The Town with Matthew Belloni

Matt is joined by Tobias Queisser, the CEO of Cinelytic, to make the case for AI as a tool and not the enemy in Hollywood. He explains how AI can help studios green-light the right movies and help financiers invest in the right projects. He explains how his predictive models work and why AI should not be seen as a villain when it is used on the business side and not for creative (02:27). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for Robert Zemeckis’s newest film, ‘Here,’ starring Tom Hanks and Robin Wright (24:44). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guests: Tobias Queisser Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from NeueHouse in L.A. Matt is joined by Lucas Shaw and FX CEO John Landgraf for the second half of their conversation about the state of television. They discuss his curation process at FX, how Disney has changed FX, how ‘Shogun’ came together, and what happened with Season 3 of ‘The Bear.’ They also talk about HBO's recent struggles, the importance of process and the problem with the decentralized power at streaming services (01:34). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guests: Lucas Shaw and John Landgraf Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from NeueHouse in L.A., Matt is first joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to revisit their movie studio power rankings and update their list of which studios and streamers are the preferred homes for movie projects in 2024 (02:55). Then, Matt and Lucas are joined by FX chairman John Landgraf for Part 1 of their conversation about the state of television. They talk about the reason for the oversaturated television market, how the streaming model has affected the quality of shows being made, and what Silicon Valley is doing to the entertainment industry at large (17:48). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw and John Landgraf Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by writer Bruce Eric Kaplan ('Girls', 'Seinfeld', 'Six Feet Under') to discuss the life of a TV writer and how it has changed over the years, particularly coming out of the pandemic. Bruce talks about his new book chronicling his time during the pandemic as a struggling screenwriter, joining Season 2 of the hit Netflix show ‘Nobody Wants This’, the bursting of the peak TV bubble, the psychology of the working writer, and if there is room for optimism moving forward (02:31). Matt finishes the show with opening weekend box office predictions for ‘Venom 3: The Last Dance’ and ‘Conclave’. (21:30). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Bruce Eric Kaplan Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to first talk about Disney’s report that it would name a new chief executive in “early 2026.” Then they offer their takeaways from Netflix’s latest earning report by looking at the streamer’s five pressure points: advertising, the threat of bundling, theaters, compensation, and growth (02:46). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about World Series ratings (29:06). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by ‘SNL’ expert, author, and journalist James Andrew Miller to assess the state of ‘SNL’ and go through some lightning-round questions about the current season, the 50th anniversary show, upcoming ‘SNL’ documentaries, and the movie ‘Saturday Night’ (02:25). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Smile 2’ (30:26). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: James Andrew Miller Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Cineverse CEO Chris McGurk to talk about the rise of independently financed horror movies and how to turn a low-budget film into a bona fide hit. They talk about the indie horror marketing playbook and whether the recent boom in low-budget horror is a fluke or a trend (02:28). Later, Matt makes a prediction about the future of Legendary Pictures (23:08). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Chris McGurk Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from Bloomberg’s Screentime event in Los Angeles, Matt and Lucas Shaw make their case for buying the dip or selling high on some of the biggest entities across Hollywood. Topics include Travis Kelce’s media career, Amazon Prime Video, Todd Phillips, K-pop, Jennifer Lopez’s movie career, sports docs, Lionsgate, and much more! For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Fergus Navaratnam-Blair from National Research Group to discuss the evolution of male characters on-screen in Hollywood and what the next generation wants to see from male archetypes. Fergus explains who young men currently look up to the most in 2024 and how these role models have shifted over the years. They discuss the more fictionalized characters and superheroes in popular culture, how Hollywood sells masculinity to young men, and whether there is a market opportunity for storytellers to make new male characters that resonate with the next generation (02:40). Matt finishes the show with a trifecta of opening weekend box office predictions for ‘Terrifier 3,’ ‘Saturday Night,’ and ‘The Apprentice’ (25:14). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Fergus Navaratnam-Blair Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ flop and its ramifications for Warner Bros. Discovery and the DC Universe before getting into the latest shakeup at Sony Pictures, where CEO Tony Vinciquerra has stepped down and is being replaced by COO Ravi Ahuja. They talk about the state of Sony Pictures, why it never entered the Streaming Wars and instead opted to sell its content to other companies, how its balance sheet looks compared to other studios, its lack of major franchises, and how it’s positioned moving forward (03:01). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ director Todd Phillips’s next movie (25:16). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by New York Times awards season reporter Kyle Buchanan to preview the 2024-25 Oscar race now that the table is mostly set. Kyle sets the table for a fascinating Oscar season—one without a clear front-runner like ‘Oppenheimer’ was last year—and highlights the biggest narratives that have emerged, including the movies with the strongest momentum, early 2024 films that could make a last-second surge, and other burning questions (02:09). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the MLB playoffs (28:28). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Kyle Buchanan Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Puck’s Dylan Byers to discuss the economic realignment that is coming to television and the beginning of the end of the on-air star system in television. They talk about Hoda Kotb’s exit from ‘The Today Show,’ the outsized contracts for news TV hosts, how much these hosts still move the needle for the business of TV news, how the on-air business of sports differs from TV news, and whether news can successfully transition to streaming (02:33). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ (25:49). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Dylan Byers Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how the way that actors make money in Hollywood is changing, pivoting from up-front buyouts to a more traditional model of back-end-contingent profit participation. They discuss which model makes the most sense in 2024 and beyond and how this might differ for talent and talent representation (03:47). Lucas sticks around to announce the results of the 2024 Concert Tour Draft from 'The Town' (26:03). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Justine Bateman—writer, director, producer, and SAG-AFTRA negotiation committee consultant on the use of AI— to check in on the latest developments on AI in entertainment. They discuss Lionsgate’s new deal with AI company Runway to make movies and shows more efficiently, Meta’s new deal with celebrities to voice a new AI chatbot, and whether other studios will follow suit (02:24). Matt finishes the show with two opening weekend box office predictions for 'Megalopolis' and the animated film ‘The Wild Robot’ (26:03). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Justine Bateman Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by actor, writer, producer, and director Mark Duplass to discuss the process of independently financing your own television show, as he did with his new show ‘Penelope’ on Netflix, and he makes the case for why more people should be doing this. Additionally, they talk about the biggest differences between the television and film business models, why indie film is so much more popular right now, and how the indie TV model could be lucrative for A-listers (02:19). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the season premiere of 'Saturday Night Live' (25:47). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Mark Duplass Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Netflix’s latest “data dump” revealing their most-viewed shows and movies over the first half of 2024. They parse the numbers and give their biggest takeaways from the data release, as well as look at the broader state of streamer transparency (02:49). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Sasha Weiss, deputy editor at New York Times, to talk about the battle over the nine-hour multipart Prince documentary helmed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Ezra Edelman (‘O.J.: Made in America’) that is at risk of never releasing. They dive into Sasha’s latest reporting, which revealed how this project was stranded after a surprising objection from the late music icon’s dueling estates that the film is too long. They talk about Netflix’s role in this battle, what the doc reveals about Prince, and whether there is more to this story (2:26). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the viewership numbers for the next six months on Netflix (26:53). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Sasha Weiss Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by The Black List founder Franklin Leonard to dig into the state of screenwriting in Hollywood and how the landscape has changed over the past five years and since the strike. They discuss the decline in research and development on the studio level, how this has affected aspiring writers, if there is room for optimism, and if it's still possible to break through (2:25). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for the movie ‘Transformers One’ (26:03). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Franklin Leonard Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to recap last night’s Emmys and nominate the under-discussed winners and losers from TV’s biggest night (02:21). Later, ‘Hacks’ creators Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs call in to talk about their big win for Outstanding Comedy Series, how they pitched the show to HBO, and the state of the comedy genre (15:58). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw, Jen Statsky, Lucia Aniello, and Paul W. Downs Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

LIVE SHOW: LOS ANGELES, OCTOBER 24. Click here for tickets! Matt is joined by producer David Beaubaire to discuss the troubled state of movie development at the studio level and address why this is a major problem for the movie business. He outlines how the development process has dramatically changed over the years and why this crisis needs to be solved (03:43). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the upcoming Emmy Awards (29:28). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: David Beaubaire Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Seth Meyers to discuss the evolving state of late-night television, making content that will work on digital, and the growing trend of the online celebrity interview show. Seth also gives his thoughts on the upcoming 50th anniversary extravaganza for 'SNL,' who should take over 'SNL' after Lorne Michaels, and Jason Reitman’s new movie, ‘Saturday Night’ (02:12). Matt finishes the show with a recap of his time at TIFF and predicts which films are in the running for the coveted People’s Choice Award (28:36). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Seth Meyers Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to pose their five biggest questions about the entertainment industry for the remainder of 2024. They discuss Disney and Bob Iger’s succession plan, whether the election will fundamentally change Hollywood, whether we could lose a streaming service in the next four months, and how this award season stacks up to those from past years (02:00). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s fall festival season! Matt is joined by Peter Kujawski, the chairman of Focus Features, to discuss the science of premiering a movie at a film festival. Peter provides his expertise on why you bring a certain movie to a certain festival, the risk involved, and which specific festivals are best suited for certain types of films. They also discuss the politics of these festivals jockeying to attain the world premieres of splashy titles, and which festival award is the most coveted (02:51). Matt ends the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ (26:10). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Peter Kujawski Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the contentious TV carriage dispute between Disney and DirecTV, leaving millions of customers unable to watch the U.S. Open, college football, and potentially 'Monday Night Football' starting next week. They unpack the details of this battle, debate who has more leverage, and predict who will win (03:20). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of the Donald Trump origin story movie, ‘The Apprentice’ (25:31). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by media analyst Steven Cahall to talk about Warner Bros. Discovery, which continues to struggle despite its slew of amazing assets, and why a change in leadership or strategy has not been demanded by activist investors. They discuss WBD’s reliance on linear television, how it lost its NBA rights, and what it should be doing to turn things around (03:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the Golden Globes after it was announced that comedian Nikki Glaser will host the event (27:12). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Steven Cahall Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt welcomes back Puck’s Scott Mendelson to judge their early May box office predictions for this summer's most anticipated blockbusters, including ‘The Fall Guy,’ ‘Inside Out 2,’ ‘Twisters,’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine.’ They also declare the official winners and losers of the summer and look ahead to the most anticipated movie of the fall, ‘Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice’ (02:19). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Scott Mendelson Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Puck’s William D. Cohan to discuss the never-ending battle for control of Paramount, which has been further complicated by an 11th-hour offer for Paramount from billionaire Edgar Bronfman Jr. Matt and Bill explain who Bronfman is, simplify the complicated details of his pitch, and decide whether Bronfman's or David Ellison’s deal is better (03:33). Matt finishes the show by breaking some news about the return of the hit Apple TV+ show ‘Ted Lasso’ and making a prediction about its lead character in Season 4 (23:49). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: William D. Cohan Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Lesley Goldberg, former TV editor of The Hollywood Reporter, to look at the most costly showrunner deals of the peak TV era and determine which were the best and worst deals for the respective studios. They discuss the nine-figure deals that led to zero new shows, and the biggest underperformers of Hollywood’s hyperinflated peak TV era (02:44). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lesley Goldberg Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Joe Chianese, SVP of Incentives at Entertainment Partners, to talk about where movies are being shot these days, how tax incentives play a role, what a city or country offers to a production, and why California is no longer the filming mecca it once was (02:36). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Travis Kelce’s potential movie career (27:00). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Joe Chianese Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by CNBC media and sports reporter Alex Sherman to talk about the delayed launch of Venu, the planned sports streaming venture by ESPN, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery, after a federal judge granted FuboTV's motion for a preliminary injunction. They discuss why this happened, whether this is bad for consumers, and offer up their winners and losers of this ruling (03:26). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the ratings of the Democratic National Convention (26:43). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Alex Sherman Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by podcaster and journalist Brian Raftery to talk about the 10-year anniversary of the infamous Sony hack, how it changed the perception of Hollywood, how it affected the way villains are portrayed in movies, if North Korea was really to blame, and if this could this happen again (03:08). Matt finishes the show with an opening-weekend box office prediction for ‘Alien: Romulus’ (27:31). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Brian Raftery Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Puck senior political correspondent Tara Palmeri to discuss Hollywood’s place in the 2024 election now that Kamala Harris is the Democratic nominee. They talk about Kamala’s close Hollywood ties, including her close friendship with Disney’s head of TV, Dana Walden; the upcoming debate on ABC; and the current state of the Hollywood fundraising apparatus (02:44). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Tara Palmeri Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Apple’s puzzling film strategy after the company's latest announcement that ‘Wolfs,' an action comedy starring Brad Pitt and George Clooney, will no longer get a wide theatrical release. Matt and Lucas wonder how interested Apple is in putting movies in theaters, how new pressure to cut spending is affecting its film strategy, and how much creators like working with the tech giant (02:57). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Peacock’s subscriber growth after the Olympics (26:15). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by LightShed media analyst Rich Greenfield to discuss the newest and most dire stage of the linear TV meltdown, with multi-billion-dollar write-offs at Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount. They get into why these companies are only now acknowledging their TV assets are such a problem, debate whether or not anyone should be paying billions of dollars for NBA rights in 2025, and whether David Zaslav is on the hot seat (03:10). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of Apple Studios (27:17). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Rich Greenfield Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by NYT staff reporter Brooks Barnes to discuss the latest Disney earnings report, which resulted in a drop in stock price after Disney reported a slowdown in Disney parks attendance. They talk about the state of the parks, including customer dissatisfaction with price hikes, Universal parks vs. Disney parks, and the upcoming D23 conference. They also discuss Disney's ability to reach profitability in streaming, incoming price hikes for Disney+ and Hulu, whether a looming recession could affect the next few quarters, and Bob Iger's perception among Disney fans (02:57). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on this weekend’s box office for ‘Borderlands' and 'It Ends with Us’ (26:04). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Brooks Barnes Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss whether it's time to panic for the music industry after shares of Universal Music Group tanked due to a deceleration in streaming subscription revenue growth. Matt and Lucas wonder whether this is a crisis or just a blip and offer up ways music streamers should differentiate themselves to make more money and get back on the path of accelerated growth (03:10). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the ratings for the 2024 Olympics (24:32). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw for the second ever IP Draft! They first revisit their last IP Draft, then draft a whole new team of intellectual properties that they believe will be the future stalwarts in Hollywood. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Disney’s chief brand officer and president of marketing, Asad Ayaz, to talk about releasing Disney’s first R-rated Marvel film in ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ how that changes the calculus for Disney from a marketing side, and how the third installment of 'Deadpool' made more money than its two predecessors. They also discuss broader topics, including how early you should start marketing a film, deciding what spoilers to leak in the lead-up to a movie, how to approach the MCU’s recent struggles as a film franchise from a marketing standpoint, and much more (02:49). Matt finishes the show with an opening box office prediction for M. Night Shyamalan’s ‘Trap’ (28:02). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Asad Ayaz Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Warner Bros. Discovery’s lawsuit against the NBA after the NBA rejected WBD’s matching offer for a package of broadcasting rights. They look at the argument for both sides, and determine who has the best case. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Mark Lazarus, NBCUniversal Media Group chairman, to discuss the business behind broadcasting the Olympics, how these Games will feel different than the 2020 Olympics, what they learned from streaming an NFL playoff game on Peacock, Al Michaels’s AI broadcasting debut, and NBA rights (2:56). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ (28:22). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Mark Lazarus Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Netflix’s strong second-quarter earnings, and how the company’s strong numbers might weaken in the next few years partially because of their underwhelming advertising revenue. They then ask a larger question: Is the race for streaming now down to two finalists—Netflix and YouTube (2:43)? Matt finishes the show with a prediction for which city will win hosting duties of the 2027 Sundance Film Festival (25:30). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Jessica Reif Ehrlich, a senior media and entertainment analyst at BofA Securities, to discuss the floundering Warner Bros. Discovery and propose several drastic changes she believes are necessary to save the company (02:35). Then, The Ringer’s Bill Simmons joins the show with a new angle on the looming NBA rights deal involving Amazon and Warner Bros. Discovery (22:14). Finally, Matt makes an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Twisters’ (32:15). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guests: Jessica Reif Ehrlich and Bill Simmons Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Luminate’s director of business development, Jimmy Doyle, to discuss the state of the 'Star Wars' franchise, its lack of theatrical movies, and what the troubling TV ratings signal for the brand. They talk about the 'Star Wars' properties that are working, the upcoming Mandalorian movie, and whether Disney should ultimately license its content to Netflix (02:43). In light of the recent Emmy nominations, Matt finishes the show with his prediction for Best Drama Series, Best Comedy Series, and Best Limited Series (23:13). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Jimmy Doyle Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s latest comments from the Sun Valley conference, during which he advocated for less regulation in Hollywood. They unpack his statement and speculate how the election results might affect the regulatory environment for media companies, which companies would benefit the most from M&A possibilities, and why a company like Netflix might not mind consolidation (03:07). We finish the show with a mid-year check-in of the 2024 Box Office Draft (23:16). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by director Jon M. Chu to discuss how he made it in Hollywood, his career-altering move to pass on Netflix and bet on movie theaters with ‘Crazy Rich Asians,’ balancing art and commerce, making films with AI, his upcoming film ‘Wicked,' and much more from his new book, ‘Viewfinder: A Memoir of Seeing and Being Seen’ (02:34). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for the Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum film, ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ (25:24). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Jon. M Chu Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look at what the future holds for Paramount now that David Ellison has purchased the legacy media company from Shari Redstone. They discuss what will happen to Paramount's assets, including CBS, Pluto, Paramount+, as well as their movie strategy, and ultimately if a new, young, tech-focused CEO can not only keep Paramount alive, but help it flourish (02:22). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the upcoming criminal trial of Alec Baldwin in the ‘Rust’ case (25:57). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Skydance CEO David Ellison and RedBird Capital's Gerry Cardinale to discuss Ellison’s acquisition of Shari Redstone’s family company and the merger of Paramount Global with Skydance Media. David and Gerry outline what the future holds for Paramount as a media company, including what they intend to do with Paramount+, their thoughts on the theatrical business, and how tech will help shape the future of storytelling (03:11). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the 2024 Summer Olympics (32:40). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guests: David Ellison and Gerry Cardinale Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Puck’s John Ourand to break down the multibillion-dollar NFL ‘Sunday Ticket’ lawsuit when a jury in the U.S. District Court ordered the NFL to pay more than $4.7 billion in damages after the league violated antitrust laws in distributing out-of-market Sunday afternoon games on a premium subscription service, DIRECTV. John explains how this bill could actually balloon to nearly $15 billion under antitrust law, how this will impact Sunday Ticket’s new distributor, YouTube, and whether this could impact the greater sports media rights landscape (03:30). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Despicable Me 4’ (24:26). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: John Ourand Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look back on the first half of 2024 and highlight the stories they believe were most over- and undercovered, including the horror movie genre, new Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery bundle Venu, the ScarJo OpenAI fight, Pat McAfee and Norby Williamson, UMG vs. TikTok, and more. For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by journalist, podcast host, and cofounder of Semafor, Ben Smith, to discuss how last night's dispiriting debate will affect CNN and the TV news landscape as we move towards the 2024 election. Will the debate revive CNN and give it the story it's been looking for? They also take a look at the broader state of TV news as we exit the cable news era and wonder how many of these waning news networks can survive in the streaming era (03:12). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ (26:00). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click this link: puck.news/thetown Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Ben Smith Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices