - Act Two (part one)01:26:29 - Sponsors: The Frankencast & Return to Blacktail Harbor01:29:04 - Discussion01:40:32 - Previews & Acknolwedgments

Dalton's cerebral Cold War time travel thriller heats up! Is atomic spy Adrien Barnier truly doomed? Can his accomplice and lover truly be trusted? And how will this story set in the 1940s tie into our larger Pod Universe saga?This episode is brought to you by...VI Degrees of Star Wars, a movie podcast by Sam Marchiony - https://6dosw.buzzsprout.com/RPG Zine Club from PlusOneExp.com - rpgzine.club/zineuniverseand Ritual Deck TTRPG by J Evan ParksSupport us via Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton and unlock hours of bonus episodes and a community of lovely creative folks, or buy our merch at shop.thepoduniverse.comCHAPTERS00:00:00 - Start00:07:16 - Act Two Part Two00:24:34 - Discussion00:33:38 - Act Two Part Two Continued00:37:37 - Ad Break - VI Degrees of Star Wars00:39:10 - Discussion00:50:41 - Ad Break - RPG Zine Club00:52:35 - Act Three01:21:34 - Ad Break - Ritual Deck TTRPG01:22:24 - Mid-Credits Scene01:24:27 - Post-Credits Scene01:25:21 - Discussion

Filmmaker Vera Drew (The People's Joker) joins Dylan & Dalton to pitch her own wild reboot to one of Hollywood's most gargantuan film franchises: Jurassic Park! How will this outsider artist interpret Universal's king-sized cash cow? How did Spielberg's popcorn classic influence her own award-winning feature film? And what the hell does Russ Meyer have to do with all of this? Tune in to find out!LINKS & SPONSORSFind out where to watch Vera's feature film at https://thepeoplesjoker.comCheck out Spooky Aurora's The White City at https://retrofit-games-company.itch.io/spooky-auroras-white-cityListen to VI Degrees of Star Wars at https://6dosw.buzzsprout.com/And use the link rpgzine.club/ZineUniverse to check out RPG Zine Club and make sure to know we sent you!As always, you can support our show at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton or buy our merchandise at shop.thepoduniverse.comCHAPTERS00:00:00 - Introducing Vera Drew00:10:55 - Why Jurassic Park?00:22:01 - The Disappointing Sequels00:48:30 - Sponsors - Spooky Aurora's The White City, VI Degrees of Star Wars00:50:56 - Vera's Pitch01:32:49 - Sponsor - RPG Zine Club01:34:31 - Previews and Acknowledgements

Welcome to The Pod Universe with Dylan and Dalton, the only podcast that's creating a shared universe of original sci-fi movies, one script at a time. Dive into our saga of produced table reads of new screenplays, each accompanied by a discussion and workshop session. Check out movie pitches from exciting guests like filmmaker Vera Drew or Emmy-winning writer Josh Gondelman, each pitching their own spin on a Hollywood favorite.

Months ago, Emmy-winning writer and author Daniel Kibblesmith was driving through Burbank, California when he made an astounding realization - The Grinch is a Universal Monster. Therefore, he is eligible for inclusion in the Dark Universe, the sprawling film franchise that was launched in 2017, immediately scrapped, and then continued by Dylan & Dalton on the previous incarnation of their podcast!What are Daniel's plans for the green meanie with a penchant for devilry and a hatred of Christmas? Let's find out...SPONSORSYou can search for the Frankencast wherever you listen to podcasts.Check out TOWNIE(S), a TTRPG by Jellyfishlines, at https://jellyfishlines.carrd.co/And you can find Spooky Aurora's White City at retrofit-games-company.itch.ioAnd as always you can join our Patreon - Patreon.com/DylanAndDaltonCHAPTERS00:00:00 - Intro00:03:25 - Our guest, Daniel Kibblesmith!00:06:56 - Some Grinch history00:31:10 - Sponsors: The Frankencast & TOWNIE(S)00:32:29 - Casting the Grinch 00:35:19 - Daniel's pitch00:52:46 - Workshopping the pitch01:25:26 - Sponsor: The White City01:26:40 - What's coming up on the pod?