Few characters capture the essence of camp and horror quite like Elvira. With her signature style and irreverent humor, Cassandra Peterson's sultry and sarcastic creation has reigned supreme as a perennial fan favorite. This beloved pop culture phenomenon even headlined two movies. As spooky season winds down, Kai Yaniz joins Franchise Detours to d…

It all ends here. After nearly five decades and nine films, the world of Rocky Balboa — and, by extension, Adonis Creed — comes to a close. Of course, there's still more in the works from these beloved fighters. But until we learn more about Creed IV's development or whatever Amazon has in store for Rocky fans, this marks the final round of our Roc…

Congratulations! You've successfully relaunched the Rocky series for a whole new generation, perfectly encapsulating what made the franchise great while updating it for a modern sensibility. So, now what? Where is a sequel to a legacy sequel to go next? That's the task ahead for Creed II. With Steven Caple Jr. stepping in for Ryan Coogler as direct…

After Rocky Balboa restored the franchise to its former glory — winning back fans and critics who were left cold after Rocky V — it really had seemed like this time the world had seen the last of Sylvester Stallone's iconic character. But that was before director Ryan Coogler got involved. Coogler is now best known for the cultural phenomenon that …

While the story started by Rocky had seemingly come to a close, Sylvester Stallone's dissatisfaction with the fifth film — and perhaps the declining state of his own career — led him to consider bringing his signature character back for just one more fight. And thus, he returned to write, direct and star in Rocky Balboa, released 30 years after the…

With Rocky IV taking the franchise to new commercial heights, the film represented, in some ways, the biggest victory yet for both writer/director/star Sylvester Stallone and his fictional counterpart. However, that success — which saw the scale of the franchise expand to international levels — might have set unfair expectations for the future. Ent…

If Rocky III marks the promise of how the franchise could grow beyond the championship belt, then the next film arguably shows its limitations. With star Sylvester Stallone again serving as writer and director, Rocky IV sees the iconic cinematic hero facing his most devastating blow yet, sending him all the way to Russia to represent his country on…

Rocky (and, by extension, Rocky II) tells one of the greatest underdog stories in cinema history. But with audiences clamoring for more of "The Italian Stallion," how could writer/director/star Sylvester Stallone build upon Rocky Balboa's story after he has achieved the ultimate goal of claiming the heavyweight championship? The answer lies in the …

Even decades after its release, 1976's Rocky stands as the ultimate cinematic underdog story. But following its critical acclaim, box office performance, and awards wins, it's only natural that everything involved — including star and screenwriter Sylvester Stallone — would explore what happened next in the lives of Rocky, Adrian, Paulie, Mickey, a…

Long before Franchise Detours began, the Rocky/Creed series was well on our radar. Following the Crooked Table Podcast's (now Close Watch) monthly coverage of the Star Wars and Harry Potter films, "The Italian Stallion" was eyed as the next long-running, beloved series to take the spotlight. Alas, plans changed, and we didn't enter the ring until n…

Six years and one major studio acquisition later, Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool finally joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. But after Deadpool seemingly shattered the superhero movie formula and Deadpool 2 doubled-down on the scale of the Merc with the Mouth's particular corner of the universe, where could "Deadpool 3" go to keep upping the ante? In a …

Despite its crass humor and ultraviolence, 2016's Deadpool professed itself to be a self-described "love story." Likewise, its even more over-the-top sequel fancies itself a "family film." With a budget roughly twice that of its predecessor, Ryan Reynolds' second turn in the iconic red suit was a similar box office hit, expanding the first film's t…

Deadpool. That sounds like a f**king franchise. Right? After the character's big-screen debut (kinda) in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it sure didn't seem that way. Ryan Reynolds' take on Marvel Comics' fourth wall-breaking quasi-superhero Wade Wilson aka Deadpool seemed like it had its one shot. Then some leaked footage later, the Merc with the…

After eight films (including the meta-horror of Wes Craven's New Nightmare) and nearly 20 decades, Robert Englund wore the razor glove for the final time. But in keeping with the history of A Nightmare on Elm Street, Freddy Krueger's curtain call wasn't what anyone expected it would be. Clare Brunton of W-Rated helps us close down this mega-series …

Given its title, Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare seemingly plunged the final nail into the coffin of Robert Englund's infamous horror villain. And yet, it was ultimately Wes Craven — writer-director of the original A Nightmare on Elm Street — who gave Freddy Krueger a new lease on life. Film professor and author Ryan L. Terry joins Franchise Det…

In hindsight, it makes sense the diminishing returns of A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child might signal Freddy Krueger should quit while he was (at least relatively) ahead. So two years later, longtime creative collaborator Rachel Talalay took the director's chair for the "final" entry. Kev Smith of Suns and Shadows-Cast joins us to discu…

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master introduced fans to a brand-new final girl in Lisa Wilcox's Alice Johnson. So all its sequel had to do is build on that character and her story to keep that momentum going. But does A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child deliver a winner? David Rosen of Piecing It Together joins us to discuss how t…

