The Town with Matthew Belloni

Vince McMahon’s Return and the WWE’s Most Intriguing Suitors

09 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Vince McMahon’s unceremonious return to the WWE, his plan to help facilitate a sale before agr...

The New Black List and the Original Screenwriting Recession

05 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Franklin Leonard, a film executive and the founder of the Black List, a yearly publication featuring Hollywood's most popular unprod...

Why Audiences Have Given Up on Awards Movies

03 Jan 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Awards season is in full swing, and besides 'Avatar,' the critically acclaimed movies are more or less tanking. Today Matt is joined by Kevin Goetz—...

The Townies Part 2: Hollywood’s Best and Worst of 2022

28 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s Part 2 of podcasting’s most exclusive event of the year, the first-annual Townie Awards. In Part 2, Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw give ou...

The Townies: Hollywood’s Best and Worst of 2022

27 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s podcasting’s most exclusive event of the year, the first annual Townie Awards. This is a show made up of awards created by us, based on our o...

Why YouTube Landed NFL ‘Sunday Ticket’

23 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week YouTube closed on a multi-billion dollar deal to take over NFL ‘Sunday Ticket,’ marking the next major sign of sports television's inevi...

2022 Debacles Part 2: The 2023 Hot Seat and Hollywood’s Biggest Loser

20 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In Part 2 of our biggest debacles of the year conversation, Matt welcomes back Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to nominate the executive on the hot seat in 2...

2022 Debacles Part 1: Movie Bombs, Executive Misfires, and Secret Disasters

19 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This entire year was arguably a debacle for most in Hollywood, the content bubble has seemingly burst, the streaming model may be broken, and companie...

The Stranglehold of Streaming, With United Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer

16 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by the CEO of United Talent Agency (UTA) Jeremy Zimmer to discuss how the financial downturn of the streaming model has trickled down t...

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ With Producer Jon Landau

15 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by film producer Jon Landau to talk about his latest project ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ and creating the most successful movie of a...

The Biggest Flexes of the Year in Hollywood

12 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the most successful power moves of the year in Hollywood. In what was widely considered a diffic...

John Skipper on the Rise of the Sports Documentary and Bob Iger’s Big Plans

08 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by former president of ESPN John Skipper to talk about his thoughts on Bob Iger’s return, Disney’s next big move, whether it should...

Rob McElhenney on Merging Soccer, Celebrity, and a TV Empire

07 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by actor, producer, writer, and co-owner of Wrexham AFC Rob McElhenney to talk about the back story and business model of his documenta...

Smoke or Fire? The Most Troubled Hollywood Companies

05 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

2022 has been a rough year for Hollywood—theater chains have struggled, mass layoffs are taking place, and stocks have plummeted. Matt is joined by ...

The Streaming Year-End Review: Biggest Hits, Misses, and Questions

02 Dec 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Julia Alexander from Parrot Analytics to assess how each streamer performed in 2022. Did ‘Andor’ move the needle for Disney+? Wh...

The Big Business of Christmas Movies

30 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Amy Winter, the head of programming at Lifetime, to discuss the explosion of holiday movies over the past decade, why Christmas movi...

Disney’s Five Biggest Dilemmas in the New Bob Iger Era

28 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the biggest problems on Disney’s plate in the Bob Iger Era, Part 2, including the recent box o...

The Taylor Swift Ticketmaster Debacle, Explained

23 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to dive deep into the chaos of trying to buy tickets to Taylor Swift’s newly announced Era’s Tour. They...

A Major Disney Shake-up: Former CEO Bob Iger Is Back

21 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to break down the return of Bob Iger as CEO of Disney once again. They talk about whether Disney needed to ...

Oscars Watch Begins: Front-Runners, Story Lines, and the ‘Top Gun’ Debate

18 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With awards season ramping up, Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter's Scott Feinberg to discuss his forecast for the upcoming Oscars, including fr...

The Secrets of Marvel’s Magic

16 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Marvel’s executive of production and development and ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’ producer Nate Moore to discuss what make...

The 2022 Directors Draft

14 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine you are the head of a new film studio with an unlimited budget. Who are the movie directors you would pay the most money to sign for the next ...

Town Hall: Apple Buying Disney? 'SNL's Host Problem, and a Ryan Murphy Apology

10 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to Town Hall! Matt and Craig answer listener questions about CNN’s lackluster election-night ratings, the host problem with 'SNL,’ Di...

Predicting the Opening Weekend for ‘Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’

09 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian to discuss the pseudoscience of movie tracking and how box office projections are m...

What a Wall Street Meltdown Means for the Consumer

07 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the price increases across multiple streaming platforms, the addition of ad-supported tiers, wan...

