Popcorn With Peter Travers Season 11 Episode 64 How Jack Black's Fulfilling a Longtime Wish With His Role in 'House With a Clock'

In season 11 episode 64 of Popcorn with Peter Travers, titled "How Jack Black's Fulfilling a Longtime Wish With His Role in 'House With a Clock'," we join Travers as he sits down with actor Jack Black to discuss his latest film, "The House with a Clock in Its Walls."

Black shares with Travers that he has been a fan of the book upon which the film is based since he was a child and has always dreamed of playing the lead character, a warlock named Jonathan Barnavelt. Black describes Barnavelt as a "weirdo" and "oddball" who is nevertheless "trying to do the right thing." He tells Travers that he was drawn to the character's complexity and that he felt a strong connection to him.

Travers and Black also discuss the film's director, Eli Roth, who is known for his work in the horror genre. Black reveals that he was initially hesitant to work with Roth but was won over by the director's enthusiasm and passion for the project. He notes that, despite the film's spooky elements, there is also a great deal of heart and humor to be found throughout the story.

In addition to delving into the making of "The House with a Clock in Its Walls," Travers also speaks with Black about his career more broadly. Black reflects on some of his most beloved roles, including Dewey Finn in "School of Rock" and Nacho in "Nacho Libre." He reveals that he is always looking for ways to challenge himself and tries to approach each new project with an open mind.

Finally, Travers and Black play a game in which Black must guess the titles of some of his own films based on their foreign translations. The results are hilarious, with Black struggling to recognize titles like "The Metal of Biting Warrior" (which refers to "Kung Fu Panda") and "Thunderstruck the Devil" (which refers to "Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny").

Overall, "How Jack Black's Fulfilling a Longtime Wish With His Role in 'House With a Clock'" is an engaging and insightful episode of Popcorn with Peter Travers that will leave fans of Black and his work excited to check out his latest film.