Tom Hanks Defence Force

Over a million films are listed on IMDB, and over 800,000 TV shows are available for your viewing pleasure. However, we at THDF had an epiphany, because do you know what there truly isn’t enough of? TV shows about films.So, we put our heads together and came up with some delightful and diabolical new shows that examine your favourite films in ways never seen before. From Star Wars retrospectives presented by Jar Jar Binks legend Ahmed Best to travelogues asking why these locations inspired the action, the BBC’s spam folder has never been more inspired. So sit back, enjoy our latest Mystery Pitch, and get excited for the wild unstoppable return of Behind-the-Scenes TV… as soon as we can produce them. 

“Every film has the potential to be the most terrifying thing you’ve ever seen.” Jack and Alex, at some point, probably.In this episode, Jack and Alex imagine what if our favourite franchises had the likes of Blumhouse, Del Toro, Carpenter, or King at the helm. What if, instead of fantastical, they were frightening? What if, instead of hilarious, they were horrifying? How about a disaster horror, where Imperial captains desperately flee an exploding Death Star? What if a film chronicled Morgoth’s arrival on Middle Earth? And isn’t Shelob’s Lair scary enough anyway?Find out what new nightmares they’ve dreamt up in the new episode of Tom Hanks Defence Force

Ay Caramba! The Simpsons is now in its astonishing 36th season. It’s the longest-running primetime scripted show in American history, second only to WWE Raw in the highest number of episodes. So this begs the question: When and how will The Simpsons actually end?For our stupid, sexy final episode of the year, Alex, Jack and Sideshow Ala delve into the storylines of its most beloved characters and episodes. Together, they draw on behind-the-scenes information, fan theories and the finales of iconic 90s sitcoms to ask how it’s possible to conclude a franchise so rooted in everyday timelessness. Is it truly “unpossible” or could Comic Book Guy finally call it the “best episode ever”?*Recorded before the announcement of Pamela Hayden's retirement. Thank you, Pamela! We wish you the very best.

The Ring, The Fly and Vanilla Sky - often considered the scariest remakes of all time. But what if there were more, frightful and fantastic, lurking in the depths of possibility?In today’s horror feature, Jack, Alex and an unexpected guest pay tribute to the art of reimagining. Delving into potentials and pitfalls alike, they ask ‘What could be remade now?’ and, perhaps more importantly, ‘What should be remade now?’From ancient folklore to secret islands, and murderous beings to malicious tech, the boys explore the logic and lore of what makes a great reboot. And to conclude, they figure out why the perfect remake may in fact be hidden deep in the black lagoon.Be sure to follow Tom Hanks Defence Force for more film and TV ideas you may never have dreamed of before.

What’s the most famous line from the entire Pirates franchise? “I love weddings! Drinks all around.” But what Captain Jack Sparrow didn’t realise was that in the wacky world of Tom Hanks Defence Force, weddings are far from conventional, especially when the reception is a Mystery Pitch. To celebrate co-host Jack’s upcoming nuptials, the boys ask questions and improvise to create your dream wedding films. What is this mysterious venue? Who is that surprise wedding singer? And what has the Best Man done with the Groom? Find out in Mystery Pitch: Wedding Season.

First there was France. Then there was Frank Sinatra. Now, there is Franchise. And they’re everywhere! Those dinosaurs didn’t just escape from their pens. Harry Potter spends seven years at Hogwarts. There’s more than one Hunger Game. But even for the world’s most diehard fans of palaeontology, capes, Jennifer Lawrence, 18th Century piracy and Gamorrean guards, is this all getting a bit too much? Joined by returning guest Henry Mendoza, the team ask: Is it possible to sustain a franchise, while also shaking things up a little? Is it possible to inject horror and westerns into sci-fi and fantasy worlds? How can audience fatigue be avoided? And is there a moment when world-building can supersede narrative?

Nobel laureate William Faulkner once wrote: “The past is never dead. It isn’t even past.” Can this explain why you, a 32-year-old, skipped your uncle’s birthday to binge Dawson’s Creek? Why the older you get, the more you see yourself as Citizen Kane? And does the key to an industry competing to define the future lie embedded in the lyrics to Nickelback’s ‘Photograph’? Featuring the nostalgic return of special guest Henry Mendoza, the guys explore the rapid reappearance of decades-old characters, the relationship between nostalgia and immortality, whether audiences long for childhood stories or simply how we watched childhood stories, and what it means to feel “at home again.”

BAFTA, commonly mistaken for British After-Fart Trapped Air, has awarded the finest craftspeople in cinema since 1947. But does it still hold sway over the films we watch? Does the accomplishment of Best Film draw you in to click play? And how could the most prestigious of awards evolve in an age of constantly morphing audience tastes? Find out in BAFTA Defence Force.

Why has the Halloween franchise, and in particular Michael Myers, withstood such a stirring test of time? Is it a fascination with ‘why’ he came home? Is it because he inspired Slipknot’s fashion? (Well, hopefully). Is it because we’re all secretly afraid of William Shatner? Let’s find out. And yet, the prevailing influence of this 1978 masterpiece leaves us with even more questions. How did it kickstart the slasher generation? What would it have looked like if Dr Loomis had been played by, say… Sir Christopher Lee? And is this truly the end for it? Let’s get spooky with our favourite fictional serial killer in the latest episode of John Carpenter Defence Force.

Everyone loves birthdays - especially your parents’, partner’s and friends’ debit cards. So on Jack’s birthday, we decided to treat him with a very special gift - a Mystery Pitch so random and chaotic, it makes The Joker’s brainstorming session look like Winston Wolf’s Netflix cleaning special. Joined by special guest and seasonal expert Eleanor Winterbottom, we pitch those mysteries like we’re pitching Jack for the crown. Enjoy!

There’s a lot of things merging in the 4 billionth, 545 millionth year of our great wet rock. The virtues of stoicism with your 12-year-old neighbour creating their TikTok account. The cost of living with the feeling of touching mould down the back of your sofa. The mixing of emotions when Mr Incredible finally becomes truly uncanny. But none are as complex and as fascinating as the mergers and acquisitions disrupting the entertainment industry at a colossal rate. With the agility of a Wild West showdown and the inescapability of Jeff Bezos’ hypnotic cackle, Hollywood is acquiring and selling content like never before. But how have these great shifts in film and TV affected us, the viewers? And how will they continue to shape the nature of content, and the nature of how we consume our content, from here on? Find out in MergersBowl: The Tom Hanks Defence Force Take.Disclaimer: This episode was recorded prior to Warner Bros. Discovery cancelling Batgirl… and our hearts.

Great things come in 50s. Jack Daniels’ alcohol percentage. Fines issued to the Conservative government under PartyGate. And shades of grey. But perhaps most importantly, Tom Hanks Defence Force episodes. In our 50th episode special, Jack and Alex finally ask a question that Oxford and Cambridge will be debating for years to come: What truly is the best Tom Hanks film? And using bespoke data science, we find out why YOU the audience also love this celebrated uncle of America more than your own children.

Its 2022 and Netflix has just revved up two investments: Another addition to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise, and nostalgic content. As Leatherface began slicing his way through cornfields (and in our nostalgia-crazed minds: Korn-fields), Jack and Alex couldn’t help but wonder two things: What if all this madness was concocted by none other than Alfred Hitchcock with a lawnmower? And do we know what you did in 2005? Drawing on a creative legacy of mystery pitch mayhem, the THDF duo return with ‘names’, as they plan out Netflix’s next hits: Alfred Hitchcock’s Lawnmower Massacre and I Know What You Did in 2005.

It’s no secret that we at Tom Hanks Defence Force can talk horror – probably until Jason Blum “remembers” he left a light on in the original Paranormal Activity house and needs to an excuse to leave.So, we doubled down on this obsession with demonic possession and invited two devilishly special guests to join us in our latest episode. Our topic? The value of horror in this day and age. Our broadcasting location? Beyond the grave.So just when you thought we couldn’t gleam any more from the genre of screams, we’ll remind you before 2022 why horror remains at the front of the queue.

