The Town with Matthew Belloni

(00:00) Matt opens up the summer mailbag to answer listener questions about Marvel’s future after 'Avengers: Doomsday,' the X-Men casting, Netflix’s need to lure big filmmakers, whether Johnny Depp’s comeback will work, why Meghan and Harry’s failed in Hollywood, worries that L.A. could become the next Detroit, and Matt's and Craig’s most awkward celebrity interactions. Host: Matt Belloni Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 26 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES. Nominated for 7 Emmy Awards, ALL HER FAULT is streaming on Peacock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by David George, the CEO of ITV America, to dive into the massive success of 'Love Island,' how it became one of the biggest brands in unscripted TV, why they sold the show to Peacock, the market for selling reality shows nowadays, how much the show is really worth, sharing Fiji hotels with ‘Survivor,’ and more (02:31). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for 'Insidious: Out of the Further' (30:36). Host: Matt Belloni Gust: David George Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 26 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES. Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show. For Your Emmy Consideration in Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Paramount’s threat to leave California if it doesn’t get a settlement, the discourse’s effect on David Ellison’s ability to get a deal done, how an extended delay could negatively impact Hollywood, and what needs to happen to get this deal done (02:01). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about a new Disneyland attraction (31:57). Host: Matt Belloni Gust: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 26 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES. For more information visit Hulu.com/FYC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by producer Basil Iwanyk (John Wick, The Town, Sicario, The Expendables) to discuss the struggling state of the action movie market in America, why most studios have abandoned the original action movie business, casting an action star, and more (02:28). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The End of Oak Street’ (32:05). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Basil Iwanyk Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES. Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour | The Final Show. For Your Emmy Consideration in Outstanding Variety Special (Pre-Recorded). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond to discuss the massive summer at the box office, 'The Odyssey' being the highest grossing IMAX movie of all time, IMAX being openly for sale, why there aren't more true 70mm IMAX theaters, if there will be more, Infinity Vision, the cost of shooting a movie entirely in IMAX, and more (02:12). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about whether or not Paramount would move its headquarters out of California (31:46). Host: Matt Belloni Gust: Rich Gelfond Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES. For more information visit Hulu.com/FYC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss why Fox is refusing to renegotiate their media rights deal with the NFL until their current deal expires after the 2029 season, the impact of the FCC repealing the local television ownership cap, and David Ellison’s contractual pledge with theater owners to release at least 30 movies per year under WarnerMount (02:30). We finish the show by announcing a slate of live events for The Town this fall (31:18). Host: Matt Belloni Gust: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Get your tickets to ELECTION introduced by Matt Belloni on Friday, August 21st here: https://www.americancinematheque.com/now-showing/the-town-presents-election-08-21-2026/ Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES. The Dog Stars only in theaters and IMAX August 28. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Wells Fargo analyst Steven Cahall to make the case for why Disney should exit the streaming business and focus only on producing and licensing its content. Steven digs into why Disney is well-positioned to leave streaming, the strength of its IP, and what Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro had to say about Steven’s idea (02:24). Matt finishes the show with another weekend box office prediction for ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ (24:13). Host: Matt Belloni Gust: Steven Cahall Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES. This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner to discuss the March 2027 trial date that has been set for the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery antitrust case and what it means for the likelihood of this merger going through. They highlight the $650 million per quarter ticking fee Paramount has to pay in the meantime, how the November midterm elections could play a factor, who has the best leverage, whether Netflix could end up back in the mix, David Ellison’s New York Times column, and the other major legal issues at play (02:03). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Season 4 of 'Ted Lasso' (30:08). Host: Matt Belloni Gust: Eriq Gardner Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES. This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to catch up with the biggest news around town, including a record-breaking opening weekend for 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day,' WarnerMount trial-date jockeying, and YouTube’s new deal with Peacock (02:24). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about a ‘Barbie’ sequel (31:03). Host: Matt Belloni Gust: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Nominated for 25 Emmy Awards, including OUTSTANDING COMEDY SERIES. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw finish The Town’s first Future Blockbusters Draft by filling the remaining five slots on their teams (01:12). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw put on their studio chief hats and conduct the first Future Blockbusters Draft. In Part 1, they draft five elements (director, actor, or IP) they believe will define the box office for the next 10 years (00:34). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger (24:18). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Tickets available at americancinematheque.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Sean Diffley, head of media and entertainment as well as cable and telecom research at Morgan Stanley to discuss a new system for stock picking called the MS Media Matrix, which ranks publicly traded entertainment companies based on audience and engagement, their interactivity, urgency of the content, pricing power, IP, and AI positioning, and then compares these strengths and weaknesses to the companies’ relative share price. They discuss the importance of ownership within these companies, AI's role in content creation and the future of leisure time, and AI's impact on content consumption (02:56). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on what will be the second weekend drop of ‘The Odyssey’ (30:33). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Sean Diffley Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to debate whether Netflix or YouTube is winning the battle to dominate Hollywood. They move through the pros and cons of each platform, the new rules of engagement, whether podcasts are working on Netflix, whether YouTube should go after premium content, and more (02:26). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of WarnerMount after a judge ruled for a temporary restraining order on the deal (27:50). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Tickets available at americancinematheque.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Makan Delrahim, chief legal officer at Paramount, who argues his case in favor of Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. He explains what they are willing to concede, why the state's case should fail, why this deal improves competition, whether Paramount would leave California, and the multiple ways this case could play out (02:42). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Makan Delrahim Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

(00:00) Matt is joined by Guggenheim Senior Managing Director Michael Morris to discuss Netflix’s latest data dump and quarterly earnings report and assess why the market has started to turn on the streamer. They dig into why Netflix decided to reduce their engagement report release from biannually to annually, why the stock price has dropped nearly 50 percent since October, the nagging question of engagement, the perception that growth is slowing, and if M&A is necessary to reaccelerate growth, (02:29). Matt finishes the show with a World Cup final ratings prediction (28:25). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Michael Morris Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com The Ringer is committed to responsible trading. Please visit https://fanduel.com/predicts to learn more about the resources and helpline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by professor Violaine Roussel, a professor of sociology at Paris 8 University, to discuss her new book 'Data Driven Hollywood: The New Data Professionals in the Age of Streaming,' which polls 75 data scientists employed at streamers and studios to explain how modern studios use data to inform what they greenlight, what the data departments look like inside these streamers, how Netflix uses things like “taste clusters,” and how creative choices have been reinvented over the last 15 years (02:43). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for Christopher Nolan’s new film ‘ The Odyssey’ (29:23). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Violaine Roussel Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw are joined by California Attorney General Rob Bonta to discuss California’s new lawsuit to block Paramount Skydance's acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. They talk about what the lawsuit highlights and avoids, Paramount’s response, and the impact the acquisition would have on Hollywood (02:51). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of Disney live-action remakes after a weak opening weekend for 'Moana' (35:03). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw, Rob Bonta Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Stefano Sanchez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Colleen Bell, the director of the California Film Commission, to check in on the state of film and TV production in California following the cap increase to $750M about a year ago. They discuss the increase in shoot days in California, how the new program works, whether a federal credit is coming, whether the new Los Angeles mayor and California governor will affect this program, why Netflix decided to build a headquarters in New Jersey, and how to build on the current momentum (03:03). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Moana’ (27:33). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Colleen Bell Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at http://join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by producer Scott Glassgold to discuss internet IP and the short-story boom that has taken over Hollywood after major successes in ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’, whether this is a micro or macro trend, how these internet stories are developed for the big screen, and whether studios have learned the right lessons from this year (02:22). Matt finishes the show with a prediction for the 2026 Emmys (29:18). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Scott Glassgold Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at http://join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to select their winners and losers in the entertainment industry so far this year, from actors with surprise hits, studio heads with embarrassing flops, CEOs of struggling companies, and producers that made huge swings that paid off. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Steve Buck, chief strategy officer at EntTelligence to discuss how many people are actually going to the movies and clarify the difference between admission versus box office. Steve reveals whether rising box office grosses are matched by actual attendance, if ticket price increases and premium large format screens are actually juicing box office totals, the demos and genres that are overindexing, and some surprising political affiliations of moviegoers (00:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Minions & Monsters' (29:52). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Steve Buck Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by Accenture. https://Accenture.com/Spotify This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the news that NBCUniversal is splitting off from Comcast into a standalone company, the details of the deal, why this is happening now, and whether this opens the floodgates for more M&A (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Sony’s $100M investment in Cosm (26:45). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo After false reports of Deborah's death, she and Ava return to Vegas. Watch now. The Ringer is committed to responsible trading. Please visit https://fanduel.com/predicts to learn more about the resources and helpline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by WSJ reporter Emily Glazer to discuss her fascinating new piece highlighting Larry Ellison’s private friendship with Donald Trump and the impact it had on the Paramount M&A saga. Emily explains why Larry and Donald seem to get along so well, why Larry is bankrolling the WarnerMount deal, and how we got here in the first place (00:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Supergirl’ (28:32). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Emily Glazer Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo After false reports of Deborah's death, she and Ava return to Vegas. Watch now. The Ringer is committed to responsible trading. Please visit https://fanduel.com/predicts to learn more about the resources and helpline. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Keach Hagey, a journalist at The Wall Street Journal and author of 'The Optimist: Sam Altman, OpenAI, and the Race to Invent the Future,' to discuss Amazon abandoning Luca Guadagnino’s movie ‘Artificial’ and looking to sell it to another studio to distribute. They talk about why Amazon made this movie in the first place, its relationship with OpenAI, their thoughts on the script and how it portrays Altman, whether any major studio will buy this movie, and how big tech has influenced Hollywood’s decision-making strategy (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the legendary Clive Davis pre-Grammys party (27:17). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Keach Hagey Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo After false reports of Deborah's death, she and Ava return to Vegas. Watch now. Alan Cumming hosts the hit series THE TRAITORS. Streaming on Peacock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by journalist Lane Brown from New York Magazine to discuss his latest article digging into the insidious world of online clipping and narrative campaigning. Lane explains how virality and popularity are manufactured and engineered to resemble the improvised enthusiasm of human strangers, the companies behind these simulated trends, which movies, shows, bands, and viral moments were influenced by these tactics, how prevalent this is in media, how AI will play a role, and what to expect in the future (02:28). Matt then finishes the show with a couple of predictions about ‘Shrek 5’ and ‘The Social Reckoning’ (28:51). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lane Brown Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt PevicTheme Song: Devon RenaldoRead Lane’s piece HERE After false reports of Deborah's death, she and Ava return to Vegas. Watch now. Landman Season 2: for your Emmy consideration in all Drama Series categories. Visit http://ParamountFYC.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by John Mass, president of Content Partners, to discuss the massive value of owning distribution in modern Hollywood in comparison to years past, when content seemed to be the most important piece of the pie. They talk about why becoming the gatekeeper in Hollywood is so important in 2026, Fox acquiring Roku, and more (2:55). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for 'Toy Story 5' (27:33). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: John Mass Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo After false reports of Deborah's death, she and Ava return to Vegas. Watch now. The Madison: for your Emmy consideration in all Drama Series categories. Visit http://ParamountFYC.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Fox’s $22 billion acquisition of Roku, why this happened, how connected TV devices are the secret gatekeepers to streaming, how this will affect the consumer, and what this says about the larger deal landscape in Hollywood (2:11). We finish the show with an update on the 2026 Box Office Draft (28:30). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo In this darkly comedic series, a love triangle ends in death. Watch now. The Madison: for your Emmy consideration in all Drama Series categories. Visit http://ParamountFYC.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from Hollywood, Matt turns the tables on 'Hot Ones' host Sean Evans. Matt eats hot wings and risks his intestinal fortitude while interviewing Sean at the 'Hot Ones' FYC event. Yes, he tries Da Bomb. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Sean Evans Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo In this darkly comedic series, a love triangle ends in death. Watch now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by film producer Mynette Louie, a cohead of creative producing and assistant professor at Columbia University, to explain how the money is distributed when an indie film is a big hit. They use Curry Barker’s ‘Obsession’ as an example to discuss how the financial waterfall flows, who profits the most and the least, and the state of indie film distribution (03:14). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about '24 Jump Street' (34:18). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Mynette Louie Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt PevicTheme Song: Devon Renaldo In this darkly comedic series, a love triangle ends in death. Watch now. Landman Season 2: for your Emmy consideration in all Drama Series categories. Visit http://ParamountFYC.com . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by founder and CEO of Screen Engine/ASI, Kevin Goetz, to talk about his new survey of Gen Z moviegoers to explain the Gen Z box office boom, how Hollywood can better appeal to the new wave of moviegoers, as well as their opinions on major stars, directors, and legacy IP (01:54). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for Steven Spielberg’s ‘Disclosure Day’ (21:36). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Kevin Goetz Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Don’t Kill the Messenger In this darkly comedic series, a love triangle ends in death. Watch now. The Madison: for your Emmy consideration in all Drama Series categories. Visit ParamountFYC.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the ongoing disruption at ‘60 Minutes,’ most recently the hiring of Nick Bilton as EP, and the firing of correspondent Scott Pelley. They dig into what the plan to "modernize '60 Minutes'” actually means, what this says about David Ellison’s leadership, if this threatens the Ellison media empire, and ultimately if this could stop the WarnerMount merger (02:48). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about who will attend the UFC Freedom 250 event on the White House lawn on Sunday, June 12 (28:59). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck, Jessie Lopez, and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo For more information visit Hulu.com/FYC In this darkly comedic series, a love triangle ends in death. Watch now. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Kane Parsons, the 20-year-old director of ‘Backrooms,’ to discuss becoming the youngest filmmaker to open a movie no. 1 at the box office, his experience transitioning from YouTube to the big screen, what he wants to do with his newfound success, how he uses the internet, and more (01:56). Matt finishes the show with opening weekend box office predictions for ‘Scary Movie 6’ and ‘Masters of the Universe’ (30:18). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Kane Parsons Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo In this darkly comedic series, a love triangle ends in death. Watch now.Book a new kind of stay at HolidayInn.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by RSL Media Founder Nikki Hexum to discuss her non-profit founded with actress Cate Blanchett that aims to protect artists against AI by requiring a consent framework for name, image, and likeness. Nikki outlines the infrastructure of her company, why this is necessary, how this era of AI is similar to the Napster era from the early 2000s, and why an AI company would participate in this (03:03). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Taylor Swift’s new song in 'Toy Story 5' (28:04). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Nikki Hexum Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo In this darkly comedic series, a love triangle ends in death. Watch now. Watch Deli Boys at hulu.com. Hulu on Disney+ for bundle subscribers. Terms apply. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss what movie studios should learn from the remarkable weekend at the box office, whether this is really like the '70s all over again in Hollywood, the unique timing as 'The Mandalorian and Grogu' struggles at the box office, and more (02:01). Matt finishes the show with a prediction for the 2026 NBA Finals ratings (27:58). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Peter Chernin, founder of North Road and the Chernin Group, to discuss the production of the new horror film ‘Backrooms,’ the biggest problems in Hollywood, whether the content recession is ending, his thoughts on where digital media is going, and why the life of a studio head isn't as fun as it used to be (00:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Backrooms’ (39:24). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Peter Chernin Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit Starz FYC.com. For more information visit Hulu.com/FYC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss who might buy IMAX after news broke last week that it is exploring a sale, and they get into the details behind how IMAX works as a business. They also discuss Netflix putting David Fincher’s new movie, ‘The Adventures of Cliff Booth,’ in theaters with an exclusive two-week run in IMAX and whether this is just another Netflix movie theater stunt or perhaps something more meaningful (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the box office performance for the breakout horror phenomenon ‘Obsession’ (26:07). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit Starz FYC.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Puck’s political journalist Peter Hamby to discuss the gubernatorial and mayoral races in California and Los Angeles and how it might impact the future of Hollywood (02:34). They discuss why Hollywood has become a winning political issue for both races, the state production tax incentives that could reshape the entertainment industry in L.A., Spencer Pratt’s popularity in Hollywood, and more (11:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ (34:45). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Peter Hamby Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit Starz FYC.com.Book a new kind of stay at HolidayInn.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Hernan Lopez, founder of Owl and Co. and Wondery, to talk about the rise of vertical video, how it ballooned to a $100B/year business, the staggering success of Reels, and which companies in Hollywood are best suited to benefit the most from this trend (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about next season's cast of 'Saturday Night Live' (26:50). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Hernan Lopez Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit Starz FYC.com. For more information visit Hulu.com/FYC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to conduct this first ever Hollywood Jealousy Draft, where each of the five major entertainment companies (Disney, Comcast, WarnerMount, Netflix, and Amazon) can steal any asset from any of their competitors for free. Matt and Lucas cosplay as all-powerful CEOs and make their selections for what they believe are the most valuable assets in Hollywood (00:06). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert (29:40). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Matt Pevic Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit Starz FYC.com. Sarah Snook stars in Peacock’s ALL HER FAULT. Streaming on Peacock. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Rich Greenfield from LightShed Partners to recap this year's TV upfronts, highlighting the best, the worst, and everything in between from TV’s most glamorous week (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a box office prediction for this weekend (32:15). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Rich Greenfield Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com. Book a new kind of stay at HolidayInn.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from Los Angeles, Matt is joined by writer and producer David E. Kelley ('Margo’s Got Money Troubles,' 'Big Little Lies,' 'L.A. Law') to talk about the difference between producing television for a streamer vs. a traditional legacy studio, writing about OnlyFans in his new show, what makes a good TV executive, whether he has ever used AI, and more. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: David E. Kelley Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Disney pushback against the Trump administration by challenging the FCC’s investigation of 'The View,' saying it infringes on the First Amendment and free speech. They debate what this strong political stance means for Disney under new CEO Josh D’Amaro, and dig into Disney’s first earnings call under D’Amaro highlighting what he did and didn’t say in his mission statement (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the government's investigation of the NFL’s antitrust exemptions (24:15). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com. Book a new kind of stay at HolidayInn.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by litigator Michael Gottlieb to unpack the latest news in the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni battle, who actually won, why the saga isn't over yet, if there is any regret for how things have unfolded, how much Ryan Reynolds was involved, and the lessons from this case. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Michael Gottlieb Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Kareem Rahma, host and producer of SubwayTakes and Keep the Meter Running, to discuss transitioning from behind the scenes to an on-screen talent later in his career, the success of SubwayTakes, building a real business on social, the blurred lines between online shows and traditional late-night television, and more (00:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Mortal Kombat 2’ (28:27). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Kareem Rahma Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss Netflix agreeing to release Greta Gerwig’s ‘Narnia: The Magician's Nephew’, in theaters worldwide with a traditional window of theatrical exclusivity for the first time ever. They examine why Netflix blinked on theaters now, and if this is a one-off or a sign of future softening of their stance on theaters (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the ongoing Jimmy Kimmel-Donald Trump feud (25:35). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Industry voters visit StarzFYC.com. Book a new kind of stay at HolidayInn.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s almost May, which means summer blockbuster season has officially begun. Matt welcomes back Puck’s Scott Mendelson to run through the most highly anticipated films of the summer, ranking each one by their box office potential and assigning confidence scores for each film.  Email us your thoughts! [email protected] Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Adam Fogelson Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Lionsgate film chair Adam Fogelson to talk about the success of ‘Michael,’ the challenges of making the movie, why they took a chance on the film when many other studios passed, whether there will be a sequel and if it will engage with the allegations against Michael Jackson, Lionsgate’s recent hot streak, how they compete with major studios, and more (00:00). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ (40:35). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Adam Fogelson Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Bloomberg's Lucas Shaw to briefly discuss Matt’s experience at the White House Correspondents' Dinner before diving into the latest struggles for Peacock after a first-quarter loss of $432M despite increasing its subscriber base by 22 percent. They dig into why the streamer is struggling despite its association with a very successful movie studio, its strong reality TV slate, and its valuable NFL rights, and discuss the overall paradox of the streaming business in 2026 (00:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Netflix's new Los Angeles headquarters (25:23). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw  Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Matt is joined by Semafor’s business and finance editor Liz Hoffman to discuss Wall Street's view of the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, this morning's WBD shareholder vote to approve the $110B deal, the non-binding rejection of David Zaslav’s exorbitant pay package, how the board will respond, and Netflix’s reputation after its push to acquire Warner Bros (00:32). Then, Matt and Craig recap the ‘Michael’ premiere, discuss the sordid backstory of making the movie, and give their opening weekend box office prediction (25:50). Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Liz Hoffman Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com. Half Man is now streaming on HBO Max. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Live from CinemaCon in Las Vegas, Matt is joined by producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Emma Thomas and Cinema United CEO Michael O’Leary to discuss the petition to block Paramount's acquisition of Warner Bros., the impact of PVOD and SVOD on the theatrical industry, the benefits of working with a major studio, the Ryan Coogler ‘Sinners’ deal, and what scares them the most about the state of the industry right now. Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Jerry Bruckheimer, Emma Thomas, Michael O’Leary Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jon Jones Theme Song: Devon Renaldo This episode is brought to you by AMC+. Start your free trial today at join.amcplus.com. Half Man premieres April 23rd on HBO Max. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices