Empire Issue Preview: Deadpool & Wolverine, Inside Out 2, Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, Lily Gladstone, Supacell

The MCU is about to mutate. The arrival of Deadpool & Wolverine is set to bring an all-new flavour to the Marvel universe – teaming up Ryan Reynolds’ Merc With A Mouth and Hugh Jackman’s adamantium-clawed Logan for a mad, meta buddy movie. The new issue of Empire takes a world-exclusive deep-dive into the film speaking to its stars and filmmakers – and you’ll find it on newsstands from Thursday 9 May. (Or, order a copy online here.)

For now, take an early peek at what’s inside the magazine. Hold onto your chimichangas!

Deadpool & Wolverine

What happens when you team up two volatile agents of chaos, take them out of their respective worlds, and plunge them into the MCU? You get Wolverine & Deadpool, a no-holds-barred Marvel movie set to change the game. Empire speaks to Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, director Shawn Levy, Marvel boss Kevin Feige and more about unleashing mutant mayhem in the Marvel universe.

Inside Out 2

How do you follow a Pixar masterpiece? You dial up the emotions, dig to even more personal depths, and find new ways to tackle life’s biggest questions. Empire speaks to director Kelsey Mann, Pixar boss Pete Docter, star Amy Poehler, and writers Meg LeFauve and Dave Holstein to trace the emotional journey of Inside Out 2’s creation.

Lily Gladstone

Fresh from her acclaimed turn in Killers Of The Flower Moon, Lily Gladstone has arrived in Hollywood with power and purpose. In a major new Empire interview, she talks her upcoming feature Fancy Dance, where she goes next, and the aftermath of the Oscars.

Bad Boys: Ride Or Die

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence are teaming up again for a fourth Bad Boys outing, pushing their partnership further than ever before. In a major new joint interview, they reflect on the long-running franchise, its escalating action setpieces, and their real-life ride or die friendship.

Supacell

After his knockout debut feature Blue Story, Rapman is back with a super-powered South London-set Netflix series that has plenty to say. Empire goes on set, speaking to the creator and his cast about a bold, provocative superhero story that’s entirely spandex-free.

The Bug Man

You likely don’t know Steven Kutcher – but you’ve almost certainly seen his creepy crawlies. Empire meets cinema’s premier ‘Bug Man’, responsible for furnishing films with freaky creatures and furry-legged insects across decades of moviemaking.

Deep Dive: Baby LeRoy

Once upon a time in Hollywood, a toddler was one of cinema’s most prolific stars. Empire digs into the wild story of Baby LeRoy, the superstar wunderkind who became a cause célèbre while he was still in nappies – making serious money (and a few enemies) along the way.

First Word

In this month’s news section, we take an exclusive early peek at Sam Wilson’s suited-up return in Captain America: Brave New World; roll cameras on the seedy side of ‘80s Hollywood in Ti West’s trilogy-capper MaXXXine; explore the evolving art of action cinema; interrogate Joseph Gordon-Levitt about his Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F detective; put Hit Man and Andor star Adria Arjona in the Empire Spotlight; get the low-down on The Sympathizer with Park Chan-wook; and much, much more.

Final Cut

In the home entertainment section, we explore the career of JK Simmons in a major new interview; bestow Empire Masterpiece status on unstoppable action classic Speed; break down the making of American Fiction with Oscar-winning filmmaker Cord Jefferson; rank the movies of Paul Thomas Anderson; talk the emotional peaks of All Of Us Strangers with Andrew Haigh; and plenty more.

Reviews

Reviewed in this issue, you’ll find mind-melting French sci-fi epic The Beast; Luca Guadagnino’s tennis smash Challengers; Luna Carmoon’s deeply uncomfortable drama Hoard; Jerry Seinfeld’s Pop-Tart confection Unfrosted; Anne Hathaway romantic drama The Idea Of You; Zack Snyder’s interstellar blowout Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver; and many more.

The Deadpool & Wolverine issue is on newsstands from Thursday 9 May. Order a copy online here.