Is David Zaslav Misunderstood?
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 the company and determine whether or not they were justified. It’s rare a media CEO becomes a central piece of the discourse, but after several PR mishaps and controversial content decisions, he has become the poster child for the troubled state of the industry. Is Zaslav deserving of such public disapproval? Or is he simply accomplishing his goal to reduce debt at the company by any means necessary? 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 Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
3 Jul 202332min
What Will Bring Gen Z to Theaters?
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. Matthew talks about how much Gen Z is going to movie theaters these days, their favorite franchises and genres, the effect of marketing on moviegoing habits, and more. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about NBC’s streaming service Peacock. 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: Matthew Liebmann Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
30 Jun 202332min
How Taylor Swift's Eras Tour is Becoming the Most Successful in History
Matt is joined by Nathan Hubbard—former CEO of Ticketmaster, current CEO of Firebird Music and Ringer podcaster—to discuss Taylor Swift’s world dominating Eras Tour and her path to achieving the first billion-dollar tour. They discuss how much money Taylor actually makes on this tour, why she isn’t releasing her weekly grosses, and whether or not she will reach that billion milestone and beyond. 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: Nathan Hubbard Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
29 Jun 202332min
The 2023 Executive Draft
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 in the business in each of these four categories: CEO, Studio Chief, Rising Star, and Specialist. 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 Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
26 Jun 202327min
It’s Time to Break Up Hollywood
Matt is joined by Matt Stoller, the research director for the American Economic Liberties Project and the writer of the monopoly-focused newsletter 'Big,' to discuss the evolution of Hollywood’s markets, how vertical integration has poisoned the industry, and why we need to de-consolidate the studio streamers to rescue the entertainment business. Matt finishes the show by giving a box office opening weekend prediction for the upcoming comedy ‘No Hard Feelings,’ starring Jennifer Lawrence. 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: Matt Stoller Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
22 Jun 202337min
Is the Superhero Era Finally Ending?
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 the radar. Four of the last six Marvel films have underperformed, DC’s ‘The Flash’ just bombed, and Marvel has pushed back the release date of its next line of Avengers films. So is it officially time to hit the panic button on the superhero genre? 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
20 Jun 202331min
Has Pixar Lost its Magic Touch?
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. They talk about whether their pandemic misfires has caused permanent damage, why their movies cost so much more than every other animation studio, and how leadership and the creative process has changed over the years. Matt finishes the show with two predictions about the opening weekends for ‘The Flash’ and Pixar’s ‘Elemental’. 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: Rebecca Keegan Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
16 Jun 202331min
'The Flash' and Marketing a Movie With a Controversial Star
Matt is joined by veteran film marketing executive Terry Press to discuss the upcoming movie ‘The Flash’ and how studios promote and release a movie with a controversial star attached. They discuss how Warner Bros. has handled the Ezra Miller situation in the lead-up to opening weekend, the decision to have them attend the premiere, and if any of this could affect box office numbers. They also talk about past movies with stars embroiled in controversy and how this has evolved over the years in Hollywood. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the latest Disney movie release date announcement. 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: Terry Press Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
14 Jun 202332min
