The Way Back Director On Ben Affleck's Return And The Most Emotional Days On Set

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Ben Affleck has almost attained “Patron Saint” status on the ReelBlend podcast. Between our adoration of his portrayal of Batman to Kevin’s repeated praise of Affleck’s work in the Kevin Smith comedies (and if you haven’t heard how Kevin got Ben to be in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, then you are missing out on one HELL of a story), our love for Affleck has been no secret.

With the actor returning to the big screen for The Way Back, we doubled down on all things Affleck. For starters, we have an exclusive interview with Gavin O’Conner, the director of The Way Back. And we play #BenAffleckBlend, where Jake, Sean and Kevin give their picks for their favorite Ben movies. Their answers bring out personal reasons, which always makes for a solid Blend game.

In addition to the staples of the weekly ReelBlend show, the guys start to discuss the impact that the Coronavirus is having on the film industry at large. And in a weird twist of fate, one of the things that they predict on the show comes true right after we record. The next James Bond film, No Time to Die, pushed back from April to November. Which titles could be next?

Finally, in a touching segment, the ReelBlend boys pay tribute to the late James Lipton, the host of Inside the Actors Studio. Lipton ended up being a huge influence on the careers and interview styles of all three ReelBlend hosts, and they share stories about some of his best interviews.

6:03 - Weekly Poll: Which March release are you most excited for?

11:51 - Gavin O'Connor Interview

47:09 - Remembering James Lipton

1:03:30 - COVID-19 and the Film Industry

1:16:12 - This Week In Movies

1:25:26 - #BenAffleckBlend

Sean O'Connell
Managing Editor

Sean O’Connell is a journalist and CinemaBlend’s Managing Editor. Having been with the site since 2011, Sean interviewed myriad directors, actors and producers, and created ReelBlend, which he proudly cohosts with Jake Hamilton and Kevin McCarthy. And he's the author of RELEASE THE SNYDER CUT, the Spider-Man history book WITH GREAT POWER, and an upcoming book about Bruce Willis.