Netflix vs. HBO: The TV Rivalry of the Century

03 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Since its launch nearly 50 years ago, HBO has revolutionized and disrupted the television ecosystem, but for the past 15 years it has been challenged ...

Why Are Movies Longer Than Ever?

02 Nov 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In 2010, the 10 movies nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars ran on average 1:52. By 2019, that average bloated to 2:20. And it’s not just the pr...

TikTok Killed the Pop Star

31 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Taylor Swift’s new album is taking the pop music world by storm—what’s new? But each year fewer and fewer new pop stars are cracking the top 10 ...

Ad-Supported Television Was the Past, and It Might Be the Future

27 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by president and CEO of streaming at Paramount Global and cofounder of Pluto TV Tom Ryan to talk about the free, ad-supported streaming...

Can James Gunn Deliver as New Head of the DC Universe?

26 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter’s Boris Kit to discuss Warner Bros. naming director James Gunn and Peter Safran as the new leaders of the D...

The Riskiest Hollywood Bets for the Rest of 2022

24 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to preview the biggest bets in media and entertainment coming in the remainder of 2022 and rank which proje...

Netflix Is Back, Baby!

19 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by LightShed partner Rich Greenfield to discuss Netflix’s Q3 earnings report, in which the company announced it added 2.4 million net...

The Looming NBA Rights Bonanza

18 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by chief media analyst at Variety Intelligence Platform Andrew Wallenstein to discuss the upcoming expiration of Disney and WarnerMedia...

The Best and Worst Deals of the Past 10 Years in Entertainment

17 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look back and make a case for the best and worst deals in entertainment over the past decade. They also ...

Endeavor President Mark Shapiro

14 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by president of Endeavor Mark Shapiro to discuss the future of streaming, the evolving relationship between talent and representation i...

The Unfunny Decline of Comedy Central

11 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In light of Trevor Noah’s recent announcement that he will be exiting 'The Daily Show,' Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw discuss what has happened ...

Tom Cruise and an Explosive Scientology Book

06 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Mike Rinder, former senior executive of the Church of Scientology. They discuss the moment he decided to leave Scientology, Tom Crui...

Angelina Jolie vs. Brad Pitt Goes Nuclear

05 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner to discuss Angelina Jolie’s countersuit against Brad Pitt, which includes claims that Pitt was abusive to An...

‘House of the Dragon’ vs. ‘The Rings of Power,’ Who Is Winning?

03 Oct 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Julia Alexander from Parrot Analytics to break down who is winning the biggest TV matchup in years, HBO’s ‘The House of the Drag...

Can ‘SNL’ Get Back to Making Stars?

30 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bill Simmons to discuss the current state of 'SNL' ahead of the Season 48 premiere this Saturday night. Lorne Michaels recently desc...

Hollywood’s (Still) Embarrassing Gender Gap

29 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Hollywood has a reputation for being a fairly progressive industry, but when it comes to gender equality, there is still plenty of work to do. Matt is...

Millions Are Watching the NFL on Amazon Prime. Is This the Future?

26 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Disclaimer: This episode was recorded before the ratings of the most recent ‘Thursday Night Football’ game on Amazon Prime between The Pittsburgh ...

Town Hall: Star Wars Missteps, Top Gun’s Oscar Potential, and Where Is James Bond?

22 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to Town Hall! Matt and Craig answer listener questions on Disney’s handling of the 'Star Wars' franchise, the biggest movie set disasters, '...

‘Don’t Worry Darling’ and How Controversy Impacts the Box Office

21 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by David Herrin, founder of film research firm The Quorum, to discuss Olivia Wilde’s upcoming film, ‘Don’t Worry Darling,’ and ...

Did a $200M Direct-to-Streaming Movie Ever Make Sense?

19 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how much money streaming services should spend on movies that skip a theatrical release and go d...

Is TV Saving or Killing College Football?

16 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Bryan Curtis to discuss the recent conference realignment in college football—where television ratings reign suprem...

HBO’s Reassertion, Quinta Brunson’s Breakout, and More Emmy Takeaways

13 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Craig recap the 2022 Emmy Awards as well as Matt’s experience from inside the event and the after-parties. They give out their own awards f...

A Status Check on Disney and CEO Bob Chapek

12 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to discuss the current standing of Bob Chapek after the latest D23 Expo, which featured several announcements...

The Summer Box Office Reckoning

08 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Forbes’ Scott Mendelson to judge their box office predictions for the most highly anticipated blockbusters of the summer. They dis...

The Biggest Threat to YouTube’s World Domination

06 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Mark Bergen to discuss his newest book on YouTube’s path to domination over the past 20 years. They discuss whether ...

