The Town with Matthew Belloni
Episodes
A WWE and UFC Tag Team, With Endeavor’s Mark Shapiro
12 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Mark Shapiro, the president of Endeavor and now TKO, the newly formed sports and entertainment company merging WWE and UFC. They dis...
CAA’s New Billionaire Owner and the (Over)Value of Talent Agencies
11 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the world of talent representation’s transformation over the past few years and particularly d...
Fall Festival Buzz and the Beginning of Oscar Season With the Head of TIFF
07 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s festival season, so Matt is joined by Cameron Bailey, the CEO of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), to discuss the trickle-down ef...
Disney’s ESPN Fight and Taylor’s Movie Takeover
06 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the ongoing dispute between Charter and Disney and why this one might be different because it mi...
The Summer Box Office Awards Show
31 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Jeff Bock from Exhibitor Relations to look back on a bizarre summer at the box office and hand out awards for the highs and lows of ...
The Growing Power of IMAX, With Its CEO
30 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by the CEO of IMAX, Rich Gelfond, to discuss the impressive success of ‘Oppenheimer’ in IMAX theaters, its opening in China this we...
The Three Biggest Hold-ups in the Writers Strike
28 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the state of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, including the AMPTP’s decision to publicize its la...
Is Apple’s Sports Experiment Working?
25 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Parrot Analytics director of strategy and Puck contributor Julia Alexander to talk about Apple TV+ and its current standing with con...
Justin, Ariana, and the Scooter Braun Mess
24 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Shirley Halperin, the Los Angeles magazine editor in chief, to discuss the latest in the Scooter Braun–Justin Bieber–Ariana Gran...
Predicting Hollywood’s September Surprises
21 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to predict what surprises could be in store for Hollywood as we start shifting to the fall season. They deb...
How Much Money Does a Hit Movie Really Make (and a Flop Really Lose)?
17 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by John Mass, president of Content Partners, to discuss how a movie really reaches profitability, address the common misconceptions of ...
Disney’s ESPN Dilemma: to Sell or Not to Sell?
14 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss ESPN's foray into gambling after it struck a deal with PENN Entertainment to create ESPN Bet, wh...
The Doomsday AI Scenario In Hollywood
10 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Justine Bateman—writer, director, producer, former actress, and SAG-AFTRA negotiation committee consultant on the use of AI—to d...
Everyone Running Hollywood Is Old. Does That Matter?
09 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by former CAA co-chairman and agent of 40 years Rick Nicita to talk about why the most important executives in Hollywood are so old, an...
Will Anyone Budge on Data Transparency in Hollywood?
07 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss one of Hollywood’s most hotly debated topics: data transparency among streamers. As the writer...
Checking in on Warner Bros. Discovery and the Max Platform
04 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined once again by LightShed Partners media analyst Rich Greenfield to discuss the state of Warner Bros. Discovery following the results of ...
The Barbie Effect on Female Filmmakers
03 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter’s senior film editor, Rebecca Keegan, to discuss how the success of Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ will infl...
Villains, Saviors, and Developments Three Months Into Hollywood’s Shutdown
31 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the most interesting developments that have shaped Hollywood’s shutdown over the past three mo...
Selling ‘Barbie’: Inside the Marketing Phenomenon
26 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Warner Bros. president of worldwide marketing Josh Goldstine to discuss the strategy behind one of the great marketing campaigns of ...
How 'Sound of Freedom' Outperformed 'Mission: Impossible'
24 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how the independent thriller ‘Sound of Freedom’ came out of nowhere and made $100 million in...
Has Netflix Officially Won the Streaming War?
20 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by research analyst Michael Pachter to unpack Netflix’s strong earnings report this week that included the company adding 5.9 million...
‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer's’ Epic Weekend Face-Off
19 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by The Quorum founder David Herrin to discuss the meteoric rise in popularity of ‘Barbie,' the unprecedented data around its tracking...
Bob Iger’s Fire Sale: The Fate of ESPN, ABC, and Hulu
17 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Bob Iger’s latest comments on the possibility of selling off Disney’s linear TV assets, incl...
Inside the Actors Strike With Its Top Negotiator
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator of SAG-AFTRA Duncan Crabtree-Ireland to gain more insight from the union’s side o...
BREAKING: Actors Go on Strike
14 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Puck’s Jonathan Handel as they discuss the failed negotiations between the studios and SAG-AFTRA, who are now ready to go on strik...
The State of R-Rated Comedies, With Evan Goldberg
12 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Point Grey cofounder Evan Goldberg to discuss his latest release, ‘Joy Ride,’ and how comedies can become theatrical successes o...
Amazon’s Spending Spree Under Scrutiny
10 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss his latest piece about Amazon CEO Andy Jassy asking his studio executives for detailed budget an...
Town Hall: Bob Iger’s Legacy, Summer Flops, and Streamer Mega-Mergers
05 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome back to Town Hall! Matt and Craig answer a slew of listener questions about Bob Iger’s legacy, an overpacked summer of blockbusters, how the...
Is David Zaslav Misunderstood?
03 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look back on Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s publicly disgraced decisions to cut costs at th...
What Will Bring Gen Z to Theaters?
30 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Matthew Liebmann, the Chief Innovation and Data Officer at Vista Group, to discuss Gen Z’s relationship with going to the movies. ...
How Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is Becoming the Most Successful in History
29 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Nathan Hubbard—former CEO of Ticketmaster, current CEO of Firebird Music and Ringer podcaster—to discuss Taylor Swift’s world ...
The 2023 Executive Draft
26 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to compete in the very first executive draft. Matt and Lucas will each select who they believe is the best ...
It’s Time to Break Up Hollywood
22 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Matt Stoller, the research director for the American Economic Liberties Project and the writer of the monopoly-focused newsletter 'B...
Is the Superhero Era Finally Ending?
20 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss whether the recent stretch of superhero flops is a sign of things to come or simply a blip on th...
Has Pixar Lost its Magic Touch?
16 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter’s Rebecca Keegan to discuss Pixar’s recent cold streak, who’s to blame, and if it can be rectified. The...
'The Flash' and Marketing a Movie With a Controversial Star
14 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by veteran film marketing executive Terry Press to discuss the upcoming movie ‘The Flash’ and how studios promote and release a mov...
Netflix Top 10 Lists and the Era of Streamer Manipulation
12 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the growing issue of data transparency in the streaming era, whether streaming rankings— like ...
What the Writers Really Fear About AI in Hollywood
08 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by John Lopez, a writer, producer, and member of the AI working group in the WGA, to explain what the guild actually thinks about AI, m...
CNN’s Messy Chris Licht Era Is Over, Now What?
07 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Puck’s Dylan Byers to discuss the details behind Chris Licht’s fallout with CNN, why this happened now, how this reflects on War...
Hollywood’s Stealth Winners and Losers of the First Half of 2023
05 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to parse through the first half of an eventful 2023 and highlight the under-discussed winners and losers ac...
Who Is on the Studios' Side in the Writers Strike?
01 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by film producer and television executive Gail Berman ('Elvis,' 'Wednesday') to discuss the writers strike from the studios' perspectiv...
Cannes Winners, Losers, Scandals, and Big Takeaways
30 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw, who attended the Cannes Film Festival in France, to discuss the significance of the festival within the in...
Disney’s Prickly Theme Parks Problem
25 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by theme park journalist Scott Gustin as they discuss all the latest news surrounding the Disney parks, as well as Universal Studios. T...
How to Pull Off a Real-Life Mockumentary
24 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Ronald Gladden, the star of Amazon Freevee’s new hit series ‘Jury Duty,’ as well as the director of the show, Jake Szymanski. ...
Netflix Crashes TV’s Ad Party
22 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to analyze this year’s TV upfront presentations. They discuss Netflix’s upfront debut and its advertise...
The NBA Team Blowing Up Sports TV
19 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Endeavor executive vice presidents Hillary Mandel and Karen Brodkin to discuss the potentially groundbreaking TV deal they brokered ...
Hollywood’s China Problem
17 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Wall Street Journal reporter Erich Schwartzel to discuss the current state of Hollywood’s relationship with China and how the Chin...
Bob Iger’s Six-Month Report Card at Disney
15 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to check in on Bob Iger six months after his return to Disney, to see what’s working and what isn’t. Th...
The Struggle of the Modern TV Writer With Mike Schur
11 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by writer, producer, and showrunner Mike Schur ('Parks and Recreation,' 'The Good Place,' 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine'), to discuss the life of...
The Weird State of Media and Hollywood’s Role in It
10 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by journalist and cofounder of Semafor, Ben Smith, to talk about his new book ‘Traffic’ and the rise and fall of the biggest digita...
