Shows
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?BONUS: Harry and the WickermenThis month's episode of the bonus pod, Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? is free for everybody, and there's even a video version available on our YouTube channel! Become a Patron at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton to get access to the whole series and all future episodes. (Most of them are just audio, but we've been doing more video episodes lately!) This month's Studio Mandate, selected by one of our Patrons, is "Harry and the Hendersons!" How will Dylan & Dalton reimagine this 1987 family film into a canonical chapter in our bootleg Dark Universe? We've got movies...
2025-08-171h 25
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?BONUS: Into the WeedsYou didn't think we'd go radio silent for August, did you? While we toil away at the next phase of our show, we'll be keeping the party going by releasing a few of our favorite bonus episodes — usually exclusive to our Patreon — onto the main feed. Enjoy! Sign up at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton to enjoy more goofy nonsense like this. Originally published to Patreon on February 16th, 2025. On this episode, D&D stray from the path and grant one Patron's wish: to create a Dark Universe version of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods! Dalto...
2025-08-031h 37
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Revisiting The Mummy / Fan Q&AIn the final episode before the big relaunch, Dylan & Dalton take one last look at the film that started it all, 2017's The Mummy, and try and figure out what they'd do differently if they'd been able to start the Dark Universe totally from scratch. Then, at long last, we answer as many fan questions as possible before closing Death's Door for good. PLUS: A clip from this month's new episode of the bonus pod, in which we pitch a Dark Universe horror-western based on a forgotten Universal flick, Curse of the Undead. Become a subscriber at P...
2025-07-201h 59
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Finding "Hell on Earth" - The Last Dark Universe Story BreakBack in April, Dylan & Dalton sat down to decide how to end their Dark Universe. This is the entire story break meeting in which the two hosts determined how to make their two separate visions for Dark Legion: Hell on Earth into one cohesive story. IN TWO WEEKS: One last look back through Death's Door, before venturing out into a new frontier... TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Planning 00:22:46 - Field of Nightmares Deleted Post-Credits Scene 00:25:12 - Planning Continued 00:59:13 - The Ending
2025-07-061h 30
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dark Legion: Hell on Earth, Part ThreeThree years ago, we resurrected the Dark Universe. Now, we're ending it. It's the finale to the Death's Door Saga, and this era for our podcast. We're so grateful to everyone who's been with us for this journey, and we're so excited to embark on a new one. In two weeks, as always, we'll post the complete story break session we recorded before writing the script to Dark Legion: Hell on Earth, then one more episode to wrap up our Dark Universe experiment. After that? A blank page... TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Start 00:02:43...
2025-06-221h 41
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dark Legion: Hell on Earth, Part TwoIt's Act Two of our massive saga-ending crossover, and this time, we'll see you in Hell. Only one episode left in the Death's Door Saga, coming in just three days... There are some MAJOR SPOILERS in the cast credits below, so most of this description is going to be us warning you to stop scrolling. Last chance to avoid cast spoilers. Okay, here we go. FEATURING THE VOICES OF... Julian Ames as Larry Anique Evans as Marya Abe Goldfarb as Jekyll & Hyde Jenna Kass as...
2025-06-191h 39
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dark Legion: Hell on Earth, Part OneHere we are, at the end of the line. The final chapter in the Death's Door Saga is being divided into THREE parts. This is Act One, with all of our usual preamble, fan predictions, and some big announcements. Act Two will be released on Thursday, June 19th, and Act Three arrives on Sunday, June 22nd. After that? Oh, we'll get there. But for now... FEATURING THE VOICES OF... Anique Evans as Emily Abe Goldfarb as The Master Sarah Norcross as Evelyn O'Connell Patrick Willems as David and Sam...
2025-06-151h 34
Has to Do With Spider-Man, I Think?The Lethal Protectors (Part 2)Episode 12 - The Lethal Protectors (Part 2)In this episode of “Has to do with Spider-Man, I Think?”, our Phase 1 team-up film comes to a close! What new creature lives within Eddie Brock? What is the story behind Martin Li? And what new scheme does Otto have planned?A special thank you to many on Discord for lending your voices to some of these characters. Jupiter, Balthazar, andie, Violet, and Dylan Roth and Dalton Deschain of the ‘Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?’ podcast, we can’t thank you enough. Shoutout to JONAH f...
2025-06-081h 49
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Incubus w/Calvin Kasulke & Mattie LubchanskyFor our last guest episode before HELL ON EARTH, we've brought back two of our past guests to create our most manic creative jam session yet! Hot off their tour and in the best comedy form of their lives, author Calvin Kasulke and cartoonist Mattie Lubchansky return to pitch a remake of Incubus, the 1966 occult horror flick starring William Shatner and performed entirely in Esperanto! Plus, a clip from our latest bonus episode, in which D&D came up with a wild new spin on Wes Craven's Shocker! Join the Patreon for $5/mo and get caught up on...
2025-06-011h 34
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?TRAILER: Dark Legion: Hell on EarthIN THREE WEEKS, the Death's Door Saga comes to an end. Since you've all been so patient, we thought we'd treat you to a little sneak peek... Featuring Frankie Starker as the voice of Ahmanet. First person to detect what song Dylan has trailer-fied in the middle chunk of the trailer gets a high five. NEXT WEEK: Incubus with Mattie Lubchansky and Calvin Kasulke!
2025-05-2503 min
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?C.H.U.D. w/Patrick GillAs we inch ever-closer to Dark Legion: Hell on Earth, journalist, streamer, and video producer Patrick Gill joins us to pitch a fresh, modern take on the cult classic monster movie C.H.U.D.! What compelled Patrick to rent this movie from the old mail-order Netflix? What does this high-end B-movie have in common with Jaws? How will Patrick, Dylan, and Dalton reimagine it to speak to modern New York? What, if anything, will "C.H.U.D." stand for this time around? Timestamps: 00:00:00 - Start 00:02:18 - Welc...
2025-05-181h 31
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?DU Plus: 5 TV Pitches w/Joseph FinkBack in 2024, we appointed Welcome to Night Vale co-creator Joseph Fink to be the Dark Universe's Head of Television. Now, he's returned to the show to pitch Dylan & Dalton FIVE new TV ideas that run the gamut from hospital drama to reality competition show! It's a jam-packed one-hour creative jam session like nothing we've done before. Check out Joseph's new podcast The Best Worst, and find out if Welcome to Night Vale's live tour is coming to a city near you this summer, fall, or winter! Our podcast partner this week is The White Meat P...
2025-05-041h 14
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Field of NightmaresNearly two years ago, Dylan announced that he'd be writing a Dark Universe take on Field of Dreams. Now, for his last solo pitch of the Death's Door Saga, he finally has to pitch it, and it's not remotely the script he initially planned. So, is that a good thing, or a bad thing? What the Hell is Field of Nightmares, and how will it be recieved by Dalton, who has no fondness for the 1989 baseball film on which it's based? PLUS: A quick clip from this month's bonus episode, on which D&D pitch a chapter i...
2025-04-202h 16
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Waterworld: The Stunt Show w/Danielle RadfordActor, writer, podcaster, and professional funny person Danielle Radford join the Dark Universe to pitch what might be our most unhinged installment yet. It's not "Waterworld," it's "Waterworld: The Stunt Show... The Movie? Learn how this beloved theme park attraction based on the maligned box office boondoggle found a special place in Danielle's heart, and how we can possible turn this into a franchise extension of our sprawling Dark Universe! Our podcast partner this episode is DC Action News, a new podcast reporting bravely and boldly every Wednesday as the news breaks from the center of the m...
2025-04-061h 21
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The ExorcistIt's Dalton's final solo pitch of the Death's Door Saga, and not coincidentally the bleakest and most disturbing! In the spirit of the original Exorcist and their beloved Exorcist III, Dalton's reimagining is obscene, blasphemous, but also totally sincere and even a little bit profound. Be aware that this episode is not for the faint of heart and we've included a LONG list of content warnings that you should not take lightly. (See: 02:20:17) But, if you like shocking, transgressive horror stories, you may well get a lot out of it. Either way, our next few episodes are gu...
2025-03-232h 39
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Invisible Woman w/Stella SaccoIn 1940, Universal cashed in on the success of their Invisible Man films with a spin-off, The Invisible Woman, which was very much not a horror movie! Instead, we got an extremely slight and forgettable screwball comedy. Now, in 2025, our guest writer/video game narrative designer Stella Sacco has been tasked with creating a new darker, scarier and (if you can believe it) gayer version of The Invisible Woman for our Dark Universe! Our podcast partner for this episode is 52 Pickup, a show about the most important comic of the 21st century, and the greatest series you’ve never...
2025-03-091h 45
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Mystery MenHell has broken loose in the Dark Universe, and we could really use some levity — both there and in the real world! Fear not, for our heroes may be dead, but at least there's, uh, these guys. Time to meet Dark Universe MYSTERY MEN! For the first time, the Didactic Mr. Dylan has (mostly) stepped off his political soapbox to deliver a pure action-adventure romp whose primary objective is to show the fans at home a good time. Hear how Dylan took his mission to create some frivilous fan-service way too seriously and wrote a massive tome th...
2025-02-232h 21
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Covenant w/Lindsey KelkAuthor, journalist, and co-host of the wrestling podcast Tights and Fights Lindsey Kelk joins Dylan & Dalton to revisit a cringey teen-targeted dark fantasy from 2006 — The Covenant, starring current Oscar-nominee Sebastian Stan! What makes this film so memorably bad, and how will Lindsey reimagine it into something worthy of our Dark Universe? Plus: Lindsey tells us about her latest novel, The Bell Witches, a YA/crossover fantasy with some very interesting (and entirely accidental) parallels to this week's movie! AND THAT'S NOT ALL! Before we sign off for this week, Dylan's prepared a special teaser for his ne...
2025-02-091h 48
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Old Dark House2025 kicks off Big, Old, and Dark with Dalton's first solo pitch of the season! It's a modern twist on gothic horror, based on a 1928 novel by J.B. Priestley and a James Whale Universal horror classic that was almost lost forever. How will Dalton reimagine this spooky tale to fit into the HELL ON EARTH era of our ongoing Dark Universe? We'll be real with you - this is a heavy episode, so we've included a trigger warning section that you can skip to before proceeding to the script reading. Listeners sensitive to depictions of sexual assault...
2025-01-262h 44
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Another Dark Universe Holiday SpecialED. NOTE: At 5:04 in this episode, Dylan says that National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation is "not good" and that he "watched it for Dalton," only laughing "one time." However, if you check Dylan's Letterboxd review from last year, he ADMITS he only watched the first half hour before tapping out. That, in this reporter's opinion, does not count as watching the film and I move that his comments be stricken from the record. -Dalton It's that time of year again, the time when we take a break from punishing our beloved characters and let them enjoy a nice...
