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WHAT WENT WRONG

WHAT WENT WRONG

Sad Boom Media 190 Episodes Jul 24, 2026

What Went Wrong explores the most notoriously disastrous movie productions in Hollywood, uncovering the behind-the-scenes chaos of everything from massive flops to record-breaking blockbusters. Hosts Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer dive into a new film each episode to reveal why making a movie is nearly impossible, especially a good one. The podcast is produced by David Boman and offers bonus episodes for subscribers on Patreon.

Episodes

Spaghetti Westerns! A Primer
Spaghetti Westerns! A Primer Jul 24, 2026 53:31 Who do you think of when you think of Spaghetti Westerns? Because Sergio Leone thinks of... Akira Kurosawa? In this week's primer, Chris & Lizzie dive into the Eurocentric Western revival of the 60's and 70's, how it saved Clint Eastwood's career, drew the scorn of American critics, and gave birth to some of the most stylish movies ever made.This episode is brought to you by Brami. Shop Brami
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Jul 20, 2026 1:16:16 It took Christopher Nolan mere minutes to sell Warner Brothers on his vision of Batman. And while he began to change the face of superhero movies with Batman Begins he altered it forever with The Dark Knight. This week Chris and Lizzie break down which element of The Joker made the studio very nervous, why Hong Kong proved incredibly difficult to film in, and how the hell they flipped that 18 whee
Featurette: 10 Things I Hate About You (with Two Judgey Girls)
Featurette: 10 Things I Hate About You (with Two Judgey Girls) Jul 17, 2026 1:06:17 How did Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ become one of the greatest teen comedies of all time? In this Featurette bonus episode, Chris, Lizzie, and special guest Mary from Two Judgey Girls explore the movie that introduced Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles to the world. Find out why the screenwriters clashed with the director, which role Joseph Gordon Levitt really wanted to play, and how that
Pan's Labyrinth
Pan's Labyrinth Jul 13, 2026 1:21:54 Once upon a time there lived a boy who loved monsters. This week, Chris & Lizzie head swap Jim Henson's Labyrinth for Guillermo Del Toro's, err... Pan's, err... the Faun's Labyrinth. They explore Del Toro's dark-fairy-tale of a childhood, his battles with real Hollywood monsters (the Weinsteins), and how an insult to Alfonso Cuarón's face led to arguably his most defining film. Hosted on Acast
Independence Day
Independence Day Jul 6, 2026 1:08:04 ‘Independence Day’ was a runaway hit in the summer of 1996, elevating Will Smith to full blown movie star status, and cementing Roland Emmerich as a major action movie director. But Emmerich and co-writer Dean Devlin had a rocky road to alien domination. This week, Chris and Lizzie discover how Tim Burton’s competing ‘Mars Attacks’ almost canceled out ‘Independence Day’, why the studio didn’t want
Tank Girl
Tank Girl Jun 29, 2026 1:20:12 This week, Chris and Lizzie explore the mid-90's full metal misfire, Tank Girl, a movie bursting with creativity that deserved better than it got. From Ice T believing he'd be playing a stripper to Lori Petty knowing she'd gotten the part (even when she explicitly hadn't) and director Rachel Talalay fighting the studio to protect the dildo cut, this one's a doozy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr
The 13th Warrior
The 13th Warrior Jun 22, 2026 1:19:27 In 1999, Touchstone thought they had a surefire hit in the works. They had source material by the author of ‘Jurassic Park’ and the director of ‘Die Hard’ behind the camera! But soon things fell apart so spectacularly that ‘The 13th Warrior’ would become one of the year’s biggest box office bombs. This week, Chris and Lizzie unpack how a power struggle between author Michael Crichton and director
War of the Worlds (2005)
War of the Worlds (2005) Jun 15, 2026 1:38:16 This week, Chris & Lizzie try to unearth the truth behind 2005's War of the Worlds - was it an unmitigated, Cruisian PR disaster? Or was Tom Cruise's bizarre press tour merely a scapegoat? Plus, how Steven Spielberg and company put together a $135M sci-fi epic on a 10 month turn-around, how a couple of B-movie mockbusters beat it to the box office, and yet another concept album throwing a wren
Out of Frame: Scientology and Hollywood
Out of Frame: Scientology and Hollywood Jun 12, 2026 1:05:31 In preparation for Monday's episode on War of the Worlds (2005) Chris and Lizzie explore the history of Scientology, the wave of religious movements in early 20th century Los Angeles, and set the table for Tom Cruise's disastrous publicity tour leading up to the release of the film. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Giant (1956)
Giant (1956) Jun 8, 2026 1:18:02 ‘Giant’ may be remembered as James Dean’s final film, but there is so much more to the story. Chris and Lizzie dive into the making of the classic 1956 film, why James Dean and Rock Hudson couldn’t stand each other, and how Elizabeth Taylor found herself caught between the two. Find out how homophobia tore Rock Hudson’s life apart, why director George Stevens constantly fought with James Dean, and
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
My Big Fat Greek Wedding Jun 1, 2026 1:19:39 My Big Fat... Latina Wedding? This week, Chris & Lizzie dive into the magical, seemingly impossible indie-darling that could, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Learn how Nia Vardalos turned what Hollywood perceived to be her biggest liability (her Greek heritage) into a movie so specifically hilarious, it felt universal. This is the unlikely story of how a one-woman show (and a $500 ad in the LA Times
Breakfast at Tiffany's
Breakfast at Tiffany's May 25, 2026 1:12:05 When Hollywood producers got their hands on Truman Capote’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, they thought they’d found the perfect RomCom. There was just one problem: there was no rom in that com because the narrator was gay. In this episode, Chris and Lizzie break down the Audrey Hepburn classic and discover why she was reluctant to take the part, which actor caused the most trouble on set, and how the

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