Franchise Detours
No movie series travels in a straight line. And on Franchise Detours, host Robert Yaniz Jr. tracks the twists and turns of your favorite film series. Whether it’s the manic antics of The Naked Gun, the evolving continuity of X-Men, the horror-comedy balancing act of Child’s Play, or how Rocky transitioned into Creed, each episode digs into how these stories shift, grow, and sometimes completely reinvent themselves.
Episodes
June 27, 2025 • 105 mins
On this episode of Franchise Detours, we reach the final stop in Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy with 2013’s Before Midnight. Jackson Smith returns to the show to unpack this raw, reflective chapter in the ongoing story of Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy).
Set nearly two decades after their first meeting, Before Midnight trades youthful idealism for hard-earned honesty as the couple confronts what lasting love really...
Set nearly two decades after their first meeting, Before Midnight trades youthful idealism for hard-earned honesty as the couple confronts what lasting love really...
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June 11, 2025 • 90 mins
On this Franchise Detours, we continue our stroll through Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy with a stop in Paris and the heartbreaking honesty of 2004’s Before Sunset. Dallin Curtis, The Film Fanatic, joins us to unpack the film’s real-time structure, emotional depth, and themes of missed opportunities and second chances.
Nine years after their unforgettable night in Vienna, Jesse and Céline reunite for another epic conversation. ...
Nine years after their unforgettable night in Vienna, Jesse and Céline reunite for another epic conversation. ...
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May 28, 2025 • 62 mins
On this episode, we’re kicking off a mega-series on the Before trilogy, which quietly redefined what a franchise could be. Megan Kearns of Spoilerpiece Theatre joins us to unpack Richard Linklater’s 1995 romantic drama Before Sunrise, the film that launched one of cinema’s most intimate and epic love stories.
Before Sunrise captures a fleeting connection between two strangers, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy), as they wa...
Before Sunrise captures a fleeting connection between two strangers, Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Céline (Julie Delpy), as they wa...
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May 13, 2025 • 65 mins
Franchise Detours wraps up its wild ride through the Naked Gun trilogy as we welcome The Famous Ashley Grant to take on 1994’s Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult.
As Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) comes out of retirement for one last case, Robert and Ashley break down how this third installment pushes the parody further to deliver a grand finale.
Together, we’ll explore the film’s biggest swings — from its over-the-top look at polic...
As Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) comes out of retirement for one last case, Robert and Ashley break down how this third installment pushes the parody further to deliver a grand finale.
Together, we’ll explore the film’s biggest swings — from its over-the-top look at polic...
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The chaos continues on Franchise Detours as Leslie Nielsen’s bumbling Frank Drebin returns for more slapstick mayhem in 1991’s The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear.
Ryan Luis Rodriguez of One Track Mind — inaugural member of the Franchise Detours five-timers club — returns to tackle this comedy sequel. But does director David Zucker retain the deadpan humor that made the first film such a classic?
Robert and Ryan explore Drebin’s...
Ryan Luis Rodriguez of One Track Mind — inaugural member of the Franchise Detours five-timers club — returns to tackle this comedy sequel. But does director David Zucker retain the deadpan humor that made the first film such a classic?
Robert and Ryan explore Drebin’s...
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April 18, 2025 • 64 mins
Franchise Detours is back on the case with a brand-new mega-series on the hilariously offbeat journey of The Naked Gun trilogy. Of course, we’re starting with the David Zucker-directed 1988 original that turned Leslie Nielsen’s Frank Drebin into a slapstick legend.
Lauren Robinson of the Beer’d Al Podcast returns to the show to break down why this deadpan detective remains one of comedy’s greatest characters and how his absurd anti...
Lauren Robinson of the Beer’d Al Podcast returns to the show to break down why this deadpan detective remains one of comedy’s greatest characters and how his absurd anti...
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October 29, 2024 • 92 mins
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 discuss 1988's Elvira: Mistress of the Dark and Elvira's Haunted Hills from 2001. We...
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October 19, 2024 • 86 mins
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 Rocky/Creed mega-series. Kevin the Critic joins us for our final punch, as we talk 202...
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October 11, 2024 • 109 mins
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 director, the second film follows Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) as he claims the title...
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October 4, 2024 • 63 mins
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 was Black Panther, but he had made only one feature film when he stepped into the d...
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September 27, 2024 • 69 mins
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 first film. Film critic Phoenix Clouden joins us to discuss 2006's Rocky Balboa, t...
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September 20, 2024 • 68 mins
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. Enter Rocky V. On one hand, the return of the original film's director, John G. Avilds...
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September 13, 2024 • 73 mins
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 a quest for vengeance. Ryan Luis Rodriguez of One Track Mind joins us to discuss 1...
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September 8, 2024 • 85 mins
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 characters themselves. With 1982's Rocky III, Stallone ups the personal stakes for ...
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August 30, 2024 • 62 mins
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, and of course, Apollo. Darin Lundberg of NostalgiaCast and Back To Bluey joins us to...
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August 23, 2024 • 67 mins
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 now. At last, we tackle the 1976 classic that is Rocky. One of only four franchise f...
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August 18, 2024 • 66 mins
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 word, *SNIKT*. After years of development, it was the addition of Hugh Jackman's Wo...
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July 26, 2024 • 78 mins
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 themes and taking bigger chances. As the road to Deadpool & Wolverine continues,...
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July 19, 2024 • 67 mins
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 Mouth got a new life. Following our X-Men mega-series from 2023, we return to the ...
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July 12, 2024 • 66 mins
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 with 2003's horror monster mash-up Freddy vs. Jason. We'll discuss how the mov...
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