The 5 Biggest Narratives After Week 1 of the Writers Strike
08 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the most popular narratives that emerged after week 1 of the writers strike, including who is wi...
The 2023 Summer Blockbuster Confidence Scale
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s May, which means it is officially summer blockbuster season. Matt welcomes back The Wrap’s Scott Mendelson to run through each of the most hi...
Inside the Writers Strike With a WGA Negotiator
02 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by writer, TV host, and WGA negotiation committee member Adam Conover to break down what it has been like in the negotiation room from ...
The Writers' Strike Deadline Is Here. What Will Happen?
01 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the looming WGA strike on the day of its negotiation deadline, and how a likely strike will affe...
60 Is the New 30: The Revealing Ranking of Biggest Movie Stars
28 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Ray Subers, the senior vice president of theatrical strategy at National Research Group, to discuss an eye-opening study making the ...
Ben Winston Refuses to Declare Late-Night TV Dead
26 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Ben Winston, executive producer of 'The Late Late Show With James Corden' and the 2023 Grammys, to talk about the end of Corden’s ...
Another Executive Sex Scandal? How NBCU Can Pick Up the Pieces
24 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell stepping down after an investigation into a complaint that he had an...
One Year After the Crash: Is the New Netflix Working?
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by LightShed Partners media analyst Rich Greenfield to discuss the state of Netflix one year after the Great Netflix Correction plummet...
Inside Fox’s $787M Settlement With Dominion and the Future of Fox News
19 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner, who is on the ground in Wilmington, Delaware, to discuss Fox’s $787 million settlement agreement with Domin...
Is ‘Air’ a Hit? Why That's Harder Than Ever to Answer
17 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss what constitutes a hit nowadays in Hollywood. Is Ben Affleck’s ‘Air’ a hit despite its dis...
Inside Rupert Murdoch’s Succession Drama
14 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Vanity Fair special correspondent Gabriel Sherman to discuss his latest story on Rupert Murdoch, where this empire stands now, and h...
How the Fox News Billion-Dollar Lawsuit Will Unfold
12 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by First Amendment litigator Doug Mirell to discuss the $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit between Fox and Dominion and the massive implic...
One Year After the Merger: Is Warner Bros. Discovery Actually Working?
10 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
This past weekend marked the one-year anniversary of the $43 billion transaction that brought together Warner Media and Discovery to create Warner Bro...
Disney vs. DeSantis: Who Will Win
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Puck senior political correspondent Tara Palmeri to discuss the ongoing battle between Disney and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis rega...
From Viral Videos to Hit TV With Dave Burd
05 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by rapper, comedian, writer, and actor Dave Burd—better known by his stage name, Lil Dicky—to discuss how his show ‘Dave’ becam...
WWE Sells, Netflix Pulls Back, and the Oscars' Bold Bid on Theaters
03 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Endeavor merging with the WWE, Netflix restructuring and retracting its movie division with the ...
Has Hollywood Finally Figured Out Video Games?
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by author and media investor Matthew Ball to discuss the recent boom in successful video game adaptations in Hollywood, whether this is...
Marvel’s Bad CGI and the Firing of a “Kingmaker”
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Chris Lee, a senior reporter at Vulture and New York magazine, to discuss why the quality of visual effects in comic book movies, pa...
Apple’s Billion-Dollar Bet on Movie Theaters
27 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss his report about Apple planning to get into the theatrical business in a big way, with the compa...
Lionsgate Film Chief Joe Drake on ‘John Wick’ and the Modern Independent Studio
24 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by the chair of the motion picture group at Lionsgate, Joe Drake, to talk about how the 'John Wick' series came to be and the future of...
BET and the Future of Small Streamers
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Puck contributor and analyst at Parrot Analytics Julia Alexander to talk about Paramount selling the BET, a rare instance in which a...
Is the Franchise Model Starting to Fatigue in Hollywood?
20 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss whether we are starting to see signs of decline in the franchise entertainment model. After the ...
Matt’s Year One Prediction Report Card
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt and Craig celebrate The Town’s one-year anniversary by looking back at Matt’s predictions and highlighting his best and worst takes after a w...
Michael B. Jordan and How to Build a Modern Movie Star Career
15 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by co-founder, president, and managing partner of M88 Phil Sun to talk about how to build a movie star career, how to evaluate projects...
The Oscar Bump: Which Young Stars Won Awards Season?
