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The Town with Matthew Belloni
Author: The Ringer
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Puck founding partner Matthew Belloni takes you inside Hollywood, using exclusive reporting and insight to explain the backstories on everything from Marvel movies to streaming wars. Multiple times each week, Matt will touch on what is getting made and why, who is winning and losing, and what people in show business are actually talking about.
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Matt is joined by LightShed Media analyst Rich Greenfield to talk about SpinCo, Comcast’s new spinoff company of cable and digital networks, and look at potential ramifications of the spinoff. They also discuss the implications this has on other media companies like Warner Bros. Discovery, Paramount, and Disney, then get into the coming game of musical chairs in the TV network business (02:26). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the second annual NBA Cup tournament (27:16).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Rich Greenfield
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by filmmakers Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar to talk about their unique payment model behind their latest film, ‘Sing Sing.' They discuss how they managed to pay everyone on set, from lead actor to production assistant, the exact same amount of money while offering everyone who worked on the film equity in the film and still make everyone happy (02:17). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the potential for a Best Picture nomination for a particular film. Matt also reveals that he has finally got his hands on the famous Tom Cruise coconut cake (24:55).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to recap a busy month at the box office, including a record-setting Thanksgiving weekend for ‘Moana 2’ after strong showings for ‘Wicked’ and ‘Gladiator II.’ They dig into Disney's dominant year at the box office and look ahead to its 2025 slate to see if its hot streak can continue.
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by director Denis Villeneuve to discuss how he learns from past films, what he learned from his latest film ('Dune: Part Two'), and whether he will return to direct the third part. Denis also talks about his love for the original 'Star Wars' and whether he would ever consider directing one of his own, his thoughts on the current state of the industry, and how he balances art vs. commerce in moviemaking (01:41). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Moana 2’ (31:28).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Denis Villeneuve
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to conduct The Town’s first ever Young Movie Star Draft. Matt and Lucas must each draft three actors and three actresses under the age of 35 who they think have the best shot at becoming the next big theatrical movie star. For an added twist, they can only select two people in each of the three age brackets of 20-25, 26-30, and 31-35.
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by actress Mikey Madison to talk about her new movie ‘Anora’, working for director Sean Baker, how she was cast in Quentin Tarantino’s film ‘Once Upon a Time In … Hollywood,’ why she wants a Hollywood mentor, and more (01:56). Matt then finishes the show with an opening box office prediction for ‘Wicked: Part One’ and ‘Gladiator II’ (18:40).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Mikey Madison
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Bill Simmons to talk about the painful split between the NBA and Turner after a 30-year partnership. They discuss why the relationship blew up, details and questions surrounding the move of the popular studio talk show ‘Inside the NBA’ to ESPN, and whether there is a chance that this will work out for Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav in the long run.
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Bill Simmons
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to talk about Disney reaching profitability in streaming, how Bob Iger managed to turn the company around in his two years since returning as CEO, and whether this is the beginning of a larger turnaround for Disney. Later, they discuss Netflix’s Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing event, the glitchy live broadcast, what this means for Netflix in general, and its upcoming NFL games on Christmas (03:03). Matt finishes the show by predicting how recently announced Oscars host Conan O’Brien will affect the ratings of the 2025 Academy Awards (24:12).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by Charlie Collier, the president of Roku Media, to talk about the most under-discussed streaming player in Hollywood, how it differentiates itself from other companies, and how they compete with tech giants Amazon and Google. He also discusses what he learned running AMC and Fox’s broadcast network and how the industry has changed, then makes the case for the return of ad-supported television on streaming (02:53). Matt finishes the show by commenting on John Krasinski as People’s Sexiest Man Alive and explains how ‘People Magazine’ chooses its winners (26:17).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Charlie Collier
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by R.J. Cutler, director of the Netflix documentary ‘Martha,’ as well as the upcoming film ‘Elton John: Never Too Late,’ to talk about Martha Stewart’s disapproval of the film, directors maintaining creative control over their projects, and the inherent and necessary struggle of collaborating with a major celebrity on a documentary (02:17). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for the new Christmas movie ‘Red One’ (25:57).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: R.J. Cutler
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the latest Warner Bros. Discovery earnings and if streaming has finally turned a corner in becoming a viable business (02:53). Then they dig into Netflix recently granting Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Narnia movie IMAX theaters and if this marks the beginning of a new trend for Netflix (13:22). Finally, they get into why a seemingly great Clint Eastwood movie, 'Juror #2' has been buried by its studio, Warner Bros. Discovery (20:19). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of the ‘Mission Impossible’ franchise (26:21).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by Axios media reporter Sara Fischer to discuss the Hollywood business implications of the second Trump presidency. They get into the possibility for more M&A, specifically Warner Bros. Discovery and LIV-PGA, whether Trump will go after big tech, the future of TikTok in the United States, and the future of content moderation (02:31). Matt finishes the show with a prediction related to the latest announcement that a new ‘Star Wars’ trilogy is in the works (26:57).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Sara Fischer
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by John Mass, president of Content Partners, to talk about how making money in TV has changed in the last 10 to 15 years. John walks us through how a TV show is financed, how the market has changed because of the streaming model, and how it has upended the way participants make money. They also talk about the bygone days of producers owning shows, the heyday of the syndication era, and if a correction is coming (02:29). Matt finishes the episode with a prediction about the upcoming battle between ‘Wicked: Part One’ and ‘Gladiator 2’ (34:38).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: John Mass
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Comcast's exploration of spinning off its cable assets into a separate company, which could potentially mark the wider restructuring of its NBCUniversal division. They talk about how legacy media companies are struggling with how to handle their linear television business, what a division of assets might look like for Comcast, and whether a streaming partner makes sense for NBC and Peacock (02:43). Matt finishes the show with a ratings prediction for the 2024 presidential election (26:05).
For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here.
Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Lucas Shaw
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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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! thetown@spotify.com
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! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guests: Lucas Shaw and John Landgraf
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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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! thetown@spotify.com
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! thetown@spotify.com
Host: Matt Belloni
Guest: Bruce Eric Kaplan
Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez
Theme Song: Devon Renaldo
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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! thetown@spotify.com
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! thetown@spotify.com
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
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this Marketing guy had very little to do with this film obviously. please get the head of Marvel's marketing department. besides towing the line he couldn't answer most of your questions. He also failed to grasp new marketing which starts more then a year out.
Lol, "the show has always played down the middle." Delusional take.