Best Dalton Deschain Podcasts (2025)

1
TRAILER: Dark Legion: Hell on Earth 3:21

5d ago3:21

3:21

IN 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 Cal…

1
C.H.U.D. w/Patrick Gill 1:31:03

12d ago1:31:03

1:31:03

As 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, a…

1
DU Plus: 5 TV Pitches w/Joseph Fink 1:14:25

26d ago1:14:25

1:14:25

Back 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 J…

1
Field of Nightmares 2:16:57

1M ago2:16:57

2:16:57

Nearly 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 D…

1
Waterworld: The Stunt Show w/Danielle Radford 1:21:01

2M ago1:21:01

1:21:01

Actor, 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 h…

1
The Exorcist 2:39:04

2M ago2:39:04

2:39:04

It'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 w…

1
The Invisible Woman w/Stella Sacco 1:45:08

3M ago1:45:08

1:45:08

In 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…

1
Mystery Men 2:21:21

3M ago2:21:21

2:21:21

Hell 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-adv…

1
The Covenant w/Lindsey Kelk 1:48:09

4M ago1:48:09

1:48:09

Author, 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? Plu…

1
The Old Dark House 2:44:19

4M ago2:44:19

2:44:19

2025 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 rea…

1
Another Dark Universe Holiday Special 1:51:33

6M ago1:51:33

1:51:33

ED. 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 wa…

1
The Real Dark Universe Theme Park w/Alicia Stella 1:27:18

6M ago1:27:18

1:27:18

After 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, …

1
Night of the Living Dead 2:32:47

6M ago2:32:47

2:32:47

Dark 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…

1
BONUS: Smokey & the Bandit / Generations of Murder 1:25:15

7M ago1:25:15

1:25:15

Dylan 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…

1
House of 1000 Corpses w/Abe Goldfarb 1:31:05

7M ago1:31:05

1:31:05

It'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 availa…

1
Unlocking Dark Legion: Death's Door 1:38:16

8M ago1:38:16

1:38:16

Here 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 fi…

1
Dark Legion: Death's Door, Part Two 2:02:06

8M ago2:02:06

2:02:06

WHO 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…

1
Dark Legion: Death's Door, Part One 2:09:37

8M ago2:09:37

2:09:37

THE 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!) El…

1
BONUS: Mamma Mia! / Under the Influence of Sybonk 1:44:01

9M ago1:44:01

1:44:01

While 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…

1
Robot Monster w/Bill Corbett 1:30:27

9M ago1:30:27

1:30:27

Heads 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…

1
Phase Three Recap! Plus: Dracula in Hell 1:59:46

9M ago1:59:46

1:59:46

Dark 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 eigh…

1
Darkman w/Daniel Kibblesmith 1:34:06

10M ago1:34:06

1:34:06

A 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 c…

1
Van Helsing, Part Two 1:46:03

10M ago1:46:03

1:46:03

It'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?…

1
Van Helsing, Part One 1:50:58

10M ago1:50:58

1:50:58

They 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 …

1
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir w/Magnolia Porter Siddell 1:34:25

11M ago1:34:25

1:34:25

In 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 …

1
Return to the Black Lagoon 2:30:38

11M ago2:30:38

2:30:38

Last 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 fo…

1
Jaws w/Patrick Willems 1:51:20

12M ago1:51:20

1:51:20

There'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…

1
The Invisible Man's Revenge 2:23:01

1y ago2:23:01

2:23:01

Dalton'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 yo…

1
Village of the Damned w/Avery Edison 1:49:54

1y ago1:49:54

1:49:54

Writer 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 partn…

1
Cat People (OR Kill Your Darlings) 2:30:07

1y ago2:30:07

2:30:07

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 ro…

1
Behind Love Never Dies (AYADD bonus preview) 2:06

1y ago2:06

2:06

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-r…

1
The Thing That Couldn't Die w/Kendra Wells 1:37:33

1y ago1:37:33

1:37:33

Acclaimed 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 somethin…

1
The Phantom of the Opera: Love Never Dies 2:45:07

1y ago2:45:07

2:45:07

Last 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 L…

1
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World w/Rax King & Amber Rollo 1:20:15

1y ago1:20:15

1:20:15

You'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 prof…

1
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Part Two 1:42:20

1y ago1:42:20

1:42:20

It'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 writi…

1
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Part One 1:46:24

1+ y ago1:46:24

1:46:24

A 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 P…

1
The Mad Ghoul w/Ramon Villalobos 1:49:34

1+ y ago1:49:34

1:49:34

Comics 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 the…

1
A Native American Werewolf in Paris 2:31:22

1+ y ago2:31:22

2:31:22

At 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 witho…

1
Teen Wolf w/Joseph Fink 1:24:33

1+ y ago1:24:33

1:24:33

It'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 insp…

1
The Dark Universe Holiday Special 1:45:24

1+ y ago1:45:24

1:45:24

Because 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 her…

1
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein w/Branson Reese 1:31:43

1+ y ago1:31:43

1:31:43

Because 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 du…

1
The Mummy: Heaven's Gate 2:24:52

1+ y ago2:24:52

2:24:52

Phase 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…

1
Colossus: The Forbin Project w/Gita Jackson 1:35:03

1+ y ago1:35:03

1:35:03

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…

1
Launching Phase Three of our Dark Universe 1:26:33

1+ y ago1:26:33

1:26:33

The 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 t…

1
BONUS: Two Weeks to the Season Premiere! 3:54

1+ y ago3:54

3:54

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…

1
BONUS: Introducing Are You Afraid of Dylan & Dalton? 4:34

1+ y ago4:34

4:34

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! A…

1
Planning Dark Legion: The Mummy's Hand 1:37:45

2y ago1:37:45

1:37:45

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…

1
Dark Legion: The Mummy's Hand, Part Two 1:57:15

2y ago1:57:15

1:57:15

It'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 …

1
Dark Legion: The Mummy's Hand, Part One 1:45:21

2y ago1:45:21

1:45:21

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 bi…

1
Our Story So Far: A Breathless Phase 1 & 2 Recap 1:37:05

2y ago1:37:05

1:37:05

In 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 …

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