Thanks to A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Freddy Krueger became as popular as ever. The Springwood Slasher was suddenly a household name, leading to an increased focus on his macabre sense of humor. The result is the entry often known as the "MTV Nightmare." Kevin the Critic returns to the show to discuss director Renny Harlin's A Nigh…

After the mixed reception to A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge, the franchise turned to series creator Wes Craven and original star Heather Langenkamp. As our eight-part Freddy-led mega-series continues, we arrive at 1987's fan-favorite A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors. Podcaster Deanna Chapman joins us to discuss how directo…

How do you follow a classic like A Nightmare on Elm Street? That was the task director Jack Sholder and star Mark Patton faced with A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge. Released less than a year later, the sequel dared to do something darker and very different, with wildly mixed results. Brandon Stanwyck of Fearsome Queer helps us break d…

Chucky made some friends. Ash got groovy with Deadites. Now it's time for Freddy Krueger to slash his way into the spotlight, as we kick off Franchise Detours' first horror mega-series since 2021 with an in-depth chat about writer/director Wes Craven's 1984 classic A Nightmare on Elm Street. In keeping with tradition, screenwriter/actor Bri Azmoude…

As we raise our glasses to the final installment of the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, Franchise Detours dives into the bittersweet, otherworldly journey of 2013's The World’s End. The film ends the series with a poignant commentary on friendship, nostalgia, and the inescapable march of time. Robert Stewart of Stew World Order joins the show to d…

Continuing our genre-blending trek through the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy, we’re locking and loading for a deep dive into the explosive Hot Fuzz. Armed with sharp wit and a barrage of bullets, this entry takes aim at action movie conventions with a dash of murder mystery thrown in. Joining us is Lauren Robinson of the Beer’d Al Podcast. We’ll …

Just as the zombie genre returned to life, Shaun of the Dead emerged as a cult classic that redefined the landscape of horror-comedy. As we dissect the intricacies of the Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy in our latest mega-series, we delve into the film that set the tone for Edgar Wright's signature work. Clare Brunton of W-Rated joins us to shed li…

Just when you thought Dark Phoenix put an underwhelming bow on the Fox era of X-Men movies, The New Mutants comes along to further complicate the franchise's legacy. In this BONUS episode to our mega-series following the X-Men movie franchise, we'll go in-depth on the oft-forgotten 2020 film. On paper, The New Mutants should have been an easy win. …

Our X-Men mega-series comes to a close (or does it?) with 2019's Dark Phoenix, as the franchise takes a second stab at one of the comics' most iconic storylines. With X-Men: The Last Stand far behind him, can first-time director Simon Kinberg (who cowrote that 2006 movie) right past wrongs? Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast joins us to unravel the my…

The claws are out and the adamantium is gleaming as we dive into the final chapter in the Wolverine trilogy. Hugh Jackman's iconic portrayal of the mutant hero faced a bumpy road in his solo films. But was 2017's Logan, featuring returning The Wolverine director James Mangold, worth the wait? Fans wondered if they'd ever see the character's true po…

After exploring time travel and creating a shared universe with X-Men: Days of Future Past, where could the sequel go next? Why, the gods, of course! For better or worse, 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse pits the Marvel mutants against their most formidable enemy yet: a big, blue Oscar Isaac. In this episode, Clare Brunton of W-Rated helps us uncover the t…

After The Avengers, superhero cinema has never been the same. Suddenly, everything needed to be interconnected, featuring tons of characters and an increasingly complicated timeline. Naturally, the X-Men series retroactively created its own shared universe of sorts with X-Men: Days of Future Past. Fourteen years after the first film, director Bryan…

Hugh Jackman's Wolverine has always been a fan favorite. But X-Men Origins: Wolverine called into question whether the mutant hero would get the opportunity to carry more than a single solo film. Thankfully, Jackman's desire to take Logan to Japan paid off in the form of 2013's The Wolverine. Adapting one of the character's most popular storylines,…

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was meant to slash open a whole new avenue for the X-Men movie franchise. Yet, despite its commercial performance, the tepid reception ultimately led the series to take another approach: going back to basics with a fresh start on the whole mutant saga. In hindsight, it might seem like 2011's X-Men: First Class was always me…

Despite the less-than-enthusiastic response from fans and critics, 2006's trilogy-ending X-Men: The Last Stand did at least offer fans something of a sense of closure (that final shot and post-credits scene notwithstanding). But it also outperformed its two predecessors at the box office. So it didn't take long for Fox to begin exploring ways to ex…

We interrupt your regularly scheduled mutant superhero mega-series already in progress for, well, another mutant superhero mega-series. It's time to dip back into the sewers for a return to the world of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Seven years have passed since the latest franchise revival fizzled out with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the …