2024-12-151h 51
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Real Dark Universe Theme Park w/Alicia StellaAfter two years of plotting and discussing totally imaginary films and television shows, isn't it about time we got real?!?! Theme park journalist Alicia Stella of Orlando ParkStop joins us to discuss the upcoming Dark Universe land at Universal Studios: Epic Universe in Orlando Florida. Learn how she got the scoop about the Dracula, Frankenstein, and Wolf Man themed rides and attractions. Then, hear her, Dalton, and Dylan pitch their own ideas for Dark Universe rides that could incorporate the podcast's expansive canon. Our partner podcast for this episode springs from our very own listenership and format! Has...
2024-12-011h 27
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Night of the Living DeadDark Legion: Death's Door unleashed Hell on Earth. Now, Dylan & Dalton are exploring their universe's terrifying new status quo with a season of standalone stories packed with new (read: expendable) characters. First up, Dylan is taking a swing at a Dark Universe reimagining of one of the most important horror films of all time: Night of the Living Dead. The last version of this script was killed before it went to air. Can Dylan pull off a resurrection? Our partner podcast for this episode is Your Favorite Bad Movie Podcast, the show that dares to ask "If th...
2024-11-172h 32
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?BONUS: Smokey & the Bandit / Generations of MurderDylan needed an extra week to get his Night of the Living Dead script up to code, so as a consolation we're releasing this month's bonus episode to the main feed, plus we're making the video version available to all paid subscribers. Dalton Deschain & Dylan Roth answer a challenge from Studio Executive Birras to come up with a Dark Universe version of the 1977 comedy Smokey & the Bandit! To both of their surprise, this turns out to be their favorite Studio Mandate pitch yet. PLUS: Dalton muddles through Star Trek: Generations, Dylan conjures up Memories of...
2024-11-101h 25
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?House of 1000 Corpses w/Abe GoldfarbIt's the crossover nobody asked for, least of all Dylan & Dalton! And yet, in this FULL VIDEO, SEASON 4 premiere of AYADU, guest Abe Goldfarb (Beetlejuice: The Musical, First Time Caller) sells our hosts on a Suicide Squad-style romp in which Otis and Baby Firefly bring their bloodlust into the Dark Universe's new status quo! This episode is available as a video podcast on our YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/zE-jsrRBnH8 You can find our guest Abe Goldfarb across social media, at either abegoldfarb on Twitter and Bluesky or abrahamgoldfarb on Instagram! His film "First Time...
2024-10-271h 31
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Unlocking Dark Legion: Death's DoorHere it is at last: The complete story break conversation in which Dylan & Dalton determined when, how, and why the Dark Legion would meet their terrible fates in Dark Legion: Death's Door! How much did our storytellers know before they broke ground on their sadistic sequel? How much of their plans changed between this initial discussion and the final draft? Have they let any clues or crumbs slip through about the grand finale they've got planned in Dark Legion: Hell on Earth? Listen and find out! PLUS: A track from Bodies for the Geek Pit, Pt. 1, the ne...
2024-10-131h 38
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dark Legion: Death's Door, Part TwoWHO WILL SURVIVE? Part One of the Phase Three finale put our heroes — and our audience — through Hell. The stakes are higher than ever. What fate awaits the Dark Legion? Our partner podcast this month isn't a podcast, but an honest to god book, by our friend and voice of Dr. Jennifer Halsey — Ella Dawson! Check out But How Are You, Really? wherever books or audiobooks are found. GUEST CAST (watch out for spoilers!) Ella Dawson as Dr. Jennifer Halsey Gita Jackson as Countess Marya Zaleska merritt k. as Adelaide Van Hel...
2024-09-292h 02
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dark Legion: Death's Door, Part OneTHE END IS NEAR. The two-part finale of Phase Three begins here. Ahmanet lives. Set is loose. The Dark Legion is in great danger. What terrors await Earth's Mightiest Monsters? PLUS: A bonus clip from the patest episode of Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton?, available for Patrons at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton. GUEST CAST (watch out for spoilers!) Ella Dawson as Dr. Jennifer Halsey Gita Jackson as Countess Marya Zaleska merritt k. as Adelaide Van Helsing Rachel Millman as Gwen Conliffe Sarah Norcross as Selinsgrove Coroner, Mi Seulgi, De...
2024-09-222h 09
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?BONUS: Mamma Mia! / Under the Influence of SybonkWhile you await DEATH'S DOOR with bated breath, here's this month's episode of the Patron-exclusive podcast Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? in its entirety absolutely free! Don't worry, we're not just being generous. We're after your money. We're starting an exciting new project on our bonus podcast ARE YOU AFRAID OF DYLAN & DALTON? called Studio Mandates, in which patrons who subscribe at the $25/mo level for at least one month get to request a loose, improvised pitch for a Dark Universe remake of the film of their choosing. First up, by request of Studio Executive Balthazar, w...
2024-09-131h 44
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Robot Monster w/Bill CorbettHeads up: For this, our 50th episode, we have created a full VIDEO VERSION of the episode. Not just a picture of the episode cover with some graphics on it, but an honest-to-god video. Watch it here, if you'd like: https://youtu.be/XxN4CXdufAc One of our comedic heroes, Bill Corbett of Mystery Science Theater 3000 and RiffTrax, calls in to pitch us an updated version of a film that has been tackled by BOTH of his shows - 1953's ROBOT MONSTER! How can we reimagine this cheap, crappy 3D B-movie for a new millennium, and a s...
