The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

Director Michael Sarnoski discuss his new film, The Death of Robin Hood, with fellow Director Drew Pearce in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses juxtaposing themes of violence and serenity for a fresh take on the Robin Hood myth, how he worked with Actor Hugh Jackman when filming gritty setpieces and action scenes, and discovering Composer Jim Ghedi who scored the old folk sound of the film.

The film tells the story of the famed thief, grappling with his past after a life of crime and murder. Finding himself gravely injured after a battle he thought would be his last, he ends up in the hands of a mysterious woman and is offered an opportunity at salvation.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2026/august2026/thedeathofrobinhood_qna_0626

Director Olivia Wilde discuss her new film, The Invite, with fellow Directors Matt and Ross Duffer in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angles. In the conversation, she discusses choosing the project from a want to tell a stripped down story with no gloss, her roles Directing and Acting in the film, and the origin of Actor Edward Norton’s memorable monologue.

The film tells the stories of Joe and Angela - their marriage on thin ice - as they decide to invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbors over for a dinner party. As the event unfolds, the night spirals into unexpected places, potentially reigniting the spark in their marriage or lighting the match that could burn it all down.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2026/august2026/theinvite_qna_0626

Director Julian Schnabel discuss his new film, In the Hand of Dante, with fellow Director Benny Safdie in a Q&A at the DGA theater in New York. In the conversation, he discusses his spontaneous approach to his directing style, casting Actors in double roles between the film’s two time periods, and his choice to shoot the two settings in a mixture of black and white and color film.

Based on the 2002 novel by Nick Tosches, the film tells the story of a 21st Century scholar, on the run after stealing a rumored original manuscript of The Divine Comedy from a mafia don. Meanwhile, in the 14th Century, Dante himself navigates political exile and undergoes a spiritual awakening while trying to write his masterpiece.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2026/august2026/inthehandofdante_qna_0626

Director Simon McQuoid discuss his new film, Mortal Kombat II, with fellow Director David Sandberg in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses how he worked with the stunt team to make the action scenes advance the story, his preference for practical sets and effects where he could use them, and referencing the video game to fill in little details in the lore across the film.

The sequel to 2021’s Mortal Kombat follows Johnny Cage, a martial arts actor who is recruited to join a group of fighters in an interdimensional tournament. Fighting against supernatural foes and alien warriors alike, he moves up in the ranks, aiming to stop a tyrannical emperor who threatens the very existence of Earth.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2026/july2026/mortalkombatii_qna_0526

Director Kyle Balda discuss his new film, The Sheep Detectives, with fellow Director Jonathan Goldstein in a Q&A at the DGA theater in Los Angeles. In the conversation, he discusses making the jump from animation directing to live-action directing for the first time, carefully balancing the tone with humor while handling themes of grief, and studying the movement of real sheep to recreate body language that could be used in the visual effects.

The film tells the story of a shepherd named George, whose only friends are the sheep to which each night he reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending that they can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep suspect murder, and attempt to guide a bumbling policeman into solving the crime.

See photos and a summary of this event below:

https://www.dga.org/events/2026/july2026/sheepdetectives_qna_0526