Our X-Men mega-series continues, spanning 10 films and nearly 20 years. Following the success of X2: X-Men United, the franchise takes its first major shift. Director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) steps in to helm 2006's polarizing X-Men: The Last Stand. But is it a satisfying finale to the original trilogy of mutant adventures? Or is the film the X-Men…

Welcome back, fellow mutant enthusiasts! As we celebrate the 23rd anniversary of the X-Men film franchise, we continue our journey through the groundbreaking series that revolutionized the superhero genre. In this episode, we dive deep into the sequel that took everything we loved about the first film and elevated it to new heights: 2003's X2: X-Me…

Twenty-three years have passed since the mutants of Marvel Comics made their big-screen debut. And it's an understatement to say the cinematic landscape has itself mutated since X-Men hit theaters. So on this 23rd anniversary of the film that started it all, we're taking a look back at Fox's dearly departed mutant saga with a mega-series covering 1…

Walt Disney is a name that has become synonymous with family entertainment. But back when Disney himself was running the company, the studio was pushing the boundaries of feature animation. And perhaps few films are as much of a testament to that as 1940's Fantasia. Brian Skutle of Sonic Cinema joins the show to discuss that film's ground-breaking …

Throughout the 2000s and 2010s, mainstream comedies were dominated by just one man: Judd Apatow. As a writer, director, and/or producer, Apatow was behind many of the biggest hits of the era, including classics such as Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Superbad, Bridesmaids, The Big Sick, and -- as we've previously discussed -- The 40-Year-Old…

After nine films and three different incarnations, our Planet of the Apes mega-series ends here. We went in-depth on the original five-film series, dug up the oft-maligned Tim Burton "reimagining," and now we conclude our discussions on the recent reboot trilogy starring Andy Serkis as Caesar. David Rosen of Piecing It Together joins us to discuss …

Prior to its release, no one quite knew what to make of Rise of the Planet of the Apes. But after it became one of 2011's biggest surprise hits, it was clear just how much life was left in the decades-old sci-fi franchise. With its sequel, returning star Andy Serkis and director Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Let Me In) raised the emotional stakes and s…

A full decade after director Tim Burton's "reimagining" of Planet of the Apes, the franchise seemed pretty much done. Hollywood turned its attention to other movie series, but after both Batman and Bond successfully relaunched by taking its iconic worlds back to basics, Fox ultimately took the same approach with one of its most successful brands of…

After the disappointment of Battle for the Planet of the Apes, the franchise limped on in the form of two short-lived television series. First came 1974's live-action Planet of the Apes TV series, followed the next year by the animated project Return to the Planet of the Apes. Neither caught on with fans, and despite a long development, a new film …

Evil Dead was only the second mega-series Franchise Detours covered. So it's only right that, with writer-director Lee Cronin's Evil Dead Rise now in theaters, we take a franchise u-turn back to that series. After a full decade of rest from the big screen, what are those pesky Deadites up to this time? Rob briefly interrupts the ongoing Planet of t…

Conquest for the Planet of the Apes sees Caesar (Roddy McDowall) lead an ape revolution that seemingly sews up the fate of humanity. So where could a sequel possibly take the story after the climactic turn of the previous film? As we continue our journey through the nine-film Planet of the Apes franchise, Battle for the Planet of the Apes gives us …

Escape from the Planet of the Apes set the franchise off on a brand-new course. And the sequel -- released just over a year after its predecessor -- follows the ape Caesar (Roddy McDowall, as a new character) as he plays a pivotal role in humanity's downfall in Conquest of the Planet of the Apes. Ryan Luis Rodriguez of One Track Mind joins the show…

No spoilers, but Beneath the Planet of the Apes seemed to negate the chances of a third Planet of the Apes film. And yet, the box office receipts sent a very different message to studio executives. And so Escape from the Planet of the Apes hit theaters in 1971, taking the series in a radical new direction. Film critic Sara Michelle Fetters joins th…

1968's Planet of the Apes was a watershed moment for science fiction cinema and, in hindsight, franchise filmmaking. But what lies beneath? That's the focus of this episode, as we take a look at the first of many sequels to attempt to on the original Planet of the Apes film. Jeremiah Stewart of Let's Talk helps us dig into 1970's Beneath the Planet…

We finally really did it. After spending the past several episodes with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Franchise Detours sticks to the world of anthropomorphic animals and prosthetic make-up for its longest mega-series yet: Planet of the Apes. On this episode, Thomas Greene of Perpetual Cinema joins the show to discuss the 1968 film that started…

2014's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles seemingly kicked off a whole new era of movies starring the title heroes. But after its solid box office performance, the sequel -- 2016's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows -- still struggled to keep that momentum going. Clare from W-Rated joins this final installment of our Teenage Mutant Ninja Tu…

Kevin the Critic joins Franchise Detours to talk about the 2014 'Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles' reboot from producer Michael Bay. Connect with Crooked Table Productions on social media: Facebook | Twitter | InstagramBy Crooked Table Productions