Is Hollywood Broken? A Savvy Investor’s View of 2026.
Matt is joined by Jeff Sagansky—a longtime investor, executive, and producer—to discuss the current media landscape and how things are trending as we begin 2026. Jeff previews the M&A deal market for this year, makes the case for Warner Bros. surviving without a merger, shares what it’s like to be a producer in Hollywood right now, discusses the dark age of talent profit-sharing, and explains what investors appear most interested in this year (01:50). Matt then finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Greenland 2: Migration’ and ‘Primate’ (30:31). 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: Jeff Sagansky Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
10 Jan 37min
2026 Burning Questions: Another Strike? Is 'Avengers: Doomsday' Doomed? And David Ellison’s Movie Taste.
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to ask their most burning questions for Hollywood in 2026, including whether another strike is imminent, how NFL rights negotiations will affect the shows and movies made for streaming, what types of movies David Ellison will make as the head of a major studio, whether Universal can unseat Disney as the box office champion for the first time in over a decade, and much more (01:34). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
5 Jan 31min
Who Won (and Lost) the Year in Streaming?
Matt is joined by Puck media correspondent Julia Alexander to recap the year in streaming, and hand out awards for Streamer of the Year, Most Disappointing Streamer, Show of the Year, Biggest Surprise Hit, and highlight the most interesting trends in streaming (01:48). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the 'Stranger Things' finale in theaters (28:45). 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
31 Des 202536min
The End-of-Year Exec Survey: Next Disney CEO, Where to Sell Your Movie, and Worst Media Exec
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the big Christmas weekend at the box office, including the big ‘Marty Supreme’ win and Sydney Sweeney’s box office bounce. Then they dive into Lucas’s recent Bloomberg survey polling 700 industry experts to answer the biggest burning questions around town, including who will end up owning Warner Bros., who will be the CEO of Disney in 2027, where you should sell your movie, and who is the worst CEO in media (01:42). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about whether we will get ‘Avatar 4’ (25:00). 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
29 Des 202531min
The Townies, Part 2: Who Won the Year in Hollywood?
In Part 2 of podcasting's biggest night, Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw hand out the Executive Fail of the Year Award; the Savviest PR Move Award; the Mea Culpa I Was Wrong Award; the Suck It Haters, I Was Right Award; and the Biggest Self-Inflicted Wound Award. Then they declare which executive and talent won 2025 (00:07). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Marty Supreme’ and ‘Anaconda’ (34:57). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Lucas Shaw Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
23 Des 202544min
The Townies: Hollywood’s Best and Worst of 2025
It’s podcasting’s most exclusive event of the year: the fourth annual Townies! Join Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw as they recap the year in Hollywood with exciting and hilarious categories like Biggest Flex, Most Destructive Behind-the-Scenes Drama, Most Baffling Success, Most Annoying Media Narrative, Deal of the Year, and much more in Part 1 of this year's Townies. 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
22 Des 202548min
Paramount Isn’t Giving up Warner Bros. to Netflix Just Yet
Matt is joined by Gerry Cardinale, founder and managing partner of RedBird Capital, to discuss Paramount’s bid for Warner Bros., why their bid is superior to Netflix’s bid, Larry Ellison and the Middle East's involvement, whether they will look to raise their bid, and what the next steps will be (02:33). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash' (29:44). For a 20 percent discount on Matt’s Hollywood insider newsletter, ‘What I’m Hearing ...,’ click here. Email us your thoughts! thetown@spotify.com Host: Matt Belloni Guest: Gerry Cardinale Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
18 Des 202537min
