WHAT WENT WRONG

Sad Boom Media

<p>What Went Wrong covers Hollywood’s most notoriously disastrous movie productions, digging into the behind-the-scenes insanity of everything from massive flops to record-breaking blockbusters. In each episode, hosts Lizzie Bassett and Chris Winterbauer dive into a new film to explore the mind-blowing (and sometimes numbing) reasons why making a movie is nearly impossible (especially a good one). Produced by David Boman.</p><p><a href="https://open.acast.com/public/patreon/fanSubscribe/9487827">JOIN OUR PATREON FOR 'WWW' BONUS CONTENT!</a></p>

  • 50 minutes 28 seconds
    SNAFU with Ed Helms: Starfish Prime
    Join Chris & Lizzie as Ed Helms guides them through Starfish Prime: that time the US government decided to detonate a nuke in the atmosphere, just to see what would happen. SNAFU is basically What Went Wrong, but with real-world stakes, nukes, and hosted by the wonderfully talented Ed Helms!

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 February 2026, 5:58 pm
  • 1 hour 21 minutes
    The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

    'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' was supposed to launch a franchise... Instead, it was a production so toxic it ended a legendary career—and shoved one of the most influential comic writers of all time into a legal nightmare. 


    This week, Chris and Lizzie break down how 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' collapsed under the weight of ego, chaos, and truly terrible luck. From devastating floods that destroyed entire sets to a power struggle between director Stephen Norrington and star Sean Connery that nearly turned physical, 'The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen' was doomed from the start.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    23 February 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 29 minutes
    Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
    Were Michel Gondry and Charlie Kaufman star-crossed lovers or creatively cursed? This week, Chris & Lizzie plumb the memories of all involved in the 2004 sci-fi hit, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a movie Charlie Kaufman tried endlessly to break up with. Plus, Gondry and Jim Carrey's loveless marriage, how Kate Winslet set the tone, and Mark Ruffalo and Tom Wilkinson's wildly different reactions to the on set vibes.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    16 February 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 36 minutes
    The Cotton Club

    'The Cotton Club' was supposed to be Robert Evans’ big comeback... Instead, it became the movie that finally took him down - and nearly dragged Francis Ford Coppola with him. Chris and Lizzie break down how Evans' desperation to make the film led to shady financing, a baffling creative curveball from Richard Gere, and a production so chaotic that an actual mobster came on board as a line producer. 


    Even though 'The Cotton Club' began as a story highlighting the racial inequalities of the actual nightclub, it became a film that marginalized its own black talent. Find out why it took Coppola 30 years to correct this mistake, finally allowing Gregory and Maurice Hines to steal the show.  


    Make sure you listen to our Out of Frame episode on The Cotton Club Murder first as a primer for this episode! 

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    9 February 2026, 8:00 am
  • 53 minutes 7 seconds
    Out of Frame: The Cotton Club Murder

    Before ‘The Cotton Club’ became one of Hollywood’s most notorious flops, it was connected to something much darker. In this episode of Out of Frame, Chris and Lizzie dig into the death of Roy Radin — a small-time producer whose obsession with breaking into Hollywood by financing ’The Cotton Club’ ended in murder. Find out how Radin got involved with Lanie Jacobs, a cocaine dealer with movie ambitions of her own, and why the entire case revolved around one of the most influential producers of all time: Robert Evans.


    Listen to this episode first as a primer, then come back Monday when we break down exactly what went wrong with ‘The Cotton Club’ in our full main-feed episode.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    6 February 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 19 minutes
    Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
    Lord & Miller lord over creative chaos as Sony succumbs to the stratospheric success of Marvel. This week, Chris & Lizzie learn how relinquishing control of Peter Parker may have opened the door for Miles Morales, how Donald Glover is at least partly responsible for the Spider-Verse trilogy, and why you might want to double check the meaning behind that 1930's slang you just added to the script before Nic Cage reads it.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    2 February 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 2 minutes
    Oscars 2026: Sinners &amp; One Battle After Another
    Chris and Lizzie kick off the 2026 Oscars conversation by discussing the overall Hollywood landscape, followed by a deep dive on where the best picture nominees stand. This week it's Sinners and One Battle After Another.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    30 January 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 23 minutes
    The Interview
    'The Interview' was supposed to be another easy studio comedy win for hitmakers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. Instead, it cost Sony millions — and that was only the beginning. In this episode, Chris and Lizzie investigate how 'The Interview' went from parodying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to being labeled an act of war, triggering one of the most devastating corporate hacks in history. Which joke pushed things over the edge? What exactly was in those leaked emails? And why are some people still questioning who was really behind the hack?

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    26 January 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 29 minutes
    Game of Thrones (Pilot)

    How did two lowly squires, an outsider king, and a network known more for sex than sorcery come together to make one of the most successful TV shows of all time? By completely botching it the first time around. This week, Chris & Lizzie brave the Hollywood game of thrones to learn what went wrong making Game of Thrones, from bad wigs and green screen White Walkers to ridiculous hats and the importance of second chances.


    *ADDENDUM: David Benioff had crucially penned 2004’s Troy prior to Game of Thrones, as well.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    19 January 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 12 minutes
    The Life and Death of River Phoenix (with Last Podcast on the Left)

    Lizzie, Chris, and special guests Henry Zebrowski and Ed Larson from the 'Last Podcast on the Left' investigate the extraordinary life and untimely death of River Phoenix. We dig into Phoenix’s complicated family dynamics, his deep discomfort with fame, and the pressures that followed him. Find out how his childhood - including a stint in the Children of God cult - informed his meteoric rise as one of Hollywood’s most sensitive and sought-after performers. We also explore the troubled production of his final film 'Dark Blood', and why it took almost 20 years to be released.


    Out of Frame is a bonus series that pulls back the curtain on the offscreen lives of Hollywood’s most fascinating figures—where the real stories are often stranger, darker, and more revealing than anything you see on film.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    16 January 2026, 8:00 am
  • 1 hour 32 minutes
    Don't Worry Darling

    How did 'Don’t Worry Darling' become one of Hollywood’s biggest misfires since 'Ishtar'? Chris and Lizzie investigate how Olivia Wilde’s highly anticipated sophomore film began falling apart long before it reached theaters.


    From Shia LaBeouf’s hotly disputed exit and last-minute replacement with Harry Styles, to how Wilde’s personal life hijacked the press tour, the off-screen drama proved far more compelling than the movie itself. Discover what changed from the original script, why key themes were misrepresented, and how Florence Pugh’s deafening silence helped fuel a media frenzy.


    *CORRECTIONS: Cockburn is pronounced "co-burn", not "cock-burn" as we assert in this episode. That being said, it stands to reason Olivia Wilde chose to change her name precisely because America is filled with dummies like us.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    12 January 2026, 8:00 am
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