2024-09-081h 30
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Phase Three Recap! Plus: Dracula in HellDark Legion: Death's Door is just a month away, which means it's time for another rapid-fire Dark Universe recap! Join us as we attempt to coherently summarize the past ten canon episodes of our show in no more than five minutes each, while also reflecting back on some of the season's twists and turns. PLUS: By your request, we've compiled all eight of this season's serialized post-credit scenes into one continuous story, which we call DRACULA IN HELL! This episode is brought to you by our Patreon, where you can find new episodes of Are Yo...
2024-08-251h 59
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Darkman w/Daniel KibblesmithA decade before directing the blueprint for a generation of superhero blockbusters, Sam Raimi attempted to create his own mashup between comic book hero and Universal Monster: Darkman! How the hell did it take us so long to adapt this one? Luckily, Emmy-nominated TV and comics writer Daniel Kibblesmith is here to pitch an exciting new take on the cult classic! PLUS: Some exciting updates about our Patreon! Our podcast partner for this episode is 52 Pickup, a show about the most important comic of the 21st century, and the greatest series you’ve never heard of...
2024-08-111h 34
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Van Helsing, Part TwoIt's time for the shocking conclusion of Dalton's Van Helsing pitch, the Carmilla Trilogy, and what I suppose we can start calling the House of Frankenstein Trilogy. The Dark Legion faces their most daunting challenge to date: each other! Phase Three's threads converge here, and everything will change! PLUS: Who got married during the two-year gap? Your answers are here. Our podcast partner this week is Your Favorite Bad Movie Podcast. Join your hosts Chris, Anna, and Greg as they dare to ask the question, "If this movie is so bad, why do you like it so mu...
2024-07-281h 46
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Van Helsing, Part OneThey said it would never happen — Dalton has written script too big for one episode! Van Helsing revisits the ruthless Adelaide, last of the Van Helsing line, in a story that wraps up Dalton's Carmilla Trilogy and reassembles practically the entire Dark Legion. It's a tall order. Can this pitch live up to its lofty expectations? PLUS: A bonus clip from the patest episode of Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton?, available for Patrons at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton. TIMESTAMPS: 00:00:00 - Start 00:06:25 - Listener Expectations 00:16:40 - Director Choice 00:20:12 - Prologue 00:25:29 - Disc...
2024-07-211h 50
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Ghost and Mrs. Muir w/Magnolia Porter SiddellIn our latest guest pitch episode, writer and cartoonist Magnolia Porter Siddell brings us her take on the 1947 supernatural romance The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, in which a fiercely independent widow grows attached to the deceased sailor (sorry, SEAMAN, he wants to be called a seaman) who haunts her new house. Dylan & Dalton are immediately taken with the original film, but how can a story about ghosts fit into their Dark Universe, where the absence of ghosts has been an important plot point? Magnolia has some ideas, and where D&D take them might have serious implications for the u...
2024-07-071h 34
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Return to the Black LagoonLast season, Dalton brought us a unique and ambitious reimagining of a Universal classic: THE BLACK LAGOON. It's a bleak and surreal horror story about gender, isolation, oppression, repression, and death. It's not a movie that calls for a sequel, and even less a movie that calls for a sequel from Dylan. Nevertheless, that was Dylan's assignment for this episode. Did he deliver? How does one write a follow-up to someone else's deeply personal story? Where does one find the balance between honoring someone else's voice and expressing their own? These questions answered, plus the fates of...
2024-06-232h 30
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Jaws w/Patrick WillemsThere's only one storyteller we would trust to pitch a Dark Universe reimagining of Jaws, one of the greatest films of all time: filmmaker and YouTube star Patrick Willems joins us from Cannes, France to share his vision of the most ill-advised movie remake of all time! Plus, learn about the time Patrick met Tom Cruise at the premiere of the latest Mission: Impossible movie, and learn the history of the Nick Morton Funko Pop! RELEVANT TIMESTAMPS 00:00:00 - Start 00:20:10 - Patrick’s Aborted Dark Universe Video 00:26:56 - The Nick Morton Funko Pop 00:30:04 - The...
2024-06-091h 51
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Invisible Man's RevengeDalton's informal "Carmilla Trilogy" continues with The Invisible Man's Revenge, a sequel to our breakout episode from way back in 2022! The fanbase is split as to what to expect from this one. Will this chapter be another kooky slapstick comedy, or will it be a nihilistic bloodbath the likes of which the Dark Universe has never seen? You'll get your answers, plus nearly 90 minutes of story, right here on AYADU! PLUS: A snippet from the latest episode of Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? in which the hosts each introduce the other to a corner of cinema tha...
2024-05-262h 23
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Village of the Damned w/Avery EdisonWriter and comedian Avery Edison has come to pitch a new take on Village of the Damned, and she has come PREPARED. It's our most in-depth guest pitch to date! This one's got it all: Creepy children, uncanny creatures, gender feelings, and ties to our Dark Legion! And, bits? Yeah, we got those, too. You don't want to miss this one. Our podcast partner this week is No Bad Food, a show about great food and the people who love to make & eat it. Every week, hosts Tom Zalatnai & Teffer Adjemian dig into a different dish, meal, i...
2024-05-121h 49
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Cat People (OR Kill Your Darlings)After a months of sequels and spin-offs, it's time for a wholly new addition to our Dark Universe, and it's even more different than anyone expected. On this episode, Dylan pitches a new take on the 1942 classic Cat People, a small-scale, low-budget, Sundance-style horror dramedy with minimal connections to the Dark Legion mythology. It's a very rough draft, but the hosts are ready for workshop — and so are the characters! (Jump to 01:20:19 if you want to skip to the end of the deliberately uncomfortable sex scene.) PLUS: A peek at the most recent episode of Are...
2024-04-282h 30
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Behind Love Never Dies (AYADD bonus preview)Hello, gentle listeners, here's a little taste of what you might be missing on our Patreon at Patreon.com/dylananddalton. Once a month, we release a new episode of our bonus podcast, Are You Afraid of Dylan and Dalton?, where we talk about horror and sci-fi movies, challenge each other with stupid little trivia games, and answer non-Dark Universe-related questions from our listeners. We’re going to start publishing clips from the bonus pod on the main feed every month, and this episode felt like a particularly good one to start with. The latest episode features Dalton digging into mu...
2024-04-2102 min
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Thing That Couldn't Die w/Kendra WellsAcclaimed writer and illustrator (and voice of Hunter Marin) Kendra Wells joins your hellish hosts to resurrect an infamously bad Universal monster movie, The Thing That Couldn't Die! It's a movie so weirdly unsatisfying that the only way to enjoy it is via Mystery Science Theater 3000, but Kendra has arrived with a plan to reshape it into something worth watching. CORRECTION: Ayo Edebiri is pronounced "EYE-oh ed-DEB-ree" so we were all at least half wrong. Sorry, Ayo, we love you. PLUS: We announce our latest collaboration with Kendra, a new t-shirt featuring a certain socialist w...
2024-04-141h 37
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Phantom of the Opera: Love Never DiesLast season, Dylan surprised Dalton by composing four original songs for his Dark Universe take on The Phantom of the Opera. "Fuck," said Dalton, "Now I have to do a musical episode!" It's finally here, and it does not disappoint. The Phantom of the Opera: Love Never Dies is a new Dark Universe story, a sequel to Dylan's Phantom, a riff on Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies, and a fully produced musical EP! What does Dalton have in store for everyone's favorite monster hunting power couple, Carol and Jenny? One thing's for sure: This episode's gonna get people talk...
2024-03-312h 45
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Scott Pilgrim vs. the World w/Rax King & Amber RolloYou've heard us say it before and it's never been more true than it is now: This is the wildest guest pitch we've ever heard. Rax King and Amber Rollo, the hosts of Low Culture Boil, have reimagined the 2011 Edgar Wright film Scott Pilgrim vs. the World as an X-rated bloodbath slasher movie starring a certain very large six-time world champion professional wrestler. How will this new interpretation of Bryan Lee O'Malley's graphic novels honor its legacy as a genre-mashing transmedia personal critique that went over the head of roughly half of its audience? Listen here to find out!...
2024-03-171h 20
Finding Monster RightLetter to the Predator: Getting a Yautja to Hunt Us (feat. Dylan Roth & Dalton Deschain)There's no way the Predator would consider two chaotic podcast hosts to be worthy prey. How about four? Dylan and Dalton from "Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?" help us think of ways to get an intergalactic hunter with glowing lube in his veins to notice us!
Discord (“'Would you still love me if I was a worm for part or all of my life cycle?'”): https://discord.gg/Y5Uw6sdmU2
Email: findingmonsterright@gmail.com
Bluesky: @monsterrightpod.bsky.social
2024-03-131h 09
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Part TwoIt's the stunning conclusion of our giant-sized action-horror blockbuster, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Will Victor Frankenstein be able to reconcile with his resurrected son? What will become of Esmeralda? And, crucially, WHO WAS IN THE BATHROOM? These questions will be answered, plus a lot that you probably didn't have about Dylan's chaotic writing process vs. Dalton's more orderly and functional one. PLUS: The hosts get into their most heated argument ever, which will have lasting repercussions on the future of the Dark Universe! 00:00:00 - Start 00:22:14 - Act Two Part Two
2024-03-031h 42
52 PickupWeek 8 - Thief, with Dalton Deschain and Dylan RothAll-Star Comics Journalist Gita Jackson and World’s Finest Comics Expert Alex Jaffe are joined by Dalton Deschain and Dylan Roth of Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe, covering issue eight of 52. Infectious serums are distributed, welding is performed in anger, Haunted Tankie is conceptualized, and Dumb Bitch Juice is drank in copious amounts.
Chapters:
Let’s Talk About The 2011 Green Lantern Film Starring Ryan Reynolds (06:45)
Let’s Talk About The Guest’s Comic Book Backgrounds (14:42)
Let’s Talk About 52 #8 (23:37)
The Backup (01:15:52)
The Blackboard (01:23:37)
What’s your favorite part of the issue? (01:34:43)
Asking The Questions at 52mailbag...
2024-02-281h 54
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Part OneA pitch too big for one episode! Dylan's brought in a whopping 80-page script for his half of the House of Frankenstein duology, The Hunchback of Notre Dame! How will he connect this massive Victor Hugo novel with the mythology of Frankenstein? How accurate are the fan predictions? Will the seeds planted by Dalton in A Native American Werewolf in Paris bear fruit? Find out now, and stay tuned for PART TWO in seven days! Our podcast partner this week is the sci-fi/fantasy book podcast Shit We’ve Read. Think of them as your frien...
