Bob Iger’s Six-Month Report Card at Disney

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss one of Hollywood’s most hotly debated topics: data transparency among streamers. As the writers and actors strike drags on, data transparency continues to be a nonnegotiable for studios and a necessary inclusion for the guilds. Matt and Lucas discuss why the sides are so far apart, why streamers don’t want to release data, how data obscurity affects financials, and whether any of this could or should change. Matt finishes the show by recapping his Taylor Swift concert experience and making a prediction about how much money her tour will make. 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

7 Aug 202332min

Matt is joined once again by LightShed Partners media analyst Rich Greenfield to discuss the state of Warner Bros. Discovery following the results of the second quarter earnings, as well as Rich’s thoughts on Tom Staggs and Kevin Mayer returning to Disney to help Bob Igor with their linear TV platforms. They debate if placing content on a small platform with limited reach hurts the value of the content, the need for better personalization for the Max app, what news could look like on Max, and more. Also, Matt shares his prediction on this weekend’s box office by looking at ‘Teenage Mutant Turtles: Mutant Mayhem’ and ‘The Meg 2: The Trench.’ 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: Rich Greenfield Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

4 Aug 202332min

Matt is joined by The Hollywood Reporter’s senior film editor, Rebecca Keegan, to discuss how the success of Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ will influence female filmmakers and the industry at large. Matt finishes the show by giving a prediction about the upcoming negotiations between the WGA and the AMPTP. 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

3 Aug 202332min

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss the most interesting developments that have shaped Hollywood’s shutdown over the past three months and determine which strategies and tactics from both the WGA and SAG, as well as the AMPTP, have worked and which haven’t. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the future potential of ‘Barbie’s’ success. 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

31 Juli 202332min

Matt is joined by Warner Bros. president of worldwide marketing Josh Goldstine to discuss the strategy behind one of the great marketing campaigns of all time in ‘Barbie.' They break down the bold and subversive marketing choices that suggested this was not your typical ‘Barbie’ movie; how they were able to pull this off with the owner of Barbie IP, Mattel; and how the ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon took effect. Later, Matt makes a prediction about ‘Barbie’s' chances at an Oscar nomination. 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: Josh Goldstine Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

26 Juli 202332min

Matt is joined by Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw to discuss how the independent thriller ‘Sound of Freedom’ came out of nowhere and made $100 million in its first two weeks. They talk about the unique crowdfunding “pay-it-forward” model that helped market and finance the film and wonder if this is just a fluke or if there are any lessons to learn. 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 Juli 202331min

Matt is joined by research analyst Michael Pachter to unpack Netflix’s strong earnings report this week that included the company adding 5.9 million subscribers in Q2. They discuss what Netflix is doing right and how other streamers can learn from them, why the stock went down this week, whether the password crackdown is working, how Netflix should differentiate themselves during the writers and actors strike, and more. Matt finishes the show with a prediction about the opening weekend for ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer.' 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: Michael Pachter Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Juli 202332min

Matt is joined by The Quorum founder David Herrin to discuss the meteoric rise in popularity of ‘Barbie,' the unprecedented data around its tracking, how the marketing has eventized the film, and why this movie has taken the world by storm. They also discuss the "Barbenheimer" movement and how the simultaneous release of ‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’—along with the newest Mission Impossible film and the unexpected hit ‘The Sound of Freedom’— makes this one of the most interesting weekends in film that David has ever seen. 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: David Herrin Producer: Craig Horlbeck and Jessie Lopez Theme Song: Devon Renaldo Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Juli 202332min