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.Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Patreon for monthly bonus episodes! H...
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Episode List

Forrest Gump

Mar 9th, 2026 7:00 AM

‘Forrest Gump’ became one of the biggest hits of the ’90s—but it was never a sure thing. What started as a seemingly unadaptable novel bounced through multiple directors, screenwriters, and studios before it finally found the team that could bring it to life.This week, Chris and Lizzie break down how Robert Zemeckis pulled off the film’s groundbreaking visual effects, why the first three days of Tom Hanks’ performance were thrown in the trash, and the unexpected source behind Forrest’s now-iconic accent. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Casablanca

Mar 2nd, 2026 8:00 AM

This week, everybody comes to Rick's! Chris and Lizzie head to French Morocco for a deep dive on Casablanca, the movie that no one believed in and everyone wanted credit for. Learn how a notoriously tough director (Michael Curtiz), a freshly minted producer (Hal Wallis), a frustrated starlet (Ingrid Bergman), and a truly international cast brought this Hollywood classic from an unproduced play to the silver screen in mere months. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen

Feb 23rd, 2026 8:00 AM

'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.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Feb 16th, 2026 8:00 AM

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.

The Cotton Club

Feb 9th, 2026 8:00 AM

'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.

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