13 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Deadline senior reporter Justin Kroll to discuss which young actors benefited the most from awards season buzz and saw the biggest c...
Academy CEO Bill Kramer on the New and Improved (?) Oscars
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by the CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Bill Kramer, to talk about his first year as CEO, the changes we will se...
Tips, Trends, and Storylines to Help You Bet on the Oscars
08 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Mosaic talent manager and Oscars enthusiast Michael Lasker to help parse through the chatter in Hollywood to find a gambling edge on...
The End of Peak TV Is Finally Here
06 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the recent dearth of hit TV shows and whether the current state of the streaming landscape marks...
The Ploys and Tactics Behind Oscar Campaigning
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by New Yorker staff writer Michael Schulman to discuss his new book ‘Oscar Wars’ and the ploys and tactics behind Oscar campaigning...
How F--ked Is Fox News?
03 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Puck’s Dylan Byers to talk about Rupert Murdoch’s surprisingly candid testimony regarding Fox News’ relationship with the Trum...
The Perfect Storm for a Writers Strike
28 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss what a potential writers strike would look like for Hollywood, how the economics of streaming ha...
Watching Your Favorite Team Is About to Get Harder
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Brandon Ross, partner at Lightshed Partners, to discuss the shifting balance of power for regional sports networks, where you can wa...
The 2023 Box Office Draft
21 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to conduct the first box office draft on The Town. Matt and Lucas each draft five blockbusters set to be re...
The Companies Most Likely to Be Sold or Acquired in 2023
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Axios senior media reporter and CNN media analyst Sara Fischer to discuss the current state of the deal market for entertainment com...
The Soap Opera Fight Over Paramount and CBS
14 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by James B. Stewart and Rachel Abrams of The New York Times to discuss their new book, ‘Unscripted: The Epic Battle for a Media Empir...
Will Bob Iger Sell Hulu or ESPN?
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Bob Iger’s first earnings report as new CEO of Disney, including a first look at his strategy ...
How to Write a Hit Rom-Com
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by writer director Aline Brosh McKenna, writer of hits like ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ and ‘27 Dresses,’ to talk about why the com...
True Crime Is Murdering Documentaries
08 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by New York Magazine features writer Reeves Wiedeman to discuss his latest piece, about the complicated state of documentaries right no...
The Death and “Rebirth” of Showtime
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the latest casualty of the streaming wars, Showtime, which was effectively killed last week when...
DC Is Going Big, but Can It Catch Marvel?
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter’s Borys Kit to discuss DC’s latest press event revealing what the future of the DC universe will look lik...
The Future of Live Events and Late Night TV With Grammys EP Ben Winston
01 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Ben Winston, executive producer of the 2023 Grammy Awards, to talk about why the Grammys are the most difficult awards show to produ...
Peacock’s Promising Start to 2023 Might Not Be a Fluke
31 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss NBC’s typically struggling streaming service, Peacock, and its strong start to 2023. With show...
How an Indie Film Becomes an Oscar Winner
27 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Live from Sundance, Matt is joined by Michael Barker, the copresident and cofounder of Sony Pictures Classics, to discuss Sony’s ability to discover...
Is the Sundance Dream Still Alive?
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Live from Sundance, Matt is joined by entertainment dealmaker, lawyer, and media advisor John Sloss. John and his company, Cinetic Media, have been in...
How the Shocking Andrea Riseborough Oscar Nomination Happened
25 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Dani Weinstein, a veteran communications executive and marketer, to break down the savvy marketing campaign behind Andrea Riseboroug...
Inside the Netflix Executive Shake-up
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to go inside Netflix’s announcement that cofounder and co-CEO Reed Hastings will be stepping down, with COO...
Making Movie Stars Younger With AI
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by VFX executive Matt Panousis to discuss Hollywood’s open secret of de-aging actors, a new tool called Vanity AI, and when we’ll s...
Should Disney Be Afraid of Nelson Peltz?
17 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Disney’s proxy battle against activist shareholder Nelson Peltz, his plan (or lack thereof) to...
Around the World With Netflix’s Head of TV
13 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Rachel Syme to talk about her latest ‘New Yorker’ profile on Bela Bejaria, the global head of television at Netflix. Rachel talk...
‘M3GAN,' and How to Market a Movie to Young People
11 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Matt is joined by Michael Moses, the chief marketing officer at Universal Pictures, to discuss their latest hit, the horror film ‘M3GAN,’ and why ...