Florence Pugh or Pete Davidson? Buying or Selling Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Under 30, Part 2

02 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Deadline senior reporter Justin Kroll for Part 2 of the Young Hollywood Stock Exchange, where they buy or sell on the biggest stars ...

Chalamet or Holland? Buying or Selling Hollywood’s Biggest Stars Under 30

01 Sep 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Deadline senior reporter Justin Kroll to decide whether they are buying or selling the movie-star potential of the biggest actors un...

The Troubled Coexistence of Movie Theaters and Streaming

31 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by John Fithian, the CEO and president of the National Association of Theater Owners, to discuss the current state of the theater busin...

Winners and Losers of NBC Axing an Hour of Prime-Time TV

29 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss NBC considering eliminating their 10 p.m. programming slot and giving it back to the affiliates....

MoviePass CEO Stacy Spikes On Reinventing Moviegoing (Again)

26 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by CEO and co-founder of MoviePass Stacy Spikes to talk about the upcoming relaunch of MoviePass—the disruptive movie subscription se...

David Zaslav Doesn’t Care About Your Favorite HBO Shows

24 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Julia Alexander from Parrot Analytics and Puck to discuss the vanishing of television shows on the HBO Max platform. They discuss Wa...

The 2022 Showrunner Draft

22 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In movies, the director is king. But in television, it's the showrunner. In the past 15 years we’ve seen the rise of the showrunner as perhaps the m...

The Wackiest CEO in Entertainment

18 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Felix Gillette to discuss his latest piece on the antics of Hollywood’s most interesting CEO, Adam Aron. Aron is the...

The Lawsuit Striking Fear Into Fox News (Plus 'LOTR' Predictions)

17 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Puck’s legal expert, Eriq Gardner, to discuss Dominion Voting Systems' lawsuit against Fox news, which states that Fox aired false...

Should Disney Sell ESPN?

16 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss ESPN’s value to Disney and whether Disney should explore shopping the worldwide leader in spor...

Disney+ and the Streaming Price Hike

11 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Jessica Reif Ehrlich, an analyst at B of A Securities, to break down the state of the streaming world after Disney's announcement th...

TikTok’s Dominance and Hollywood’s Place in the Creator Economy

10 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Taylor Lorenz from The Washington Post to talk all things creator economy, including how influencers make money, Triller’s attempt...

Springsteen and the Scourge of Concert Ticket Pricing

08 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the demand-driven dynamic pricing system that recently set prices as high as $5,000 for Bruce Sp...

The Great TV Purge Is Coming

05 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by longtime media executive Tom Rogers to discuss the state of the streaming world, the future of the cable television ecosystem, who w...

Why Warner Bros. Just Made the $90M ‘Batgirl’ Movie Disappear

03 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter's Borys Kit to find an explanation for Warner Bros. Discovery's confounding decision to completely kill the r...

Will Smith's Apology and Apple’s Predicament

01 Aug 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw and The Ringer’s Juliet Litman to discuss Will Smith’s latest apology, which came in the form of a five-m...

Town Hall: Writers vs. Hollywood, an 'E.T.' Legacy Sequel, and Apple’s Animation Bet

27 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome to the second Town Hall! Matt and Craig field listener questions covering topics such as the likelihood of Steven Spielberg greenlighting lega...

The 2022 Intellectual Property Draft

25 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw for the first “IP draft.” Intellectual property rules Hollywood, so Matt and Lucas draft their way thro...

How the Metaverse Could Transform the Entertainment Industry

21 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by author Matthew Ball to discuss his new book on the Metaverse and how it will alter the future of the content and entertainment indus...

Release the Snyder Article

20 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Rolling Stone’s Tatiana Siegel to discuss her latest article, which outlines the bizarre story of online bots fueling the Zack Syn...

Is the Netflix Movie Model Broken?

18 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

With the release of Netflix's $200 million action movie ‘The Gray Man’ this past weekend, Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to discuss Netf...

The Uncertain Futures of Netflix, Hulu, and Apple

15 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by LightShed’s Rich Greenfield to discuss the misperceptions of Netflix, Apple, and Hulu in the streaming ecosystem. They discuss the...

Snubs, Surprises, and Industry Takeaways From the 2022 Emmy Nominations

12 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by television critic Inkoo Kang from the Washington Post to break down this year's Emmy nominations, including the most notable shows a...

A New Look at Harvey Weinstein and Hollywood’s Enablers

11 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by New Yorker writer Ken Auletta to discuss his new book, ‘Hollywood Ending: Harvey Weinstein and the Culture of Silence,’ a biogra...

The 10 Nicest Stars in Hollywood

07 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

There are many rumors about who celebrities really are when the cameras are off. Tabloids, manicured interviews, and public appearances often shape th...

Predictions for Sun Valley’s Summer Camp for Billionaires

05 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the annual Sun Valley conference, dubbed a “summer camp for billionaires,” where chief execu...

