Why YouTubers Are Having a Hollywood Moment
Matt is joined by Dude Perfect CEO Andrew Yaffe to talk about the state of the creator economy and why popular YouTube stars are starting to partner with streamers. He outlines how a popular YouTube channel makes its money, the limitations of YouTube, the benefit of partnering with traditional Hollywood studios, and why Hollywood is growing more interested in YouTube stars (03:31). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for the newest Jason Statham film, ‘A Working Man’ (26:08). 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: Andrew Yaffe Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
27 Maalis 32min
The Most Important Movie for Each Studio in 2025
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to look at the upcoming theatrical slate for each of the major movie studios and determine which movie matters the most for the strategy of each company (02:17). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on where the newly available Jason Bourne franchise will land next (25:40). 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: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
24 Maalis 32min
Apple’s Hollywood Identity Crisis: Who Do They Want to Be?
Matt is joined by Puck’s Julia Alexander to discuss Apple’s current strategy in Hollywood—or lack thereof—the popularity of ‘Severance,’ a jump in Apple TV+ subscribers, and why now is an important time for Apple Studios to decide who it wants to be (03:00). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the director of the next James Bond film (28:03). 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: Julia Alexander Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
22 Maalis 35min
Trump 2.0: Should Hollywood Be Panicking?
Matt is joined by Axios senior media reporter and CNN analyst Sara Fischer to talk about the unexpected uncertainty in Hollywood under Donald Trump 2.0, and how the current administration's actions could affect every corner of the entertainment business (02:12). Matt finishes the show with two opening weekend box office predictions for ‘Snow White’ and ‘Alto Knights’ (24:40). 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: Sara Fischer Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
20 Maalis 32min
The Four Hottest Topics Around Town: ‘Mickey 17’, Warner Bros., Trump, and Apple TV+
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the hottest narratives around town and give their optimistic and pessimistic views of each. These narratives include: Hollywood is catering its content to Trump’s audience, movies like ‘Mickey 17’ leaving theaters so quickly are killing theatrical films (01:41), Warner Bros. is doomed as a movie studio, and Apple TV+ is quietly becoming a hitmaker (15:35). 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
18 Maalis 32min
Lively Vs. Baldoni and the Legal Stakes With Baldoni’s Lawyer
Matt is joined by entertainment lawyer and litigator Bryan Freedman to discuss the key legal issues surrounding actor Justin Baldoni’s lawsuits against ‘It Ends With Us’ costar Blake Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, her PR team, and ‘The New York Times,’ as well as Blake Lively’s lawsuit against Baldoni. Matt questions Bryan about the non-disparaging agreement between Justin Baldoni and Blake Lively, the issue of regulating behavior on set, and the growing influence social media has in the PR world (03:12). 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: Bryan Freedman Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
13 Maalis 41min
Is Netflix Spending its $18 Billion Content Budget Correctly?
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to parse Netflix’s latest data dump and look at what is and is not working for the streamer. Big-budget live-action movies, sitcoms, reality shows, crime documentaries, foreign films and TV all contribute to Netflix’s enormous slate of content, but which of them are working the most? Is Netflix in need of a Taylor Sheridan-like universe? Do they need $200M live-action movies? How much do they need live events like the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight? Should they get into podcasting? (02:56). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about Amazon’s commitment to release 12-14 movies in theaters in 2026 (23:54). 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
12 Maalis 31min
An AI Studio Making 'Quality' Movies for Dirt Cheap: Revolutionary or Dystopian?
Matt is joined by Pouya Shahbazian to discuss his company, Staircase Studios AI, a film, television, and gaming studio centered on an AI workflow that he claims revolutionizes the process of studio filmmaking. He explains how they plan to deliver “near-major-studio” levels of quality at budgets under $500,000, what their “talent-driven approach” actually looks like, and why this advancement in moviemaking technology should be embraced (02:38). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future of Meghan Markle’s television show on Netflix (28:21). Watch a scene from 'The Woman with Red Hair' here. 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: Pouya Shahbazian Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10 Maalis 35min
