Not My Fantasy

This week, we’re DIVING into Irish folklore with the animated selkie story, “Song of the Sea.” Cullen retcons his childhood nickname, Hannah admits that she cries sometimes, and Maiko shares the special connection she has with this movie.    Huge thank you to Maiko for joining us for another whimsical fantasy film!    Research for this episode: Selkie Stories  Manannan Mac Lir  Owls in Celtic Myth  Irish Storytelling  Macha  Irish Fey  ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.  

This week, we’re going full gothic horror romance with Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein. Cullen goes down a Crimean War rabbit hole, Hannah can’t stand this version of Victor Frankenstein, and Tish reminds us of Mary Shelley’s emotional depth and genius. Check out Tish on Instagram, TikTok and Substack (@TalesWithTish). AND be sure to grab her book, “Ebony, Blood, and Snow,” from wherever you buy books online or request it at your local library!   Referenced in this episode: Frankenstein Is Actually About Being a Woman - Final Girl Digital ==================================== Watch Us on YouTube! Follow Our Adventures on Social Media: @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Celebrate the 3rd annual Twilight episode of Not My Fantasy! We’re joined again by our friend Julia to talk all things Twilight: Eclipse. Cullen inches ever closer to becoming someone who’s seen all of the Twilight films, Hannah dives deep into Stephanie Meyer’s writing process, and Julia feels seen thanks to the reappearance of her vampire counterpart, Victoria.   Check out Julia on Instagram (@Julia.A.Bianco). Her book “Witch Season” comes out on June 30, 2026, so be sure to preorder and ask your local library to stock it!   Research for this episode: New Moon Q and A with Stephenie - StephanieMeyer.com Author Interview: Stephenie Meyer on Twilight - CynthiaLeitchSmith.com Interview with vampire writer Stephenie Meyer - Entertainment Weekly Plato’s Symposium - Copy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison Truth vs. Twilight - Burke Museum Princess Olga: Eastern Woman Through Western Eyes - Lee A. Hitt, Georgia Southern University   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Hannah Sylvester.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.  

K-Pop Demon Hunters (2025) (feat. Uriel Mendoza)   To kick off Supernatural Romance Month 2k26, we’re FINALLY talking about THE fantasy animated musical of last year–K-Pop Demon Hunters. Cullen shows off his boyband demon side, Hannah celebrates original concepts for film, and our guest Uriel relives his second-generation K-Pop fanboy days.   Huge thanks to Uriel for guesting on this episode and helping us seal the fantasy-film-podcast honmoon!   Research for this episode: Princess Bari  Korean Mythology and K-Pop Demon Hunters  Korean Saja  The Weapons    ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.  

  Happy Holidays from Cullen and Hannah and friend of the pod Katie! This season we controversially stretch the boundaries of our genre to slouch towards Bethlehem with our boy Milo and the team behind Glee and High School Musical. We explore the real war on Christmas, the history of the festive season and even do a seasonal Bible study. (Making Cullen a new favorite of Hannah’s mom) Will our religious upbringing clash with the fun bops of this musical? Will we reignite the wars between Catholics and Protestants? Find out in this seasonal delight of an episode.    Listen to/Read Katie’s Recommendations  Unchurchable  A Well-Trained Wife: My Escape from Christian Patriarchy    Please if you can, donate to https://www.chirla.org/ to support safety and justice for immigrant communities.    Research for this episode: The Gospel of Luke  The Gospel of Matthew  The Catechism of the Catholic Church on Mary  Historicity of the Nativity Narratives - Secular   Historicity of the Nativity Narratives - Christian  History of Christmas  The Banning of Christmas  Cullen Hates to Admit that the history of Augustus, the Three Kings and the Church of the Nativity was primarily from Wikipedia.  ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

We’re easing on down to a cult-classic version of Oz–it’s The Wiz! This week, Cullen reveals his disdain for 70s cinema, Hannah demands answers about Dorothy, and our guest Jahlyn tries to figure out why this Oz is so dystopian. Also, Cullen and Hannah reveal their very weird relationship with this movie, which they had never seen before.   Check out Jahlyn on Instagram @jrmthewerm to see her awesome artwork! And be sure to listen to the podcast Zeitgeist (by Pulp Culture) wherever you listen to Not My Fantasy!    Research for this episode: How 'The Wiz' Movie Was Created, The Geoffrey Holder Story - Story You Should Know The Wiz: More Than Just the Black Version | Movie Decoded ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.  

We’re returning to Oz once again to chat about Wicked: For Good! This week, we cover the rest of the Maguire novel, Cullen drops fresh, oddly relevant childhood-nickname lore, Hannah makes too many puns, and our guest Rob shares additional insights from having seen the stage musical a few days prior–a true Wicked loremaster!   Check out Bona Books on Kickstarter to get a copy of the Wrath Month anthology or on their website to grab their previous collection, I Want That Twink OBLITERATED. Keep up with them on social media, @bonabooksltd on Instagram.   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

This week, we’re podcasting to save Hannah from Rottingham! Cullen’s enlisted the help of our good friends and fellow folklore podcasters, Katrina and Geoff, of The Fairy Tellers. We talk about the hyper-specific references to the Kevin Costner Robin Hood film, the community theatre vibes of this film, and whether the jokes were even funny then or now. Be sure to follow The Fairy Tellers on Instagram @thefairy_tellers and TikTok @thefairytellers! You can listen to their podcast wherever you listen to Not My Fantasy! Research for this episode: Robin Et Marion - Brittle Books May Games and Robin Hood - Bold Outlaw Plays and the May Festivities - Robin Hood Legend  May Day - Historic UK Robin Hood Ballads - Folklore Thursday ==================================== Watch Us on YouTube! Follow Our Adventures on Social Media: @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Hannah is B-A-C-K! Cullen fulfills his T-H-R-E-A-T to make Hannah watch Disney Channel’s Z-O-M-B-I-E-S franchise. Covering all FOUR MOVIES, we tumble into our magical capitalist overlord’s best race allegory, cheer for our favorite ship #Zaddie, and nearly zombie-out trying to remember Demi Lovato’s ridiculous character name from Camp Rock.   ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Hannah Sylvester.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.

Welcome back to England to explore English and Cinema history with Christian Garcia of "That Ol' Gay Classic Cinema" through the 1938 Erroll Flynn and Olivia de Havilland classic, The Adventures of Robin Hood. We talk hidden mirrors, the Norman Conquest, dudes sleeping together in the woods,being a race traitor,  how tights were worn and whatever a “lusty infant” means.    Check out That Ol’ Gay Classic Cinema on Instagram and wherever you get your podcasts!  Research for this episode: Robin Hood: Separating Fact from Fiction by J.C. Holt  King John  The Norman Invasion  William the Conqueror  King Richard  ====================================   Watch Us on YouTube!   Follow Our Adventures on Social Media:   @notmyfantasypod Instagram TikTok   Research & Writing by Cullen Callaghan.  This episode was edited by Cullen Callaghan.   Cover Art by William Callaghan Intro Music: "The Quest" by Scott Little.