CAA and the New Reality of Talent Agencies

01 Jul 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by author and journalist James Andrew Miller to discuss the ramifications of CAA's acquisition of ICM, including the consolidation of t...

Producer Jason Blum on Money vs. Creativity

29 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by producer, founder, and chief executive of Blumhouse Productions, Jason Blum, to discuss the evolution of economics in the entertainm...

The 2022 Half-Year Hollywood Awards

27 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

As we near the halfway point of 2022, Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw host the first-ever Half-Year Hollywood Awards. They give out awards for the w...

You Will Pay More for Disney Parks and You Will Like It

23 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by theme park journalist and podcast host Carlye Wisel to talk about the Disney Parks ecosystem, what's new post-pandemic, how they are...

How the Pandemic Changed the Way You Consume Entertainment

21 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how the pandemic has affected movies, live TV, streaming, and music. They break down the disappo...

Who Survives at the New CNN?

16 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

CNN is facing a major makeover at the hands of its new leaders David Zaslav and Chris Licht, but it could mean trouble for old correspondents. Matt br...

The ‘Stranger Things’ vs. ‘Obi-Wan Kenobi’ Value War

13 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Julia Alexander of Parrot Analytics to discuss the record-breaking opening week for ‘Stranger Things,' the series' competition wit...

What the Heck Is Going On at Disney?

09 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by CNBC’s Alex Sherman to discuss the surprising firing of Disney entertainment executive Peter Rice. They discuss what Disney is say...

NBA Finals Ratings and ESPN's Future in Sports Television

08 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by John Ourand from Sports Business Journal to discuss the unexpectedly low ratings after the first two games of the NBA Finals as well...

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and A24’s Mystique

07 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter’s Rebecca Keegan to discuss the indie hit ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ and why it resonated with...

Town Hall: Tom Cruise’s Pay Day, ‘LOTR’ Buzz, and HBO’s Secrets

03 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In our first ever Town Hall, Matt and Craig field questions from the audience, covering topics about Disney’s ‘Star Wars’ movie struggles, Amazo...

Johnny Depp Wins: Inside the Verdict and the Fallout

01 Jun 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner to react to the verdict in the Amber Heard–Johnny Depp defamation trial, as well as what's next for Depp and...

‘Top Gun: Maverick’: Fluke or Future of the Summer Box Office?

31 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ the sequel to the 1986 blockbuster, set the record for biggest opening over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Matt is joined ...

The Summer Blockbuster Confidence Scale

26 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

It’s Memorial Day weekend, which means it is officially summer blockbuster season. Matt is joined by Forbes’ Scott Mendelson to run through each o...

Can Lorne Michaels Reinvent ‘SNL’ One Last Time?

25 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

In the Season 47 finale, ‘Saturday Night Live’ said goodbye to cast members Kate McKinnon, Aidy Bryant, Pete Davidson, and Kyle Mooney. Matt is jo...

The Hollywood Stock Market: Netflix, Star Wars, Harry Styles, Pete Davidson, and More!

23 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss which Hollywood-focused trends are theoretical buys or sells in the stock market of Hollywood. ...

What Happened to Comedy in Hollywood?

19 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Funny or Die CEO Mike Farah and chief creative officer Joe Farrell to talk about the state of comedy in Hollywood, why there are les...

Amber Heard Testifies: How Did It Go?

18 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Puck national correspondent Eriq Gardner to react to the conclusion of Amber Heard’s testimony in the Johnny Depp defamation trial...

You May Not Be Watching, but Broadcast TV Still Makes Billions

17 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

This week, Matt is in New York for the network upfronts, a gathering of the major players in television to present their programming plans for the upc...

Disney vs. Netflix: The Deathmatch of Streaming

12 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to streaming, is Disney the new Netflix? Matt is joined by analyst Michael Nathanson to discuss Disney’s recently released quarterly e...

Does Marvel Have a Quality Problem?

11 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Are the quality of Marvel movies and television shows in decline? Matt is joined by The Ringer’s Sean Fennessey to discuss Marvel's recent dip in qu...

The 2022 Streaming Service Draft

09 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw conduct the first streaming service draft! They draft their way through each of the top streaming services (Netflix,...

A Scientology Star in the Spotlight

05 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by Seth Abramovitch of The Hollywood Reporter to discuss the recent New Yorker profile on Elisabeth Moss, including its reference to Se...

Did Johnny Depp Really Lose ‘Pirates’ Because of Amber’s Op-Ed?

04 May 2022

Contributed by Lukas

Matt is joined by divorce attorney Brett Ward to discuss whether Johnny Depp has a case that he lost tens of millions of dollars of potential career e...