2024-02-251h 46
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Mad Ghoul w/Ramon VillalobosComics artist Ramon Villalobos joins our devilish hosts to discuss what might be the worst movie we've ever had to watch for this show, "The Mad Ghoul," a creature feature so forgettable that Universal didn't bother renewing the copyright. Can this rowdy trio salvage a potentially ripe concept into a movie that belongs in our Dark Universe? Can they do it without saying anything inflammatory and losing half their audience? Only one way to find out. Our partner podcast this week is Left Trigger Right Trigger, your video game book club where the hosts discuss games centering...
2024-02-111h 49
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?A Native American Werewolf in ParisAt long last, it's Dalton's first solo pitch of Phase Three and the first half of our loose "House of Frankenstein" duology: A Native American Werewolf in Paris! Dalton's all about fulfilling the promise of the premise, so how will they make this story appropriately wolfy, thoroughly Parisian, and respectful towards Gwen's indiginous heritage without overstepping their bounds as a white storyteller? For one thing, Dalton has curated a playlist of songs from Native artists that would be included on the soundtrack, which you can listen to on Apple Music or Spotify. (Don't try to play it o...
2024-01-282h 31
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Teen Wolf w/Joseph FinkIt's the Dark Universe's first ongoing TV series pitch! Our hosts are joined by Joseph Fink, the legendary co-creator of Welcome to Night Vale, to workshop a new take on the 1985 sports comedy Teen Wolf! Note that we didn't call it a horror-comedy, and that we're sort of calling it a comedy under protest. (We don't like it very much!) How much inspiration will it take from the original Michael J. Fox vehicle? Will it have anything to do with the popular MTV show? What percentage of the episode will be spent talking about Buffy the Vampire Slayer? There's onl...
2024-01-141h 24
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Dark Universe Holiday SpecialBecause we don't know how not to do shit like this: It's The Dark Universe Holiday Special, a full-script, full-cast episode featuring our entire surviving Dark Legion! What do we have in store for this short, semi-canonical installment in the Death's Door Saga? How silly will we get? Will we be parodying a beloved holiday classic? Which of our heroes will learn the true meaning of Christmas? We address the many terrific predictions from our fan community, which, thank goodness, are mostly incorrect, and take you page-by-page through our creative process for this sweet little treat of an episode.
2023-12-171h 45
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein w/Branson ReeseBecause you demanded it: The time has come at last to introduce our Dark Universe's take on the beloved classic, Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein! Fans have speculated for the past year how AYADU might incorporate this concept into our ongoing narrative. Will we cast new actors as Abbott & Costello's characters? Will we select a modern comedy duo to goof off with our monster cast? Luckily for us, we don't have to decide, and we've passed that weighty task on to comedian and illustrator Branson Reese, creator of Swan Boy and Rude Tales of Magic! Branson joins us to share hi...
2023-12-031h 31
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Mummy: Heaven's GatePhase Three is officially in full swing! For the first canon pitch of the season, Dylan takes up the reins of our Mummy franchise, creating a new adventure starring both Nick Morton and Evelyn O'Connell that will change the shape of the Dark Universe forever. What awaits on the other side of Heaven's Gate? How has the world changed since the events of The Mummy's Hand? And what the hell does any of this have to do with The Matrix? Find out in this colossal new episode. Today's partner podcast is Comics-Coffee-Metal, a conversation with creatives about an...
2023-11-192h 24
The Film MajorsKubo and the Two StringsHave your tickets ready because The Film Majors are taking you to the Animation Station once again! This week your intrepid heroes of cinematic discussion talk great uses of narration in film, Travis Knight's stop motion fantasy epic Kubo and the Two Strings, and whether or not this film is the cherry on top of the McConaissance.
Our partner for this episode is Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?, a creative storytelling podcast from the minds of Dylan Roth and Dalton Deschain, resurrecting Universal's dead on arrival shared universe project started and concluded by 2017's The Mumm...
2023-11-171h 35
Comics - Coffee - MetalC/C/M Podcast Episode #123: Dylan Roth and Dalton DeschainAre you afraid of the Dark Universe? No, that's not a question, it's the name of the amazing Podcast hosted by my 2 talented guests, Dylan Roth and Dalton Deschain! Join us as we chat about the behind the scenes work it takes to construct pitches for a cinematic universe (in podcast form), Dalton's now no so secret coffee shame, Dylan's process for scoring episodes of their Podcast, and much much more!
Also I check out the new MAD CAVE comic SKEETERS by BOB FRANTZ, KEVIN CUFFE, KELLY WILLIAMS, and CHAS! PANGBURN, the latest EP...
2023-11-161h 38
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Colossus: The Forbin Project w/Gita Jackson Our first guest pitch of Phase Three is a departure from our usual creature feature; It's a bleak 1970s sci-fi thriller, but one that definitely still qualifies as a monster movie. Open your mind to the terror of Colossus: The Forbin Project, a forgotten gem about a surprisingly sassy artificial intelligence, dug up by journalist Gita Jackson. What does Gita have in store for their fresh take on Colossus, and can D&D find a way to fit it into the Dark Universe canon? Our partner podcast this week is Left Trigger Right Trigger, your video game boo...
2023-11-051h 35
Shit We've Read27: She is a HauntingIn this episode, the SWR crew delve into the chilling and evocative world of Trang Thang Tran’s debut horror novel, SHE IS A HAUNTING. Join us as we break down this story of “a Vietnamese American girl visiting her estranged father in Vietnam and the house that doesn't want them to leave”, Laura and Bella each share how they related to the novel’s main character via their experiences of being mixed race, and we praise the book’s more nuanced queer representation than in some other recently read books. Plus, Jason gives us a peek into some of the oth...
