The Return of the Spec Script—Is There Hope for Original Screenplays in Hollywood?
Matt is joined by Entertainment 360 literary manager/producer Geoff Shaevitz to discuss why spec-script sales have taken off in Hollywood over the past year. Geoff speculates on what kick-started this trend, why buyers are moving away from fully packaged deals, which genres are selling, which studios are buying, and whether the original-script boom is here to stay (02:50). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the opening weekend box offices for ‘Taylor Swift: The Official Release Party of a Showgirl’ and ‘The Smashing Machine’ (25:15). 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 BelloniGuest: Geoff Shaevitz Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
1 Okt 32min
One Box Office Battle After Another for PTA
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the weekend box office performance of ‘One Battle After Another’: Was the film a flop or a hit? With Warner Bros.' film slate done for the year, Matt and Lucas discuss the studio's performance this year and how it could affect chiefs Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, as well as the studio as a whole, amid a potential sale to David Ellison (02:58). They also discuss President Trump’s renewed threats of imposing tariffs on films made outside the United States (22:59). Matt finishes the show with a prediction on what will happen with AI actress Tilly Norwood (25:26). 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 Sep 32min
Where the Money Is Spent in Hollywood and How It's Changing
Matt is joined by Scott Purdy, a media strategy leader at KPMG, to discuss their illuminating new study outlining how much the major networks are spending on content and, more importantly, where. They discuss why these companies need to start spending their money differently and how user-generated content might soon become more powerful than the traditional content models (02:36). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for Paul Thomas Anderson’s newest film, ‘One Battle After Another’ (25:28). 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: Scott Purdy Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
26 Sep 32min
Kimmel Is Back, But Disney vs. Trump Is Just Beginning
Matt is joined by Puck’s Eriq Gardner to discuss the return of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ and unpack what could happen next. They talk about why Brendan Carr and the FCC may not be as powerful as they might seem, whether affiliate stations can preempt ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ indefinitely, and whether Disney could leverage its power by withholding its most valuable content—like the NFL and college football—from these affiliate networks (02:47). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the postponement of the Apple TV+ show ‘The Savant’ (25:43). 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: Eriq Gardner Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
25 Sep 32min
Kimmel’s Return, Disney’s Decision, and Iger’s Legacy
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the announcement that Jimmy Kimmel will be returning to ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ this Tuesday night, and the various ramifications that could follow. They talk about how Disney has handled this situation, the possibility of ABC affiliates refusing to air the show, former Disney CEO Michael Eisner's criticism of current CEO Bob Iger, and how this affects Iger’s legacy (02:47). Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the season-long ratings for the 2025 NFL season (27:22). 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 Sep 34min
Jimmy Kimmel vs. the FCC: Can Disney Escape This Mess?
Matt is joined by journalist Bill Carter to discuss the suspension of ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after portions of Kimmel’s monologue on Monday night sparked outrage among several ABC affiliate groups as well as FCC chairman Brendan Carr. They discuss Disney’s decision to pull Kimmel off the air, why certain affiliate groups might be motivated to side with Carr, what leverage the FCC has in this situation, Trump's online celebration and call-outs for other late-night hosts to be canceled, and where this all goes from here (03:49). 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: Bill Carter Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
18 Sep 35min
Is the Rotten Tomatoes Formula Fresh or Rotten?
Matt is joined by Rotten Tomatoes awards editor Jacqueline Coley to reveal how the Rotten Tomatoes rating system works, the reasoning behind its binary grading system, whether the system favors certain movies, why the Tomatometer scores have increased over the past 10 years, and why Rotten Tomatoes is so popular in the current online movie criticism landscape (02:39). Matt finishes the show with an opening weekend box office prediction for ‘Him’ and ‘A Big Bold Beautiful Journey’ (31:38). 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: Jacqueline Coley Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
17 Sep 38min
David Ellison Bought Paramount. Now He Wants Warner Bros. Plus, the 2025 Emmys Recap.
Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw and LightShed’s Rich Greenfield to discuss the report that David Ellison is interested in making a majority-cash bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery. Matt, Lucas, and Rich discuss why Ellison is doing this now after just acquiring Paramount, whether a merger like this is even possible, the ramifications of the continued consolidation in Hollywood, how valuable Warner Bros. is to Ellison, and what else Ellison could buy (02:50). Later, Lucas and Matt recap the 2025 Emmy Awards, highlighting their winners and losers and, most importantly, which after-party had the best food (25:43). 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 Guests: Lucas Shaw and Rich Greenfield Producers: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
16 Sep 41min