Batman Begins is over 15 years old. Would you believe it? We can’t! That’s why in this episode, Alex, Jack and special guest Kathleen delve deep into Christopher Nolan’s masterful trilogy. Together, they discuss their strengths, weaknesses and how the trilogy transformed public perceptions of what superhero films should look and feel like. Why so serious? The new Tom Hanks Defence Force episode is out. Sit back, relax, and let us take you back to the first time you saw the reinvention of Batman.

It’s no secret that Covid-19’s impact on the film and TV industry has been nothing short of colossal. Productions have halted, often starting up again with completely transformed models. Across the globe, cinemas have closed down, their chains struggling to survive. But with a vaccine now being distributed, how exactly could the industry look moving forward? Will certain genres now lead the way? Have audience expectations changed with the streaming boom? Will Tom Cruise be every film’s production manager? Has someone finally completed Netflix? Find out, as Alex and Jack analyse an industry post-Covid.Disclaimer: This episode was recorded before WarnerMedia’s streaming/cinema co-release announcement.

Only a handful of names have become synonymous with Hollywood. Spielberg, Scorsese, Lucas, and perhaps in recent years, Iger. Few executives have had as much impact on an industry as the current Chairman and former CEO of Disney. Alongside bringing Pixar, Marvel, LucasFilm and 21st Century Fox under the Disney banner, and increasing the entertainment giant’s stock value by 429%, Iger is also known for his kindness and corporate citizenship. But what would happen if he produced a film starring Will Smith and Daniel Day-Lewis? What would happen if he cast Dame Maggie Smith as Mary Berry? Find out in our latest Bob Iger-themed Mystery Pitch. Also, stay tuned till the end for some exciting updates on what the future of Tom Hanks Defence Force could sound like.

Last year, Todd Phillips’ Joker took not only Gotham, but the world, by storm. The film rapidly became the highest grossing R-rated film of all time, and was lauded as a mesmerising cinematic conversation about austerity, mental health disorders, and 21st century social cohesion. But would it have had the same impact if it was released earlier than 2019? Is Joker’s success the product of the growing unrest of the late 2010s? Or do its concerns lie much deeper? Recorded before lockdown, find out as the Defence Force and friends address these surprisingly complex questions.

Ryan Murphy’s ‘Hollywood’ may be Netflix’s hottest new release, but whack on your 3D glasses and hold onto your fruit loops because this is Jack and Alex’s Hollywood! In this Mystery Pitch, Tom Hanks’ fighting Uruk Hai Alex and Jack ask such intellectual questions as “What happens after The Room 2 wins the Academy Award for Best Picture?” and “What happens when Lars Von Trier teams up with Jerry Bruckheimer?” Find out as Alex and Jack turn the mirror on Tinseltown in Mystery Pitch - Film Industry

In 2018, the Spider-Man film we didn’t know we wanted hit the silver screen. The lovechild of Sony Pictures Imageworks, hand-drawn comic art and the mind-boggling Lord-Miller imagination, the film is a masterclass in animation, voice acting, character development and humour. To help analyse the film, Alex and Jack have brought in special guest, politico and fellow film fanatic Henry Mendoza. Also featuring the likes of Tom Hanks Noir, Tom Hanks 2099, and Tom Hamks, they discuss what makes this film so great, what we can learn from it, and what opportunities were created by opening the unpredictable, ceaselessly exciting, multi-dimensional Spiderverse.

Other than Nanny McPhee, the thing that stole the hearts, minds and free time of adolescent teenagers in the late 00s, was Warhammer. From Space Marines to Tyranids, Skaven to Lizardmen, Games Workshop was as immersive as it was educational (at least for us ex-collectors). But apart from 2010s ‘Ultramarines: A Warhammer 40,000 Movie’, Warhammer rarely made its way to the silver screen. That’s where we come in. Armed with Codex’s, White Dwarf and a $150 million budget, Alex, Jack, and special guest Ieuan answer that urgent question: How would Hollywood make a Warhammer film today?

We now have to accept the insane and amazing reality that there are now more Star Wars films than there are planets in the solar system. But regardless of whether you hate sand, find your lack of faith disturbing, or you love democracy, chances are you’ve already dreamt up your perfect Star Wars film, scene, or characters.Recorded in Dex’s Diner (so excuse the background noise), before The Rise of Skywalker hit our screens, here’s how Alex, Jack, and a bunch of special guests would make their perfect Star Wars film. And unlike literally everyone in the franchise, you shouldn’t have a bad feeling about this.

The first two months of 2020 have left us with some very serious questions. What new opportunities will Parasite’s extraordinary Oscar success bring to non-English films? What does Rosemary’s Baby look like now? Ed Balls? But most importantly, why are Mystery Pitches such prime real estate? Well, the countdown is over, as we’re bringing the you back into Yourope by giving you our first mystery pitch of the year, featuring a very special guest. Enjoy!

In the 1720s, Blenheim Palace was gifted to the Duke of Marlborough for his role in the Battle of Blenheim. In the 1820s, Beethoven gifted us his glorious ninth symphony. In the 1920s, Disney gifted us the marvellous Mickey Mouse. So, in the 2020s, we decided our gift to you would be more episodes, completing the decade with the formation of the Houston Hanks’ (don’t hold us to this). But what else can we expect in the years ahead? How will streaming services, the content of 2019, and the focus of modern productions influence a whole ten years of film and TV? Find out in our roaring 20s predictions episode.

So what will the 2010s be known for? From Occupy Wall Street to Black Lives Matter, it changed the way we talk about power. From Serial to Disney+, did it convince us that too much choice can be problematic? And we’re pretty sure everyone considered deleting their Facebook account at least once. But amongst the turbulence, the unpredictability, and the origins of our children’s history textbooks, we saw some amazing films along the way. From Inception to It, and Bridesmaids to Beautiful Boy, we discuss the films that defined our decade.

2019 was one hell of a year. Climate change awareness grew rapidly, David Attenborough came to Netflix, and bucket hats made a comeback. But it was also an extraordinary year for film. From Joker to Star Wars, and Endgame to Ad Astra, we discuss the films that made 2019 the magnificent year it was. Beam us into 2020, Scotty!

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all over the house, everyone was watching films, especially Mickey Mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that Tom Hanks soon would be there. Jack and Alex were nestled, all snug in their beds, while visions of Henry Cavill’s Witcher danced in their heads. Merry Christmas from Tom Hanks Defence Force! To celebrate the festive season, here’s our Christmas mystery pitch episode, featuring all the insane seasonal films, you never knew you wanted made.

From genres to newspaper headlines, and beginnings to endings, Mystery Pitch has become a several-headed hydra, where no concept is safe from Alex and Jack taking ridiculous synopses and turning them into the most absurd films ever pitched. Now, it’s time for the lads to turn the concept on its head once again. With no rules or regulations, Tom Hanks Defence Force have free reign to pitch whatever they like. Can they reunite three brothers with Bruce Cook and navigate a world where people turn into R2D2? The pitches are weirder, wilder and more creative than ever, in the latest episode of Tom Hanks Defence Force's Mystery Pitch saga.

It’s almost Halloween - the fourth scariest time of the year after April Fool’s Day, Black Friday, and the day when everyone forgets it’s their mum’s birthday next week. And, surprise surprise, it’s the time when a surge of new horror films hit the big screen. With the likes of Doctor Sleep, The Lighthouse, Last Christmas, and Eli all due for release in the next few weeks, 2019 looks set to honour that terrifying tradition. But are there any more horrors yet to be announced, and ones we could still see before Halloween? Any horrors set in medieval England? Or with werewolves in the blitz? Could Sir Paul McCartney be making his horror movie debut? Listen in, as Alex and Jack bring their devilish mystery pitch ideas to Spooky Season.

In 2017, Pennywise – a name synonymous with fear, clowns, and fiscal responsibility – returned to the big screen for the first time since 1990. Earning over $700 million at the box office, it quickly became the highest-grossing horror film of all time. In 2019, the terror returns, as director Andy Muschietti brings us back for Chapter Two. But compared to the novel, how do these films bring Stephen King’s terrifying vision to life? Why has It become such an international sensation? Where does Pennywise sit in the canon of monstrous icons? Who was the better Pennywise? What does this mean for the future of horror? Join Jack and Alex as they float across the Atlantic to the town of Derry, spotting turtles and sewage, and discuss the raw boundlessness of It and the human imagination. Warning: As always, this episode contains spoilers.

Newspaper headlines are designed to make your eyeballs bulge. Their one and only goal - suck you in and make you want to read more. So in this episode of mystery pitch, Alex and Jack decided to task each other with pitching films based entirely on two of the craziest headlines out there. How will Batman and Buzz Lightyear break up that chip shop brawl? How successful will the quest to hunt Big Foot be? Find out as Tom Hanks Defence Force attempt to save print media in another exciting edition of mystery pitch.

Before the announcement that Amazon's Lord of the Rings series will be set in the 2nd Age, Jack and Alex sat down to chat about the history of the show’s development, the franchise itself and what they want from the series, as well as what time period they'd like it to be set in, which characters they'd like to see featured, and (perhaps most importantly) which creatures we want back. Gather your Fellowship, your sword, your bow and your axe, and listen to Tom Hanks Defence Force.

20 years ago, a ground-breaking sci-fi movie starring Keanu Reeves came out that changed cinema forever. That film was The Matrix. But that's not the film we're talking about today. That;s right, also celebrating its 20th anniversary is Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of its UK release, on 16th July 1999, Jack and Alex freestyle the episode. No plan, no structure, no guest appearance from Nute Gunray. Just pure opinions of what they got right, and what they got terribly wrong. The Force is with the boys as they chat George Lucas' controversial, fan-splitting film.

The most important part of the film is the beginning (arguably). If the opening doesn’t make your audience sound like the aliens from Toy Story, they’ll immediately lose interest and switch over to something delicious, like The Office. In this episode of Mystery Pitch, Jack and Alex ask the question: How would you start the most epic film ever made? Will four babies robbing a bank turn out to be a hit? Will someone jumping through a window after ordering food end up being a tasty film? Listen to find out if the boys can do it again, in another sweat-inducing episode of Tom Hanks Defence Force.

When you think of horror films, a masked knife-wielding serial killer is probably one of the first images that comes to mind. But despite being one of the most iconic sub-genres in the horror pantheon, the slasher has experienced success as high as the kill count in John Wick, and failures as low as that time Middlesbrough beat Man City 8-1. But now, with the success of films like Happy Death Day and the new Halloween film, the slasher has stuck its machete into the map once again. But as the genre constantly evolves, what does its future hold? Featuring an in-depth review of the new Halloween, Jack and Alex carefully dissect the Slasher genre. Rated M for Michael Myers.

To make a film memorable, filmmakers must go all out for their endings. That's why in this episode of mystery pitch, Alex and Jack give each other endings - endings which they then have to build the rest of their film around. Jack gives Alex a film that results in US Vice President Mike Pence sword fighting England football manager Gareth Southgate at the party of Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy. And Alex gives Jack a film where everyone eventually realises the Bird Box challenge was a terrible idea all along. What are these films about, and how do they get to these endings? Listen and find out.

Game of Thrones is arguably the biggest and most important TV show of our time. Since its humble beginnings, it has grown to become the most anticipated show on the planet. But what does the future hold once the final episode airs? What will happen to the cast and crew? What will be the next greatest franchise and fill the void that Game of Thrones has left? Alex and Jack sign up for the Nights Watch to try and tackle the big questions surrounding the final season of Game of Thrones.

Freestyle is a new show from Tom Hanks Defence Force. We take one topic and let the conversation lead us anywhere. In our debut, we discuss the Lord of the Rings trilogy with special guests Euan Brook and Freddie Brown. The boys start with Gothmog and finish with The Invisible Man. Together, their unchained analysis of The Lord of the Rings and everything in between takes them deeper than the Mines of Moria and further than that place Frodo sails to at the end of The Return of the King. How did we get from one to the other? Listen here to find out.