2023-10-251h 07
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Launching Phase Three of our Dark UniverseThe wait is over! Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe? is back and we're going to keep cranking out movie pitches until you're sick of us. On our season premiere, hosts Dalton Deschain & Dylan Roth answer questions from the lovely Dark Universe fanbase and reveal the titles of all [REDACTED] movies in Phase 3! Plus, who will be our first guest of the season? You know things have gotten serious when we've actually updated the opening monologue. Stick with us for the next (checks notes) year and a half as we bring the Death's Door S...
2023-10-221h 26
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?BONUS: Two Weeks to the Season Premiere!The wait is almost over! The first episode of the new season is in the can, the first guests are booked, and the first script is in progress. Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe? is back for Phase 3 on October 22nd. In the meantime, there's a new episode of our bonus podcast up on our Patreon, Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton, and we're making some guest appearances on other shows throughout October! Catch us on The Film Majors talking about The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its wacky sequel, plus Dylan will be on an upcoming episode of Original Podcast Do Not...
2023-10-0803 minThe Film MajorsThe Tobe Hooper Texas Chainsaw Massacre Films with Dalton Deschain and Dylan RothThe air is crisp and a cold chill is in the air; it must be Spooky Season! To kick off the scariest time of the year, The Film Majors have enlisted the help of snarky film critic Dylan Roth and pulp horror devotee Dalton Deschain, hosts of Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?, to discuss cinema's most sympathetic monsters, Tobe Hooper's feverish nightmare The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and its goofy follow-up The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, and perhaps the greatest insult to ever appear in a major motion picture. Cover your eyes, get under your covers, and strap in...
2023-10-062h 05
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Introducing Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton?Dylan & Dalton's Patreon has surpassed its initial $200/mo goal, which means they're kicking off a new show just for paid subscribers! Sign up at Patreon.com/DylanAndDalton for $5/mo and get access to this new monthly series as well as our lovely and lively Patreon server! Here's a little taste of what the other podcast has in store. Don't worry! Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe? will return this October with an absolutely massive Phase 3!
2023-09-1004 min
Shit We've Read25: The Mimicking of Known SuccessesIn this episode of Shit We've Read, we discuss the novella THE MIMICKING OF KNOWN SUCCESSES by Malka Older—a cozy Holmesian murder mystery and sapphic romance, set on Jupiter. Listen in as we examine the balance of sci-fi, mystery, and romance, Jason reveals our Ken's job, Laura compares the story to Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, and more!
Sponsors:Liquid I.V. is the category-winning hydration brand fueling your well-being. Ready to shop better hydration, use our special link https://zen.ai/swrpod to save 20% off anything you order.
Podcast Partner:Our...
2023-08-301h 11
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Planning Dark Legion: The Mummy's Hand Flashback to this past May! Before they started writing Dark Legion: The Mummy's Hand, Dalton Deschain and Dylan Roth sat down to hash out the story, determine each character's journey, and decide who wouldn't be surviving. Get a peek into the creative process behind the feature-length event, with a few teases about what's coming in Phase 3, plus a bunch of start we had to redact. We'll be back in October with the launch of our next wave of stories! Until then, stay afraid... Our podcast partner for this episode is The Mirror Universe Star Trek Podcast, a t...
2023-08-271h 37
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dark Legion: The Mummy's Hand, Part TwoIt's the finale of PHASE 2 of the DARK UNIVERSE, and big changes are ahead! With Imhotep seemingly defeated, what's next for the Dark Legion? Will they be able to recover their lost friend Nick from his metaphysical tomb in the Black Lagoon? What's the next stop on Claudia Lawrence's magical murder tour? Find out in the stunning conclusion of DARK LEGION: THE MUMMY'S HAND! SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR CAST 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. Ella Dawson (Jen...
2023-08-131h 57
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dark Legion: The Mummy's Hand, Part One At last, we arrive at the finale of Phase Two, the double-sized crossover DARK LEGION: THE MUMMY'S HAND! We're picking up threads left over from our past six main line entries, but have done our best to make this installment as friendly to new listeners as possible. If you want to go in a little less cold, we recommend checking out last season's big crossover, THE DARK LEGION: HOUSE OF DRACULA. We'll be back with the second half of the crossover event in just one week! Our partner podcast this week is Finding Monster Right, w...
2023-08-061h 45Finding Monster RightIsn't She Loki?: Putting the Miss Back in Mischiefᚱᛖᛏᚢᚱᚾ ᛟᚢᚱ ᚲᚹᛖᛖᚱ-ᚲᛟᛞᛖᛞ ᛚᛟᚲᛁ, ᚦᛟᚢ ᚲᛟᚹᚨᚱᛞ-ᛗᛟᚢᛊᛖ! Does anyone read these descriptions? ᚹᛁᛚᛚ ᛊᛟᛗᛖᛟᚾᛖ ᚲᚨᚱᛖ ᛁᚠ ᛁ ᚹᚱᛁᛏᛖ ᚦᛁᛊ ᛁᚾ ᚱᚢᚾᛖᛊ?
The podcast we’re spotlighting this week is Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?, a podcast where Dylan Roth and Dalton Deschain are tasked with raising the Dark Universe of Universal monster movies from its untimely grave!: https://sites.libsyn.com/431103
Discord (“ᛒᛁᛚᛚ ᛊᛁᚠᛖᚱ ᚹᚨᛊ ᚺᛖᚱᛖ, ᛗᛖᚨᛏᛊᚢᛁᛏᛊ!”): https://discord.gg/Y5Uw6sdmU2
Email: findingmonsterright@gmail.com
Still using ᛏᚹᛁᛏᛏᛖᚱ? @ᛗᛟᚾᛊᛏᛖᚱᚱᛁᚷᚺᛏᛈᛟᛞ
2023-08-031h 01
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Our Story So Far: A Breathless Phase 1 & 2 RecapIn preparation for the upcoming Dark Legion 2 event, hosts Dalton Deschain and Dylan Roth attempt to summarize the entire series as concisely as possible, fuelled by nothing but caffiene and corn nuts. Can the architects of the new Dark Universe retain their sanity long enough to provide an onramp for new listeners? Will any of this make sense? We sure hope so, because in two weeks, the next crossover epic begins! 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 ac...
2023-07-231h 37
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dracula's Daughter w/Dominic GriffinHot on the heels of Dylan's Dracula Lives, our guest and fellow film critic Dominic Griffin joins us over Skype to pitch a reimagining of Dracula's Daughter, which was a direct sequel to the 1931 Dracula. What makes this lesser-known Universal monster movie a hidden gem, and how much of it do we want to retain for our Dark Universe remake? Will Dom's pitch become adopted into our canon? Our partner podcast this week is Original Podcast Do Not Steal, a weekly show in which every week Devin and Amber Autumn discuss one franchise, intellectual property, or idea, and...
2023-07-091h 44
Original Podcast Do Not StealHow We’d Do An "Are You Afraid Of The Dark Universe" Spinoff - Children of The NightWould you believe it’s not the first time we've made fanfiction about fanfiction? Because today we cover Are You Afraid Of The Dark Universe, a podcast by horror writer Dalton Deschain and film critic Dylan Roth wherein they re-imagine the short lived Dark Universe. Amber and Devin create a 1 season CW spinoff show set in the AYAotDU continuity. Our goal was to make a bad silly little show, but we accidentally made something emotional and interesting, so oopsies. Learn all about The Daughter of Carmella, A Living Gargoyle, a Human Voodoo Doll, and a few other oddball cryptids co...
2023-07-031h 33
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dracula LivesYou've waited patiently for our Dark Universe to get its first Dracula movie. Now, in the aftermath of The Dark Legion: House of Dracula, the infamous Count has been cursed with a mortal, human life, and must survive a gauntlet of vengeful enemies. Can Dracula endure this unprecedented threat? More importantly, has Dylan FINALLY written a horror script? Find out the our penultimate main line chapter of Phase 2! Our podcast partner for this episode is the sci-fi fantasy book podcast Shit We've Read, in which hosts Laura Benson, Jason Rico, Bella Romero, and the occasional guest review b...
2023-06-252h 15
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Black Cat w/merritt k. 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 an...
2023-06-111h 28
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Bride of FrankensteinWe 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, whe...
2023-05-282h 18
Shit We've Read23: Legends & LattesWelcome back to Shit We've Read! In this Season Three premiere episode, we are excited to discuss Travis Baldree's TikTok sensation, LEGENDS & LATTES—”a cozy, heartwarming slice-of-life fantasy about found families and fresh starts.” Listen in as Laura explains why she has a love/hate relationship with this book, we discuss the difference between coffee and espresso within the context of the story, we play a game of “Does This Common Food Exist in This Universe?”, and more!
So grab a latte, settle in, and join us for a fun and cozy episode to kick off the new season...
2023-05-171h 09
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Ssssssss! w/Mattie Lubchansky & Jaya SaxenaWe'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 an...
2023-05-141h 18
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Phantom of the OperaIt'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 C...
2023-04-302h 04
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?MonsterMania w/Nick BondWrestling 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...
2023-04-161h 12
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Black LagoonBrace 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 th...
2023-04-022h 06
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen w/Calvin KasulkeThe 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...
2023-03-191h 35
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Werewolves of LondonIt'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...
2023-03-051h 58
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Dark Universe Fandom w/Frankie StarkerThe 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.
2023-02-191h 00
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Mummy ReturnsOur 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...
2023-02-052h 01
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Dark Universe Omnibus w/Giovanni ColantonioDylan 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 di...
2023-01-221h 29
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Launching Phase Two of our Dark UniverseIf 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 Meta...
2023-01-081h 13The Film MajorsIt's A Wonderful LifeIn their continued mission to spread holiday cheer, The Film Majors discuss Frank Capra's It's A Wonderful Life, anti-capitalist cinema, and imagine a world where Jimmy Stewart played Spider-Man. Plus, they respond to their first listener email!
Our partner for this episode is Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?, a creative storytelling podcast from the minds of Dylan Roth and Dalton Deschain, resurrecting Universal's dead on arrival shared universe project started and concluded by 2017's The Mummy. Stream their show wherever you stream ours.
2022-12-231h 19
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Dark Legion: House of Dracula, Part TwoIt'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 v...
2022-12-181h 16
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Dark Legion: House of Dracula, Part OneThe 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 O...
2022-12-111h 31
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Prelude to The Dark Legion: House of DraculaSPOILER 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...
2022-11-271h 29
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?Jekyll x HydeCONTENT 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.
2022-11-131h 16
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Invisible ManThe 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.
2022-10-301h 10
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The Wolf ManIt'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
2022-10-161h 04
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?FrankensteinIt'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 di...
2022-10-021h 07
Are You Afraid of the Dark Universe?The MummyDylan 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...
2022-10-021h 02